Onlive to shut down, Sony to buy patents

The end approaches for OnLive as the company reveals that it will cease operations soon.

The games streaming service will be available to consumers until April 30th, after which subscribers will no longer be charged. Any subscriptions renewed on or after March 28th will be refunded.

“Following the termination of the company’s services and related products, OnLive will engage in an orderly wind-down of the company and cease operations,” the company said in a statement.

Some of the firm’s assets, including its patents in the US and various other nations, will be acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment.

The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

“These strategic purchases open up great opportunities for our gamers, and gives Sony a formidable patent portfolio in cloud gaming,” said SCE VP of global business development Philip Rosenberg.

“It is yet another proof point that demonstrates our commitment to changing the way gamers experience the world of PlayStation.”

Sony previously acquired Onlive rival Gaikai, which has been reshaped into its PlayStation Now streaming service.

OnLive launched back in 2010 in the US and the following year in the UK. Following financial troubles, the firm was rescued from administration by Lauder Partners in 2012, but despite the launch of new features like CLoudLift – the ability to link your Steam library to the service – it has struggled to gain the userbase and subscriptions needed to continue operating.