OnLive cuts a mafia deal that gamers won’t be able to refuse

Online video game service OnLive scored a coup today by getting same-day access to Mafia II, a high-profile video game that goes on sale tonight at midnight.

Take-Two Interactive’s 2K Games will allow OnLive to make Mafia II available to its subscribers as a server-based online game starting today. Those who pay full price for Mafia II will be able to get another free game on OnLive (until Aug. 29).

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OnLive enables the digital distribution of games via an online service. On top of that, it allows users to play without any need to download a big game at all. OnLive’s games are stored and played on web-connected internet servers. That allows users to play them from any machine with an online client and to store data on the internet cloud. The service launched in June after more than eight years of development and considerable fanfare. But most of OnLive’s games were catalog titles, which had been previously launched on the PC or consoles.

But with Mafia II, OnLive is able to show it can get its hands on the newest games on the same day they launch in retail stores. OnLive managed to cut similar deals with the launch of the LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 game and Kane & Lynch 2. Mafia II, however, is a step up. It’s an open world game with lots of fast-action gun battles. As such, it’s the sort of game that could push OnLive’s network to its limit. I’ve played one of the game’s levels, and it is a lot of fun. It will be interesting to see if games like Mafia II make digital distribution and OnLive’s service more interesting to gamers. OnLive has dozens of games available for a variety of prices.