Cloud gaming service Playcast plans Q1 2013 launch in US

Television channel-based cloud gaming service Playcast will launch in the US early next year for set-top boxes, tablets, smartphones, and PCs.

The company is currently in talks with game publishers including Activision, THQ, Warner Bros., and Telltale Games ahead of its leap into the states during Q1 2013, according to a report by Joystiq.

Playcast is also working on agreements with several television providers. Depending on the resulting deals, users will be able to access the service instantly from specific channels.

It’s been a while, but we first reported on the firm back in 2009 when the streaming games service launched in Playcast’s home country of Israel ahead of any such launch by competitors OnLive and Gaikai. Playcast has since launched in South Korea, Portugal, and France.

No specific release date or pricing info has been provided as of yet, but more info is expected at CES next month.