Gaikai partners with LG for cloud gaming TVs
Smart TV deal puts high-end games in the living room
Gaikai will stream games to home TVs via a new LG Electronics deal - with products ready to launch this year.
The smart TV cloud gaming service will be integrated into LG Cinema 3D TVs, allowing high-end games to be streamed to the living room with no need for traditional PC or console hardware.
"We care passionately about delivering the best content and most premium experiences possible for our valued customers", said Taeg Il Cho, VP of TV product planning group at LG Electronics, "The ability to have award winning games that run on much more powerful hardware in the cloud than today's PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, made this a must-have feature for our televisions and future devices".
Gaikai will show the tech running today at CES in Las Vegas. Last year, the company told GamesIndustry.biz that it was in the process of consulting with TV manufacturers about streaming games to living room screens and prototyping control devices.
"Thanks to the Internet, you can watch the latest movies and listen to the latest music practically anywhere," added David Perry, CEO of Gaikai, "but until today, to play the biggest blockbuster video games, every household has had to buy and set up expensive video game console hardware.
"That's all about to change and pioneers in the space can build direct digital relationships with their end consumers."
Gaikai is in the process of targeting 100 million users. Initially it stuck partnership deals with publishers such as Electronic Arts and Ubisoft to stream games on their respective website. It then went direct to consumers through media partners such as Eurogamer and retailers like Best Buy, and has since expanded to services like YouTube.