OUYA: Big Things Come in Small Packages

Ouya is a new game console for the TV powered by Android.  Ouya has an open design so developers will have access to produce games freely.  Ouya controller, console, and interface come in a very sleek, hi-tch, and inexpesive package.  What's going to hook everyone I think is the fact that it will be priced at a fraction of the cost of any game console.  Everyone can afford this system just about.  Say so long to those high price system games too.  I remember when I complained about paying $40 for a video game....then $50 for a video game....then $60 for a video game......Then I had to name my first unborn child after one of the systems to pay for a new title.  Well you know what I'm getting at.  Then you beat a game in 3 days and your stuck with a game with just about no replay value to you.  I remember getting scared and not playing a game for 2 weeks cause I didn't want it to end.  As of now 43,000 people have already pre-ordered an Ouya via Kickstarter and I think that number will continue to climb by the time it has hit the market. 

Anyone can make a game for this console.  Every 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.  All the new developers out there can get one of these systems and could try and develop the newest and hottest game right in their living room or bedroom.  Or maybe you have an idea for a really good game and want to give it a shot yourself.  Well now is your chance to show off what you've learned from years of gaming.

That doesn't mean Ouya is an Android port.  Smart phones and tablets are getting all the new games because thats what's hot right now.  Developers are pushed away from the big game titles and are going to the more developer friendly platforms like Android. 

The highly-anticipated Ouya gaming console has some high-profile backing: OnLive announced that it will offer its on-demand gaming service on the $99 Android-powered console when it launches in 2013.  This will guarantee a successful launch of the system in my opinion.  This will be a hard thing to keep in stock at all the stores. 

Ouya has raised more than $5.6 million through the crowdfunding site, Kickstarter, in just a few short weeks. The project has almost 44,000 backers, and has far surpassed its goal of $950,000. The funding period still has about two weeks left.

Having OnLive on the Ouya console will give users access to hundreds of games when the console launches. Familiar OnLive features, such as the ability to continue games across multiple supported devices, will also be available, according to OnLive's blog post.

Adding OnLive to the Ouya was a frequent request from its backers, one of whom described the potential partnership as a "dream in the living room." Indeed, for gamers it's just that: the ability to stream games directly to a console is something console makers have talked about for a long time, yet nobody has made a true effort to act on it.

Even with OnLive on board, there are still some issues with the Ouya that could prevent the console from becoming a success.

First off, there are few Android games optimized for a large screen--Ouya gamers won't want to be playing scaled-up versions of games intended for smartphone screens. The console's creators will have to take a proactive approach in getting game developers to sign on, thanks to Android's decentralized nature.

Second, there's the issue of piracy. Android is plagued by rampant piracy, and the issue has even driven some developers to just give their games away for free. The piracy problem might scare developers off of creating bigger and better TV-optimized games for the Android platform.

Having OnLive on board is great, but without developers on board the Ouya isn't much more than a glorified Apple TV for gamers. Streaming games in our living room is great, but it doesn't fix some of the more pressing issues.  "Now that's real spit done done done......" Gangstalicious