Vapourware OUYA: "A new kind of video game console"

[Zed]

95$ doolans will get you a cheap mini-PC with a controller to plug into your TV. It has a stupid name and is very... designed. It runs on Android and has some pretty weak hardware. But Brian Fargo is excited!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console

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.

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.

Let’s open this sucker up! It's time we brought back innovation, experimentation, and creativity to the big screen. Let’s make the games less expensive to make, and less expensive to buy. With all our technological advancements, shouldn't costs be going down? Gaming could be cheaper!

We're handing the reins over to the developer with only one condition: at least some gameplay has to be free. We borrowed the free-to-play model from games like League of Legends, Team Fortress 2, Triple Town, and many others. Developers can offer a free demo with a full-game upgrade, in-game items or powers, or ask you to subscribe.

OUYA is a new game console for the TV, powered by Android.

We've packed this little box full of power. Developers will have access to OUYA's open design so they can produce their games for the living room, taking advantage of everything the TV has to offer.

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.​

They don't even mention the PC.

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

I don't know. I like the idea of playing phone games on something else than a phone (because there have actually been a couple of interesting titles). But with the business model they're going for, the (few) games on this machine will probably be junk.

 

[circ]

I see that I think... toilet.

 

[Zed]

Looks like this might break a new Kick$$$$$$$$$tarter-record. Thousands of dollars just pouring in.

 

[Konjad]

Another console? Like we already don't have enough.

 

[communard]

I fucking hate these "indie" entrepreneurs with a passion.

"Look at us, we're hip and with it unlike those big evil corporations. Now give us your money."

And why would I want to play flash games on a big ass TV even if I owned a big ass TV?

 

[Falkner]

Or rather: Why couldn't I just hook up my PC/laptop (that I already own because I don't live in Somalia or somesuch) to my TV via HDMI?
Oh, would you look at that, I already did. Well, that makes this thing all the more useful.

 

[Gord]

If it's running Android it might be able to access the App Market. I think that's the main driving point behind it.
Actually it's not too unlikely that in 10 years or such we might just put our smartphone into a docking station to connect it with a screen and keyboard and use this in place of a dedicated desktop/laptop pc.

 

[MetalCraze]

Dude but you won't feel special if you use PC or XBakwks or PS

Just check out the sound of this

"I don't own any of that crap from big corporations like Microsoft or Sony - I don't support those greedy suits. OUYA is much better because it's made by 2 guys in their basement and you can see how much effort they put into it!"

Hipster LEVEL UP!

 

[Konjad]

but can i play dragon age 2 on it?

 

[Kz3r0]

Added to the list in the Kickstarter Watch thread, I made an apposite section, Hardware.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Who needs this shit? You can play Angry Birds and other nonsense on PC, Tablets etc.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Will Wright: Console guys getting scared

 

[Helly]

Quite a lot of butthurt coming from the codex. What's going on, guyz, you couldn't get a 95$ early special like me ?
You'll all be jealous when Wasteland 2 become an OUYA exclusive.

 

[Menckenstein]

So basically a screenless android tablet that you're forced to anchor to your television...

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

The idea is to make a very cheap gaming platform, I think.

 

[Helly]

OUYA 10 minutes ago
@Miguel - We ARE on board with the UNITY engine. So that would be awesome.

Well, my prediction came true sooner than expected.
In before AoD and DS join the fun.

 

[Menckenstein]

UNITY engine is the harbinger of the second great video game crash.

 

[SuicideBunny]

wtf, they are getting 1k ever minute....

 

[sgc_meltdown]

my theory is that the $99 price tag and mention of android + free games turned people into idiots

humble indie console

seriously how mind numbing will it be to play casual flash games on a tv, at least actual console games have the nextgen graphics and explosion sounds

• Tegra3 quad-core processor
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB of internal flash storage

so how powerful can this be for a pure games platform versus the big names?

 

[Gold]

Looks like this will break every record if they increase the number of backers for a lot of the pledge levels. Already half way there in half a day.

I think this will make every console maker in the market shit their pants if it sells as many units as it could at that price point.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

you are now imagining ports of popular ouya games to PC

 

[Phelot]

But this doesn't really compete with the big name consoles. This is just a glorified and really big smart phone. "Great, now I can play Words with Friends on my TV!"

 

[Kz3r0]

In before shipped with ScummVM embedded.

 

[Stabwound]

Shittier and more expensive Raspberry Pi. Who the fuck wants to play smartphone games on a TV?

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

so how powerful can this be for a pure games platform versus the big names?

The whole point is to take out the graphics whoring out of the equation. So power isn't exactly relevant here.

 

[Forest Dweller]

I think you guys are missing the bigger picture here. The console supports 1080p resolution and has a pretty standard controller. In addition the Android platform is apparently eaiser to work with for developers and each console is also a dev kit.

There's nothing to stop a developer from creating a more "standard" type of console game and charging for it on the system - they just have to offer a free demo.

No licensing fees for developers and no need to get approval from the hardware developers to release their game. I can see how this would be appealing to many third party developers making all kinds of games, not just smartphone-level stuff.

AND users can also hack and modify their console as much as they want without voiding the warranty.

This is against the upcoming consoles from Microsoft and Sony apparently restricting the playing of used games.

This could become a big way of sticking it to the established console developers.

 

[Helly]

Love it, hate it, anyway now ITZ happening !
950k$ in less than one day and still growing.