OnLive Adds Parental Controls, Group Chat, Facebook Achievements

Streaming video game service OnLive has announced the addition of three new features to its service: parental controls, a group voice chat and the ability to share achievements on Facebook. The parental controls come in the form of a new "restricted mode," which can let children use a parent's OnLive account with limits placed on available games and features such as chatting, brag clips and spectating. The company called the new feature the "first step" in letting parents manage children's access to OnLive. OnLive's new Group Chat function adds the ability to create a list of OnLive buddies that you can easily converse with across OnLive game sessions, without having to track them down individually. This chat will work across games and even while spectating or browsing the OnLive market. Finally, OnLive has added the ability to share achievements earned on the service with Facebook automatically, along with a linked copy of the "brag clip" video associated with that achievement, when available. OnLive recently announced plans to expand its service to Europe in September, and also plans to allow streaming to iPads and Android tablets this fall.