Ed
04-01-2009, 05:34 PM
Article From: http://www.businessinsider.com/will-bandwidth-caps-sink-web-based-gaming-2009-4#comment-form
Will Bandwidth Caps Sink Web-Based Gaming?
Eric Krangel (http://onlivefans.com/eric-krangel)|Apr. 1, 2009, 1:06 PM[/URL]
[URL="http://onlivefans.com/big-tech"] (javascript:window.print())
http://static.10gen.com/businessinsider/%7E%7E/f?id=49c8e0d314b9b91b00abc0ae&maxX=263&maxY=197Gaming startups like OnLive (http://www.businessinsider.com/webtv-founder-back-pitching-new-game-console-to-take-on-wii-ps3-x360-2009-3), Trion (http://www.businessinsider.com/2008/6/trion-preps-first-server-based-game-inks-scifi-channel-deal), and Gaikaihttp://i.ixnp.com/images/v3.74/t.gif (http://www.gaikai.com/) hope to revolutionize gaming and bring state-of-the-art games from the cloud to TVs and cheap netbooks. The idea: Cut out both expensive game consoles and retail middlemen, do the heavy lifting of rendering game graphics themselves, and then stream the output in hi-def anywhere.
There's already skepticismhttp://i.ixnp.com/images/v3.74/t.gif (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/gdc-why-onlive-cant-possibly-work-article) heavy-duty server-based gaming will work, technically. But the rising cost of Internet access could sink their business models too.
The problem: Internet service providers like Comcast (CMCSA) and Time Warner Cable (TWC) are experimenting with bandwidth caps (http://www.businessinsider.com/time-warner-cable-to-offer-100-gb-plan-for-mega-downloaders-too-2009-4). Comcast has a cap at 250 GB. Time Warner Cable is experimenting with caps and $1/GB overage charges (http://www.businessinsider.com/time-warner-cable-putting-more-bandwidth-hogs-on-a-diet-2009-4) in more cities this year.
OnLive, one such service, promises 720p video at 60 frames a second -- that could be around 2 GB per hour to play. If a gamer wants to play Grand Theft Auto 4 to completion -- more than 100 hours -- that's potentially 200 GB of data right there. That could translate to a significant overage charge. Compare that to current prices of $60 for GTA4 plus a console.
Then there's traditional distribution models: Publishers on Sony's (SNE) Playstation Network and Microsoft's (MSFT) Xbox Live both rely on free demos of their games to excite prospective buyers. But those demos run 1.4 GB -- not something to do lightly if overage charges are a worry. Same situation applies to web-based game distributors like Valve.
But the news isn't bad for all gaming companies: Traditional online games like World of Warcraft max out their connection at about 30 MB/hour, meaning WoW addicts and other online gamers can play all day long without worrying too much about their Internet bill.
Will Bandwidth Caps Sink Web-Based Gaming?
Eric Krangel (http://onlivefans.com/eric-krangel)|Apr. 1, 2009, 1:06 PM[/URL]
[URL="http://onlivefans.com/big-tech"] (javascript:window.print())
http://static.10gen.com/businessinsider/%7E%7E/f?id=49c8e0d314b9b91b00abc0ae&maxX=263&maxY=197Gaming startups like OnLive (http://www.businessinsider.com/webtv-founder-back-pitching-new-game-console-to-take-on-wii-ps3-x360-2009-3), Trion (http://www.businessinsider.com/2008/6/trion-preps-first-server-based-game-inks-scifi-channel-deal), and Gaikaihttp://i.ixnp.com/images/v3.74/t.gif (http://www.gaikai.com/) hope to revolutionize gaming and bring state-of-the-art games from the cloud to TVs and cheap netbooks. The idea: Cut out both expensive game consoles and retail middlemen, do the heavy lifting of rendering game graphics themselves, and then stream the output in hi-def anywhere.
There's already skepticismhttp://i.ixnp.com/images/v3.74/t.gif (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/gdc-why-onlive-cant-possibly-work-article) heavy-duty server-based gaming will work, technically. But the rising cost of Internet access could sink their business models too.
The problem: Internet service providers like Comcast (CMCSA) and Time Warner Cable (TWC) are experimenting with bandwidth caps (http://www.businessinsider.com/time-warner-cable-to-offer-100-gb-plan-for-mega-downloaders-too-2009-4). Comcast has a cap at 250 GB. Time Warner Cable is experimenting with caps and $1/GB overage charges (http://www.businessinsider.com/time-warner-cable-putting-more-bandwidth-hogs-on-a-diet-2009-4) in more cities this year.
OnLive, one such service, promises 720p video at 60 frames a second -- that could be around 2 GB per hour to play. If a gamer wants to play Grand Theft Auto 4 to completion -- more than 100 hours -- that's potentially 200 GB of data right there. That could translate to a significant overage charge. Compare that to current prices of $60 for GTA4 plus a console.
Then there's traditional distribution models: Publishers on Sony's (SNE) Playstation Network and Microsoft's (MSFT) Xbox Live both rely on free demos of their games to excite prospective buyers. But those demos run 1.4 GB -- not something to do lightly if overage charges are a worry. Same situation applies to web-based game distributors like Valve.
But the news isn't bad for all gaming companies: Traditional online games like World of Warcraft max out their connection at about 30 MB/hour, meaning WoW addicts and other online gamers can play all day long without worrying too much about their Internet bill.