Cloud gaming service OnLive is to be taken offline at the end of this month, the company has confirmed.
Due to shut its doors for the final time on April 30, it’s understood that users can still access the service and play games right up until that date, with OnLive also stating that anyone who started a subscription on or after March 20 will be entitled to a full refund.
As the company begins to slowly cut production, Japanese giant Sony has moved in to acquire the remainder of OnLive’s cloud patents, a decision that will naturally bolster the publisher’s presence in the world of online streaming following its acquisition of Gakai — later to be turned into PlayStation Now — two years ago. In a statement, Sony’s Philip Rosenberg had the following to say about today’s announcement.
“These strategic purchases open up great opportunities for our gamers, and gives Sony a formidable patent portfolio in cloud gaming. It is yet another proof point that demonstrates our commitment to changing the way gamers experience the world of PlayStation.”
After a five-year stint on the market, OnLive was one of the first companies to introduce the model of a subscription-baed service to the gaming industry, long before Netflix grew into the commonplace giant we know today. The writing has been on the wall for some time, though, after it made the decision to layoff a number of employees in 2012.