On March 24 of 2009, the world was introduced to a new gaming technology - the gaming system known as OnLive. With OnLive, gamers can stream game content while the game is being played. That means gamers see high-definition video in real time, using a server platform miles away.

With OnLive, games are streamlined to the microconsole offering graphics similar to traditional consoles. One of the features of the system is that the gamer does not have to go out and buy a robust computer system in that OnLive runs on not only a standard personal computer, whether desktop or laptop or Mac, but also portable devices connected to the television. Being able to play online games via computer or television could be one of OnLive's biggest benefits.

The only thing people need to use OnLive is an internet connection and computer. Gamers get streaming video of interactive games without having to invest in computer upgrades. During the conference, Steve Perlman, the developer of OnLive provided attendees with a first-hand demonstration, that left the crowd wondering "Is this the new way of gaming?".

The OnLive gaming system did not just happen overnight. It took Perlman and a team of high-skilled and experienced individuals seven years to come up with this system. Not only is the way in which games are played revolutionized, but also the way games are published. Perlman shared that this is a new concept; one that could potentially change the way people play video games.

With a background of developing hundreds of technology options, Perlman and his team put their knowledge to work and the result was OnLive. Games are immediately accessible with the push of a button. Without wasting time downloading games, as seen with other online gaming systems, OnLive allows gamers to start playing immediately upon logging onto the computer.

Every game through OnLive is delivered through a standard television or web browser, regardless of computer system. For people that prefer to play OnLive games via television only need a microconsole used for decompressing video. This means graphic cards and servers at the player's home are eliminated in that the game server on which OnLive runs is located off-site.

The servers that operate OnLive are uniquely designed for highly advanced graphic games. Players choose what they want to play and the video is available instantly. With the streaming technology, latency is minimized, usually within a millisecond, so fast that the gamer sees nothing.

The broadband demand would depend on the television or computer screen on which the game would be played. For a standard screen, the player needs 1.5 Mbps whereas for someone playing on a high-definition television would need 5 Mbps. During the conference, Perlman and one of his counterparts, McGarvey, played a game using a standard Dell computer and the viewers were given, speed and clear graphics.

Another one of the other benefits to developers that comes along with OnLive is that problems of piracy are eliminated. Currently, 16 games using OnLive are available but as developers continue to work hard, more and more games with the standard level of graphics will be introduced.