Steve Perlman's ambitious cloud gaming service, OnLive, will begin to roll out on June 17 for PC and Mac, giving gamers in the continental U.S. a chance to see first-hand what on-demand, instant-play videogames are all about.

Perlman, founder and CEO of the company and service that bear the same name, said in a statement that the official launch will happen at this year's E3, opening OnLive to those living in the 48 contiguous states. For an announced price of $14.95 per month (not including purchase or rental of games), the service will provide instant access to a library of popular titles and new releases from a number of publishers, including Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, 2K, THQ, and Warner Bros. For example, the titles currently listed under OnLive's Featured Games section are Mass Effect 2, Assassin's Creed II, Borderlands, Metro 2033, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, and Dragon Age: Origins.

Via a browser plug-in and high-speed Internet connection, Perlman promises even the most basic computers will be able to run high-end games. "This marks a huge milestone for both OnLive and the interactive entertainment landscape as a whole, changing the way that video games are developed, marketed, accessed and played," Perlman said. "We are opening the door to incredible experiences for gamers and enormous opportunities for developers and publishers."

No word yet on the release of the console version of OnLive, but Perlman said more details would be provided at E3. The company did announce a pre-registration promotion, offering a three-month free introductory period to the first 25,000 people that sign up.