Ouya: $99 Console; Raised $3Mil (edit:$ 6.5 Mil)

insultobot · **Posted:** July 10th, 2012, 2:48 pm

This kickstarter began today.
In the time it took me to post this, the pledged amount went from $550,000 to $600,000. I think they just might make it.

I put boring parts in spoilers.

Ouya's Kickstarter Page wrote:

About this project
We love console games.

There's something about a big HD TV and digital surround sound that fills up a living room. Shooters, platformers, sports games, arcade classics and experimental indie games just feel bigger on a TV screen. It's how most of us grew up gaming.
But maybe people are missing out.

We get it – smartphones and tablets are getting all the new titles – they're "what's hot.” The console market is pushing developers away. We’ve seen a brain drain: some of the best, most creative gamemakers are focused on mobile and social games because those platforms are more developer-friendly. And the ones who remain focused on console games can’t be as creative as they’d like.
Deep down, you know your best gaming memories happened in the living room.

Best of all, OUYA's world-class controller, console, and interface come in one beautiful, inexpensive package. All the games on it will be free, at least to try.
Great games come from great developers.

Developers can wave farewell to the roadblocks of bringing a console game to market. Anyone can make a game: every OUYA console is a dev kit. No need to purchase a license or an expensive SDK. It's built on Android, so developers already know how it works.

That doesn't mean OUYA is an Android port. You can create the next big title in your bedroom – just like the good old days! Who needs pants!?

OUYA could change AAA game development, too. Forget about licensing fees, retail fees, and publishing fees.

And developers agree:

"This has the potential to be the game developer’s console. It's about time!" -- Brian Fargo (founder of inXile)

“Who wouldn't want a beautiful piece of industrial design that sells for $99, plugs straight into your TV, and gives you access to a huge library of games?" – Jordan Mechner (creator of Prince of Persia, Karateka)

“If OUYA delivers on the promise of being the first true open gaming platform that gives indie developers access to the living room gaming market, yes that is a great idea. We will follow the development of OUYA and see how it resonates with gamers. I could see all current Mojang games go on the platform if there's a demand for it.” – Mojang (developer of Minecraft)

"I'm excited for OUYA! I am a firm believer that there is always room to challenge the status quo." -- Jenova Chen (thatgamecompany, creator of flOw, Cloud, and Flower)

“The prospect of an affordable, open console -- that's an idea I find really exciting.” -- Adam Saltsman (Semi Secret, creator of Canabalt)

"Our games will work so well on a TV, we just need an easy way to get them there. OUYA could be it." -- Marek Rabas (Madfinger Games)

"An open game console that gives independent game developers the flexibility to experiment with their games and business models on the TV, is something that's long overdue." – David Edery (Spry Fox, creator of Triple Town)

Design matters.

We believe a great console requires a great user experience. We are working with the award-winning designer, Yves Behar, and his firm fuseproject (designer of the Jambox).

We designed the controller to be a love letter to console gaming. It has everything you've learned to love: fast buttons, triggers, laser-precise analog sticks, a D-Pad – and we've added a touchpad for any games making the trek from mobile or tablet to the TV. It's just the right weight. Everything just works. We call it 'the Stradivarius of controllers,' and we hope developers will be inspired to take gameplay to a new level with it.

Hackers welcome.

Have at it: It's easy to root (and rooting won't void your warranty). Everything opens with standard screws. Hardware hackers can create their own peripherals, and connect via USB or Bluetooth. You want our hardware design? Let us know. We might just give it to you. Surprise us!

Specifications:

Tegra3 quad-core processor
1GB RAM
8GB of internal flash storage
HDMI connection to the TV, with support for up to 1080p HD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth LE 4.0
USB 2.0 (one)
Wireless controller with standard controls (two analog sticks, d-pad, eight action buttons, a system button), a touchpad
Android 4.0

pictures are in the spoiler below

The company says that every Ouya box sold includes a software development kit at no extra cost. The console and controller will even use standard screws so that they can easily be pulled apart, examined and tweaked.

Specs:

Console
Tegra 3 — Quad-core processor
1 GB LPDDR2 RAM
8 GB on-board flash
HDMI connection to the TV at 1080p HD
WiFi 802.11bgn
Bluetooth LE 4.0
Enclosure opens with standard screws

Controller
Wireless controller with 2.4Ghz RF
Standard game controls (two analog sticks, d-pad, eight action buttons, a system button)
Touchpad, for porting mobile games more easily
2x AA batteries
Enclosure opens with standard screws

OS and Software
Android 4.0
Custom TV UI
Integrated custom game store — find and download games (and other apps)
Includes SDK for game development
Ability to root device without voiding warranty

Ixzion · **Posted:** July 10th, 2012, 6:54 pm

Consider me intrigued. The gaming scene is ripe for this kind of disruption by utilizing indies.

insultobot · **Posted:** July 11th, 2012, 2:07 am

Ouya Updates wrote:

Do you realize what you've done? You proved consoles aren't dead.
Update #1

You shocked the world. And us!

We are blown away by your support. With your help, we just raised $2 million. And it’s only the first day.

Now we want to blow you away. The biggest thing for us right now: we are working on our stretch goals, what we can do if we raise more money. It might take us a few days to figure that out, and we want your help.

Tell us what you would like the stretch goals to be at ideas@ouya.tv.

And, if you want to vote on what games you want to see on OUYA... tell us here... https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ouya

Thank you for welcoming us. We won’t let you down.

Julie

In 24 hours, they reached their goal and surpassed it by over 100%. And the numbers keep growing. They are asking what to do with the money and, according to the comments in the update, the consensus seems to be that the Ouya needs more RAM, second usb port, ethernet port, and more storage be it a larger hdd or expandable storage such as in using SDHC port.

Congratulations to them and I honestly hope they succeed.

I do not see this as a huge AAA title platform, but more like a delivery device for indie and xbla/psn sized games such as Bastion and Minecraft.

EDIT::

They JUST broke $3,000,000.

Lantis · **Posted:** July 11th, 2012, 11:20 pm

Three mil... that's freakin insane. But yeah, I agree. This won't see triple A titles, ever. There's no reason or motivation for devs to create something when they have a leading technology company powerhouse like Xbox or Sony that'll publish their games.

So for inde stuff, yeah, this could be huge.

Remeer · **Posted:** July 12th, 2012, 12:36 pm

I heard/saw this when I was looking up the Yinlips(Pretty much a android phone, without the phone part, shaped like a psp, and better specs to run emulators and stuff). It was 'rumord' on the 4th of july. But yeah, this will be a big thing for indie developers like myself. Also gives us a feeling of making something for a big tv, which is great motivation.

Ixzion · **Posted:** August 3rd, 2012, 6:05 pm

Ouya's at 6.5 million with 5 days left to go.

And I've finally decided to back it. I've been railing against the state of the industry, where indie devs can't get games to the screens and all that for a long time. I figured it was time to put my money where my mouth was and support this thing.

I got the $225 dealie, with the username etched into my controllers.

ErikaFuzzbottom · **Posted:** August 4th, 2012, 3:58 pm

Wait, name etched on your controllers? I though this was just a fundraiser. I didn't know you'd be pre-ordering something, too.

Fayorei · **Posted:** August 4th, 2012, 7:17 pm

Basically, if you back it, you get it. Kickstarter is basically crowd sourcing. It works really well for game development(and console dev too) because instead of having to go through a publisher, the creators get the money straight up, they use it to make the product, you receive the product and act as a sort of "publisher" instead. Kinda like how music is going away from big record labels a lot, as well as novels, comics, etc. All media seems to be getting into the renaissance.

That being said, I don't have any spare cash right now since I went to the doctor and all, and still need to hit up the eye doc. I'll probably buy one when it comes out. I definitely support indie gaming(they have been the games I've enjoyed most recently, to be honest), but I do worry that I could get a lot of the games on my Android phone. It'll be neat if they extend more past mobile games genres(not to say there aren't GREAT ones, but fruit slice:P). And, it is a console that ANYONE can develop for. That's what's more exciting for me. By buying one, you basically get a console and a dev kit. That's boss. Though I don't know how to code for Android or anything yet, having the option to hobby around with that is an awesome idea, so I'll probably get one.

myoky · **Posted:** August 4th, 2012, 7:39 pm

Ok, this needs to be addressed. Every time I see the name of this device all I can think about is this:

Skip to about 15 seconds in.

Fayorei · **Posted:** August 4th, 2012, 7:48 pm

That is hilarious!

I always imagine those Smash Brothers sound effects from Luigi I think. "OH YA!"

We went ahead and backed together. Basically, I thought it was $225 to get the console.

$99 is much more reasonable.

Seems they have a roughly 47k console install market thus far. I love the arguments I've been reading on various game blogs. I'll never understand why people are so mad. "BUT IT WON'T HAVE GEARS OF WARS ON IT!" "But you can already develop on a PC! Who doesn't have a PC?!" "No BIG DEVS will support this!" "Indie people want to make a profit so they won't support it!"

Just, man. Incidentally, Squeenix is actually getting in on the ground floor, by putting Final Fantasy III on the Ouya. Already dispelling some of the bull people have been saying. I'm interested to see where this goes.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/1750 ... r_Ouya.php

insultobot · **Posted:** August 4th, 2012, 8:19 pm

Thing is, Final Fantasy III is already on android devices. So, is this SE supporting Ouya, or is this just the Ouya being android?

Fayorei · **Posted:** August 4th, 2012, 8:43 pm

insultobot wrote:

Thing is, Final Fantasy III is already on android devices. So, is this SE supporting Ouya, or is this just the Ouya being android?

I imagine most of the Ouya launch titles are gonna be ports. Let's face it- touch screen controls kinda suck for a lot of the mainstream mobile games, like Sonic from Sega and all that, and even in RPGs it can be grating(I have Secret of Mana on my iPod Touch... yeahhhh.)

I'd imagine though, that this is a Square test. They'll be seeing how this port does, and then probably go from there.

Doesn't matter to me anyways- I wanna see what smaller teams are brewing. I'm excited for that.

ErikaFuzzbottom · **Posted:** August 5th, 2012, 2:49 pm

Too bad Square-Enix showing interest in this thing doesn't automatically guarentee its success. *looks at the Wonderswan Color*

Fayorei · **Posted:** August 5th, 2012, 3:42 pm

Draygone wrote:

Too bad Square-Enix showing interest in this thing doesn't automatically guarentee its success. *looks at the Wonderswan Color*

I wanted one of those so bad.

But at any rate, they're not the only ones by far. It seems they've gotten some more support, but you can check Gamasutra's archives for all that. I honestly didn't expect it to have any until right before launch, but I guess they're noticing how popular the Kickstarter is.

What's interesting is how many have chosen the more expensive bundle, and also how many chose the one with the early dev kit. There may be garbage on it, but hey- the XBL Indie has a bunch of garbage too, with gems definitely also being there. Not so much as Steam though.

Fayorei · **Posted:** August 8th, 2012, 6:35 pm

More news- Namco Bandai is interested. And 4P support.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/08/ouya- ... -discussi/

Also, the Kickstarter has jumped up to 8.2 million(and still rising by the minute!) Whew.

This is getting kinda exciting.

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