Video-Games-on-TV Company, Playcast, Partners with Game Controller Specialist, Playfect

Playcast Media--a start-up with offices in Israel and London that offers a games-on-demand system which it says allows consumers to play modern, high-end video games on their existing cable or IPTV set-top box, using a game pad or controller, without lags or latency (note: the company was founded by two Harmonic veterans--Guy de Beer, who previously managed that company's VOD product lines, and Natan Peterfreund, who was previously its principal scientist and who is one of the originators of the H.264 compression standard; it recently launched an HD version of its system and revealed that it had signed an MOU with an unnamed Portuguese pay-TV operator--see the articles published on itvt.com, May 16th and 26th)--said Tuesday that it has formed a partnership with games accessories company, Playfect.

According to Playcast, the partnership will enable it to offer operators a wide range of game controllers as part of a comprehensive end-to-end solution. The Playcast-Playfect portfolio, the company says, includes various kinds of peripherals, ranging from traditional gamepads, through driving kits, motion-sensing controllers, fitness accessories and a variety of musical instrument controllers. "The game controllers are an essential part of the overall gaming experience," Playcast CEO, Guy de Beer, said in a prepared statement. "With this partnership, TV operators can now benefit from a complete games-on-demand kit which can be easily integrated with an existing set-top box. Playfect were the natural fit for our solution, as they combine high-end controllers which are fully customizable to the operator's branding and packaging needs. One other important benefit for our pay-TV partners is the affordable price, which compares to TV remote controls currently distributed by operators."