It's a subscription service. By that logic why would you ever sign up for:
cable tv
internet service
cellphone
netflix
electricity
Similarly, you have "nothing to show" after you are done with those subscription services as well.
edit: I see there are per-game (rent/own?) charges too it seems. The details aren't clear yet.
The thing with that is you are getting a service.. Are you paying $20 a movie to watch it or are you getting 6+ rent movies... See you are paying $40+ for games you do not own in your hand... Paying a small fee for a service is not the same as buying stuff that you can keep... Also OnLive you pay a monthly fee plus you have to PAY for games that you really do not own.. Also your internet goes down you can not play your games on OnLive.. If OnLive goes under you lose your bought games..
From OnLine website
(No purchase is necessary for the free first year, and while there are lots of demos and other great stuff that are also free,
this offer does not include games, features and other services that are for purchase. Eligibility requirements and other terms and conditions are detailed here.)
Here is how it works:
Sign up for the Founding Members Offer by completing the information on the sign-up page for the Founding Member Waiting List. You should receive a thank you email from OnLive indicating that OnLive successfully received your information. Each person may only sign up for a Founding Members Offer once and a given credit card number may only be used for a single Founding Members Offer activation. Any sign-up forms that are incomplete, illegible, altered, forged, mechanically reproduced or are generated by proxy or any electronic/automated means will not be placed on the Founding Member Waiting List, and multiple sign-ups using the same email address or activations using the same credit card number may be rejected. You agree that OnLive may use your sign-up information to contact you about OnLive or to offer you other OnLive-related news and information and special offers. The collection and use of your personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy.
Look for an email invitation from OnLive and follow the instructions in that email in order to activate your Account on the OnLive Game Service. OnLive will be sending out invitations subject to service availability and your satisfaction of other eligibility criteria described below as well as any other terms specified herein. There are a limited number of available Accounts in each region of the Offer Territory. Eligible Founding Member Waiting List registrants will be sent email invitations in the order that valid sign-ups for the Founding Members Offer are received by OnLive and as Accounts in each region become available. You must respond to the invitation within 7 days of receiving it and visit OnLive’s website to activate your Account. If you do not respond within this time period, your email invitation will expire, and you will lose your opportunity to participate in this offer.
Start using the OnLive Game Service. The monthly Service Fee will be waived for the first twelve (12) months after you activate your Account on the Service. During this twelve (12) month period, you will have access to the Service which includes access to free demos and community features, such as member Profiles, Friending, Chat, Spectating and Brag Clip™ videos.
No purchase is necessary to participate in this offer,
but games, content and other services offered on the Service for purchase or other consideration are not included in this offer, and their access or use will be subject to whatever terms are applicable to the access or use of such games, content or other services.
P.S.Your Internet connection and PC or Mac® must have sufficient network quality and performance to use the OnLive Game Service at High Definition (HD) resolution. Although OnLive has found that most computers with at least a
5Mbps wired residential Internet connection are sufficient, many factors affect network quality and computer performance, and OnLive cannot guarantee that your configuration will work or continue to work.
