$99 Ouya wants to bust down console gaming’s walled gardens

**FirtY** · 07-11-12 at 10:21 AM

http://www.kickstarter.com/blog/ouyas-big-day

kulma · 07-11-12 at 01:14 PM

Sounds like a great idea, but where are all the games?

Ft720 · 07-13-12 at 11:13 AM

It's interesting, but I'll wait and see. After six months when mods,hacks,games are plenty and it's still holds up then I might pick it up.

**tehPARADOX** · 07-13-12 at 05:48 PM

Doesn't seem like it'll be successful despite the hype. There's only a handful of indies that's worth buying and most of them are available via other channels.

Spec doesn't seem very desirable as well. As far as hacks and emulation, all current consoles have that option already.

**Oamey** · 07-13-12 at 06:04 PM

I think they should up the hardware specs a bit, even if it raises the price into the low $200s

SkarEffect · 07-14-12 at 02:26 PM

Only if this console have graphics that could compete I would buy one. Unless I buy one just for a Console collection.

**deathbybandaid** · 07-14-12 at 02:53 PM

Not only will it play games, but comparative in price to a Roku box, if it is able to run apps like plex, or xbmc,, it would stream media and play games for the same price as a Roku

**FirtY** · 07-27-12 at 08:16 AM

When OnLive first heard about OUYA, we were excited to see console gaming becoming more available and open. Like OUYA, we came to gaming with a new vision for making top-quality gaming accessible to more people, and we continue to look for ways to expand on that vision.

OUYA is rethinking the console business, making waves by using standard technology to make gaming for your living room accessible, affordable and more innovative than ever. In OnLive's case, we pioneered a groundbreaking, cloud-based system that instantly delivers games to any device on demand.

We are pleased to announce that OnLive will be available on OUYA at launch, extending and building on our commitment to make the best games available to everyone, everywhere.
What does that mean for OUYA backers?

---OnLive will deliver a full console-class experience, bringing hundreds of top-tier games from more than 80 publishers to the OUYA console for play on demand.

---OUYA owners will be able to jump in and play any of these games both at home on their OUYA console, and on the go on PCs, Macs, tablets and phones, never leaving a game behind.

---Instant demos will be available for nearly every game in our ever-growing library—from eagerly anticipated indie titles like Ravaged, to hot blockbusters like the upcoming Darksiders® II. Players can experience up to 30 minutes of each game for free before deciding what to buy. If they like it, they can continue playing where the demo left off.

OnLive already delivers a premium gaming experience to tablets, smartphones, PCs, Macs, connected TVs and HDTVs via the OnLive® Game System or dedicated streaming devices like the VIZIO Co-Star. We’re pleased to deliver the same OnLive experience on the OUYA console when it launches next year.

—Bruce Grove, General Manager, OnLive

The Contoller
Feast your eyes upon the latest images of the OUYA controller and console. Please note that the design is still in progress--but we couldn’t hold out any longer. We needed you to know that the controller has two handles. You can hold it in both hands.

P.S. We're still deciding on the buttons. For now, we've stuck with the colored circles as placeholders. But don't fret, we won't leave out colorblind gamers. :)

**FirtY** · 08-09-12 at 03:29 PM

Founder talks about continuing hardware tweaks, developer support efforts.

No, that's not an oversized six-sided die. It's a game console.

Looking back from the other side of Ouya's just-completed $8.6 million Kickstarter campaign, the project's initial funding goal of $950,000 seems overly humble. But Ouya founder Julie Uhrman said it didn't feel that way when the concept for an open, Android-based TV game console was first being put forward.

"I thought [$950,000] was high at the time," Uhrman told Ars Technica in a recent interview about the Kickstarter success. "I was freaking out. At the last minute I was like 'let's not do it.' It was one of the highest Kickstarter asks at the time. We were nervous about going so high, but we knew what we needed to create a market."

Since its launch on Kickstarter on July 10, Ouya has attracted practically equal parts interest and skepticism from those following the future of the home game console market. The tinkering community has gotten behind the system in a big way, thanks to its sub-$100 price and openness to hardware modifications and software hacks. Some gamers, though, are worried the system's Android-based Tegra 3 hardware won't be able to deliver the kind of experience modern console gamers are used to, and that the system will have trouble attracting games other than simple Android phone ports (there are currently a few dozen confirmed games for the system, and major publishers Square Enix and Namco Bandai have committed to support the system).

The Kickstarter success may help with that last point. With more than nine times more money than the minimum they expected to need at this point, Uhrman said the Ouya team will be able to better support developers with new tools and invest directly in funding exclusive games for the system. Kickstarter provided Ouya with more than just money, though. Uhrman said the crowdfunding service helped the team engage in an ongoing conversation with backers, leading directly to the addition of features like an Ethernet port and support for up to four controllers.

But being responsive to consumers doesn't mean Ouya can fulfill every player request. While many backers asked for more internal storage, for instance, Uhrman said the option to add external USB storage will provide a more flexible, lower-cost solution for those who want it.

"All along we've been really focused on keeping it affordable, keeping that price point under $100," Ouya spokesperson Tiffany Spencer said. "Of course gamers are going to say we want X, Y, and Z, but fundamentally the specs that we chose allow us to provide a maximum experience at a super reasonable price point."

Continuing hardware tweaks
Sales of Ouya won't stop just because the Kickstarter campaign is over; the team is still taking pre-orders on their website and is "very optimistic" about discussions with a variety of retail partners. And the conversation between Ouya and its backers won't end now that the Kickstarter is over, either. The team is reaching out to fans through sites like reddit as it continues to finalize the hardware.

It might seem odd to still be tweaking a system just months before developer units are supposed to go out, and consumer Ouyas are being promised for next March. But Uhrman projected deep confidence that they'd be able to make their targets, even though they're now committed to producing tens of thousands more systems than they initially thought.

"This isn't rocket science," she said of the design. "We're not building custom chips, it's standard technology combined in a new way.... We are very confident and committed to launching in March 2013, and we know we can do it."

"All the tech is standard, so we're essentially wrapping it up in a well-designed package and developing the software, and we have the right team in place to do that," Spencer added.

Piracy prevention and non-gaming expansion
As an open, Android-based system that encourages hardware and software hacking, Ouya seems like the perfect target for widespread piracy. But Uhrman said that she's not even slightly concerned about that risk, saying that the time-of-purchase authentication system on the Ouya Store will protect developers.

"Many great developers and publishers are already putting their content on Android devices, and Ouya is going to be just as secure," she said. "Because we've embraced this free-to-play model, all content will require server authentication to get it. Rooting the box will not get you any greater access than you have today."

And while some of the highest profile announcements for the system of late have been for non-gaming apps like XBMC, Plex, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and Vevo music videos, this doesn't mean the Ouya is turning away from its gaming roots. "Fundamentally this is a game box, it's going to play great games," Uhrman said. "The reality is, because it's based on Android, all different types of content can find its way to Ouya, whether it's streaming music or streaming videos or other types of applications, but fundamentally this is for gamers and we're building it with gamers and developers in mind."

Source:

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http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/08/after-8-6-million-kickstart-ouya-now-has-to-build-its-consoles/

**FirtY** · 12-01-12 at 05:05 AM

Ouya, one of the most popular Kickstarter project, has stuck to its deadlines. The team has posted an update on the official blog that the units will start shipping on scheduled date December 28th. These units are for those developers who backed the project on Kickstarter.

These dev consoles "are an early version of the OUYA console and controller designed for developers to test their games on OUYA. Our Kickstarter developers are the first to get a crack at ‘em! We’re psyched to have you on board, and we can’t wait to see what pours from your brain!" wrote JulesKane.

Quote:

What we didn’t tell you was that the advance dev consoles you ordered are pretty special – you’ll know what I mean when you open yours. They’re rare drops. :P

Feast your eyes on this…

Our office OUYA – the latest prototype we’ve been putting through the paces every day (and most nights) as we jam toward shipping you our product.

Take a moment to reflect, and then keep reading. We have a lot to fill you in on.

HARDWARE
o the hundreds of developers who backed us through Kickstarter to get their hands on our advance dev consoles: Mark your calendars! On December 28, they leave the factory and should arrive within a couple of days (we’ve heard that Turkey and Russia might take a bit longer). Yes, we are shipping these to you on time, as promised.

The dev consoles are an early version of the OUYA console and controller designed for developers to test their games on OUYA. Our Kickstarter developers are the first to get a crack at ‘em! We’re psyched to have you on board, and we can’t wait to see what pours from your brain!

Of course, when the final consoles ship, EVERY OUYA will be a dev console. We told you that already. What we didn’t tell you was that the advance dev consoles you ordered are pretty special – you’ll know what I mean when you open yours. They’re rare drops. :P

The dev consoles aren’t cheap for us to make. And we heard from many of you during the Kickstarter campaign that you simply couldn’t afford one. We wish we could just give them away, and we decided for a few of you – we’d do just that! But you have to work for ‘em…check out our Dev Console Giveaway for more details.

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http://www.ouya.tv/the-ouya-dev-console-giveaway/

Software
Our eyes have been glued to our computer screens building out the OUYA Development Kit (ODK) – tools that do everything from making sure the controller can talk to the game to ensuring that game developers will have the proper tools to get paid.

This early version of the ODK is being tested now. When the dev consoles ship to gamemakers, all developers—even those who may not have their hands on a dev console—will be able to access a web portal where they can download the ODK, get help on our forums, and eventually upload games to OUYA.

While jamming on the ODK, we’ve also had a team focused on the user interface. This involves optimizing Android Jelly Bean to play games on a big screen and spending time understanding the best ways gamers can search for and discover new games. It’s still in development, but it looks great, and the advance dev consoles include a sneak peek…

Continued:

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http://www.muktware.com/4905/ouya-consoles-ship-december-28th#.ULkxi3dts_g

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http://www.ouya.tv/dev-consoles-are-shipping-on-time/

**FirtY** · 02-05-13 at 10:58 AM

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http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1001007241

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http://www.destructoid.com/ouya-android-console-up-for-pre-order-on-amazon-244071.phtml

Zero_Desu · 02-06-13 at 09:32 PM

Well, the true factor is.

Does it have good games on it?
or
Will have good games on it?

How can someone upgrade the hardware, its so small. finding parts would costs tons.

**SilentSpartan** · 02-07-13 at 08:41 AM

I think its fair for the price. I honestly just wouldn't need one. It's nice that it has XBMC though!

**wolfUK82** · 02-08-13 at 11:25 PM

I suppose the royalties are lower compare to Microsoft or Sony ??

It' s a new model to make games.. let's hope that this nice project can find some audience.

I don't know what to think about Android games on big screen : is it nice enough on a big HD TV ??

I look forward to the reaction of the public to this new machine... we'll see.

02-06-13 at 09:32 PM	#26
Zero_Desu Apprentice Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Holy Empire Posts: 338	Well, the true factor is. Does it have good games on it? or Will have good games on it? How can someone upgrade the hardware, its so small. finding parts would costs tons. Last edited by Zero_Desu; 02-06-13 at 09:35 PM.

07-11-12 at 01:14 PM	#16
kulma Newcomer Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 53	Sounds like a great idea, but where are all the games?

07-13-12 at 11:13 AM	#17
Ft720 Newcomer Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 51	It's interesting, but I'll wait and see. After six months when mods,hacks,games are plenty and it's still holds up then I might pick it up.

07-13-12 at 05:48 PM	#18
tehPARADOX Administrator Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 21,351	Doesn't seem like it'll be successful despite the hype. There's only a handful of indies that's worth buying and most of them are available via other channels. Spec doesn't seem very desirable as well. As far as hacks and emulation, all current consoles have that option already.

07-13-12 at 06:04 PM	#19
Oamey Professional Garden Gnome Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: USA Posts: 200	I think they should up the hardware specs a bit, even if it raises the price into the low $200s

07-14-12 at 02:26 PM	#20
SkarEffect Newcomer Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 8	Only if this console have graphics that could compete I would buy one. Unless I buy one just for a Console collection.

07-14-12 at 02:53 PM	#21
deathbybandaid Stand-up philosopher Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Northern Michigan University Posts: 628	Not only will it play games, but comparative in price to a Roku box, if it is able to run apps like plex, or xbmc,, it would stream media and play games for the same price as a Roku

02-07-13 at 08:41 AM	#27
SilentSpartan ◄█▓▓▓▓▒▒▒░░▒▒▒▓▓▓▓█► Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Steam ID: silent_spartan Posts: 1,753	I think its fair for the price. I honestly just wouldn't need one. It's nice that it has XBMC though!

02-08-13 at 11:25 PM	#28
wolfUK82 Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Europe Posts: 351	I suppose the royalties are lower compare to Microsoft or Sony ?? It' s a new model to make games.. let's hope that this nice project can find some audience. I don't know what to think about Android games on big screen : is it nice enough on a big HD TV ?? I look forward to the reaction of the public to this new machine... we'll see.