What is the OnLive Game Service?

The OnLive® Game Service is a groundbreaking on-demand video game platform that delivers the latest and most advanced games instantly over a broadband connection. You can play on your TV via the OnLive Game System or on nearly any PC or Mac® via a small browser download. You can also turn your tablet or smartphone into a mobile console and play top-tier games everywhere! The OnLive Game Service creates an entirely new way to play, watch, share and demo premium games from the world's leading publishers.

What is the difference between the OnLive Game Service and other services delivering games via the Internet?

OnLive is the pioneer of "cloud gaming," which allows you to play top-tier games instantly on your TV via the OnLive Game System—and play console-class games on your PC, Mac®, tablet or smartphone.

Because all the games run in OnLive’s state-of-the-art data centers, you can always play the highest-performance games on your OnLive Game System and even play on most low-performance computers, tablets, and smartphones. You never have to upgrade hardware. As games become more advanced, you can continue to play them on the same OnLive Game System, computer, or mobile device.

Beyond instant, high-performance gameplay, OnLive provides a live video-rich community:

OnLive's features today are just the beginning. OnLive technology opens the door to a future of unlimited possibilities in gaming, community, entertainment and computing.

Does OnLive support multiplayer gaming?

Absolutely, for games with multiplayer capability. Even beyond normal online multiplayer action, OnLive has many social features that make it a great place to watch live gameplay, chat with friends and share your highlights through Brag Clip videos.

Connecting to the OnLive Game Service

PC/Mac®
First, sign up for a free account at onlive.com/go/signup. After registering, you will be asked to set up your account and do a small installation through your browser, and then you can dive into the OnLive Game Service. Click on the OnLive Launcher from the desktop or Start Menu or direct your browser to onlive.com/play (PC). Click on the OnLive app in your Applications folder (Mac).

TV: Via the OnLive Game System
Purchase an OnLive Game System through the OnLive Web Store. If you don’t already have an OnLive account, you’ll create a free account during purchase. Once you receive your OnLive Game System, plug it in and follow the on-screen instructions, and you’ll be playing in just minutes.

Tablets/Smartphones
Get the free OnLive app through the Android Market. Once you’ve installed the app, launch it from your device, create a free account and start playing. Support for Apple devices coming soon.

Some anti-virus software tools can trigger an alert when installing OnLive software. To continue with the installation, acknowledge the alert and accept OnLive as a known program. The installation should continue.

Getting Games in the OnLive Game Service

To see all the games currently available for free demos and PlayPass purchases, or inclusion in a PlayPack Plan (Learn More), go to the Marketplace area in the OnLive Game Service. Press “S” on your keyboard or Button “Y” on your controller to sort through the games.

To see all of your current PlayPass or PlayPack games, go to the My Games area in the OnLive Game Service, or if you're playing a game, press Alt+O (or the Center button on your controller) to bring up the Dashboard and flip to the Quick Launch panel. The games are listed in the order of the most recent game you've played.

A PlayPass grants you access to play a game for a specified period of time. Membership is required to purchase and use a PlayPass. The PlayPass options are:

In the highly unlikely situation that a game becomes permanently unavailable before the minimum term of your PlayPass, you will receive a prorated refund.

To get a PlayPass, go to the Marketplace in the OnLive Game Service. Select the game you want, and select Get PlayPass. To extend the term of a current PlayPass, select Extend PlayPass. If the time remaining on a PlayPass ends during gameplay, you’ll be given the option to extend the time and continue playing!

Virtually every game on the OnLive Game Service has a free demo available. Better yet, if you like the game and want to purchase a PlayPass after the demo ends, you can continue from where you are in the game without having to start over again.

The PlayPack Bundle is a $9.99/month video game plan that offers unlimited access to a regularly updated library of more than 100 recent, indie and classic games. Similar to other OnLive titles, all PlayPack games will play instantly on TVs using the OnLive Game System or on a PC or Mac® via a small browser download. Many PlayPack games can even be played on tablets and smartphones via touch controls or the OnLive Wireless Controller.

For more information about the PlayPack flat-rate plan, visit onlive.com/games/playpack.

We accept U.S. MasterCard, Visa and Discover. All payments are in U.S. dollars.

We accept check cards (debit cards with a MasterCard or Visa or Discover logo). If a PIN is required to use your card, it is not eligible as a payment type.

To redeem game promo codes, go to the Marketplace area of the OnLive Game Service, select the game you want, choose the type of PlayPass, and select Apply Promo Code. Enter your promotional code.