Cloud Nine

**Cloud Nine**is a third-party digital distribution platform and cloud gaming service developed by Ikonix Softworks available for PC and Anima 2. Cloud Nine provides users with cloud storage, online gaming and cross-platform streaming through it's own client. Cloud Nine is a free download, but players can only access the client store and have no access to the cloud, effectively only using local storage. Cloud Nine X is a subscription service that allows players to use all that Cloud Nine has to offer.

## Services

### Cloud Nine

* Cloud Nine Store
* Cloud Nine Marketplace
* Cross-platform Multiplayer
* Redeeming bought games

### Cloud Nine X

* All of *Cloud Nine*
* Cloud Storage and Usage
* Cross-platform Streaming
* Game Trials
* Create Private Servers
* *Cloud Nine Animation* Subscription

## Distribution

Ikonix uses the client store as a distribution platform for games. Games bought in the client can be stored in the cloud partially to save memory and allow more games to be bought with less memory space. Games bought outside the client, either a disc or through another party's store, can be redownloaded once on Cloud Nine.

The library of Ikonix has an extensive selection of indie exclusives through Ikonix' Publishing Division. Besides indie exclusives, Ikonix also has a few subsidiaries or partners that develop AAA exclusives for the service, for exemple subsidiary developer Evil Genius Productions. There are also third-party games available on the service.

## Cloud Gaming

The biggest feature of Cloud Nine, the subscription X service to be exact, is it's Cloud storage and streaming. Bought games can be stored in a by Ikonix run physical storage servers on multiple continents. This allows players to not only have less local memory used, it also helps running the game on higher settings, allowing for more customization in graphics and framerate even without a high-end PC.

Secondly, the service allows Anima and PC exclusives to be played on the other platform through file streaming. Ikonix has a seperate team working on remapping inputs to controllers and mouse and keyboard, but they also allow people using the service to upload their choice of remapped buttons to the service. Besides being able to play the game on whatever system you like whenever you want, Cloud Nine also offers cross-platform multiplayer between users of Cloud Nine, introducing more interaction between console and PC.

Cloud Nine features a on-demand trials service for games. If you haven't decided you would like a game or not, you can play a game without ahving to download it for a set amount of time, differing per game. Once you have concluded a trial, the game cannot be played further, but progression won't be lost if you decide to buy within 48 hours.

Another big features is that Cloud Nine can passively run applications in the background. If you are in a not-online game and exit the application, the application freezes or pauses and you can start another application or game at the same time. If you decide to return to the first game, you will continue at the exact moment you left the game, not requiring checkpoints or saves. An application shuts down after 24 hours running on standby to conserve Cloud usage.

## Community

Cloud Nine has a lot of features to gives users of the service tools to experiment with. It has the option to run private servers in games between Cloud Nine users, either in-game servers or a Cloud Nine server that restricts progression if the game does enforce against private servers. It also has a in-client marketplace where users can sell their downloaded games, downloadable content and in-game items and accounts, where Ikonix takes a percentage on the sell price. It also offers players to modify games and have tools to the Ikonix engine, as well as remapping controls as mentioned above.