Upcoming OnLive App Brings High-End Console Gaming to the App Store

OnLive has announced its new iOS app that will allow gamers to play games over the OnLive service right on their mobile iOS devices.

The app will effectively bring console-style blockbuster games, like L.A. Noire and the Batman titles, to the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Until now, OnLive account holders were only able to view the service from their iPads without actually playing. That all changed today with the announcement that OnLive’s new app is awaiting approval in the Apple App Store. Soon, we’ll be playing ‘real’ games on our iOS devices…

OnLive has been around in some shape or form for awhile now, and we’re big fans of it here at iDB if only for the shear technological genius that it must have taken to make the system work. OnLive, for the uninitiated, allows the playing of games over the internet, with the heavy lifting done on remote servers and video sent to whatever device you are playing on. Your keyboard and mouse commands are sent the other way through servers, and the whole thing works just as if you are playing a local game.

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbt799xIRJk[/tube]

OnLive’s new app will not only act as a standalone portal into the OnLive service, offering on-screen controls for those games which support them. Gamers will be able to connect OnLive’s Xbox 360-like Bluetooth controller to an iPad or iPhone and use that to control the games. If you were looking for truly portable gaming, then you just found it.

We are imagining the scenario: you’re playing a hot, new game using OnLive’s MicroConsole, but you need to go to work. You take your iPad and a wireless controller with you, and you’re good to continue where you left off on your lunch break. “Awesome” just does not do that prospect justice.

Just to add an extra kick, OnLive has also confirmed that their app will support AT&T and Verizon’s 4G networks, meaning users will be able to play games even when a Wi-Fi network is not available. Obviously, that does not affect the iPhone at this point, but the fact that it is possible is still really cool, and we all know a 4G iPhone will come at some point, don’t we?

The new OnLive app should go live in the App Store at some point this week, and we can’t wait!

Are you an OnLive user? If not, will this development push you over the edge and make you give it a try?