Playcast deal brings OnLive-style cloud gaming to cable TV boxes in France

Playcast Media Systems, which provides an OnLive-style cloud gaming, has partnered with mobile/internet service provider Bouygues Telecom to stream video games to cable TV set-top boxes in France without requiring additional hardware. As similar services like OnLive and Gaikai work to establish themselves in North America (with plans to expand to Europe and Asia), Playcast is growing its business in Europe -- the Israeli company already has its service running with Portugal Telecom, as well as a partnership with Singapore's Singtel. Speaking to Gamasutra last January, Playcast said its plan is to launch in smaller overseas markets, where console penetration is relatively low, before taking on larger markets. CEO Guy de Beer commented at the time, "With North America, the timing isn't right for us right now." Its U.S. rivals, however, have been making their own high-profile partnerships to reach more customers: OnLive recently announced an agreement to bring its game streaming service to televisions running the GoogleTV platform, and Gaikai struck a deal to deliver its service to LG Electronics' Smart TV service. Bouygues Telecom claims it will be the first telecom operator in the French market to bring a service like Playcast to consumers' TVs. The telecom firm will allow certain subscribers to stream video games from its new Bbox service created with Playcast, via the set-top boxes they already use for cable TV. The Bbox service will roll out on for Bouygues Telecom users this Spring. Playcast has partnered with major publishers such as Activision, Atari, Capcom, Codemasters, Disney, Sega, THQ, Warner Bros. and others to offer their respective titles through its cloud gaming service in France and other countries. "We are now bringing high-end games to a more casual audience," said de Beer. "Pay-TV subscribers across the world tell us they already have enough boxes and remote controls in their living room. For this audience, the concept of choosing games from their existing [set-top box] is really appealing."