Gaikai Focused On Retail Incentives

As cloud computing offers publishers the opportunity to go direct-to-consumer, the impact of streaming services like OnLive and Gaikai on traditional retail is yet to be seen. But Gaikai is pledging to work with retail partners, telling UK trade site MCV that it's been in discussions with numerous sellers "and none of them despise the idea that we have." "Gaikai represents a huge change to how publishers and retailers target the market through adverts,” co-founder Andrew Gault told the site. "Our service means that online game demos could redirect consumers straight to a retailer’s online store," he explains. "They could even redirect straight to a webpage with an in-store discount coupon, which the player would print out and take to a shop to buy the retail edition of the game." Gaikai will launch initially as a means for publishers to advertise and demo games in web browsers. The company, led by CEO and industry stalwart David Perry, has said the service will launch in North America "soon" -- without offering a firm date, although Gaikai plans to show at E3 this month. It recently received a new $10 million funding round to help it ramp up launch efforts, support more devices and get more partners on board.