Crytek affiliate unveils cloud-based gaming service

Crytek affiliate Gface unveiled a cross-platform "social media publishing service" that allows users to play streaming games with each other in their browsers, and take part in other online experiences together. Gface's eponymous platform is the latest game streaming technology to join companies such as OnLive and Gaikai in the burgeoning cloud gaming market. It enables users to load a variety of free-to-play games, from casual 2D titles to "core" 3D games in their browser, without installing them. Users will need to install the free Gface Experience Plug-in, however, before using the service. The plug-in is built on a realtime cloud-based technology platform called Seed Engine, which is designed to "unify all types of communications, people, and media." In addition to facilitating multiplayer gaming and chat, the service allows users to share links and media, watch live videos with each other, and invite non-registered friends to join their games without needing to create an account. While Frankfurt-based Gface says it's made up of a small team, it's backed by Crytek, which it shares technology with. The Crysis series and CryEngine developer's CEO Cevat Yerli, also director at Gface, helped shape the idea for the service with the group's members in 2007. The platform is currently accepting applications for a closed beta. Though neither Crytek or Gface have announced games that will appear on it yet, early concept screenshots show Crytek's upcoming free-to-play, client-based first-person shooter Warface running on the service. "[Gface] encompasses our mission to re-imagine the way we play, the way we interact with each other – live in an entirely new way," says Yerli. "We want everybody to play everywhere for free."