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[whale]

I think this idea is genius. A console for indie games! Play games on your tv with a real controller, give game devs an incentive to make smaller games with real controls. I know I and many of you have controllers plugged into their pc's or pc's hooked to TV's, but lots of people don't. An device like this is fantastic, but I'm not sure Ouya will be enough. even if they hit 1000000, I worry about the exposure... if only something like Roku, that already had an huge install base... then again you never know. I'm going to plop 100$ on this thing because I want to play with it, I hope it does well.

[Lauchsuppe]

I'm not quite sure if it's really that many people that want to play temple run on their 42" full hd tv. Android games are successfull, because they're easily accessible on the go. However, most people who consider themselves to be "gamers" will still be waiting for those big AAA titles, which probably won't get an ouya release.
Then again, the indie game scene is booming and despite having a relatively small community nowadays, I could imagine the ouya to become a kind of fashionable lifestyle product for future hipsters (let alone that name lol).Or, in a more positive way: the ouya will probably be a comfortable way for interested people to appreciate some android indie gems on their couch on a big flatscreen.
But apart from being fashionable or comfortable I see no real innovation here. Everyone can easily access a computer and a good gamepad these days (and connect it to a tv if neccessary). Nevertheless, the price of 99 dollars for a fashion accessoire seems quite okay - i think a lot will depend on the quality of its gamepad.
I'm highly excited to see if this will be a commercial success. Because if so, the video game industry might finally have gained a lifestyle constituent like popmusic or films already have.

[SolarLune]

I think it's not just a PC with a controller, and not a phone with a gamepad. It seems like there's a little more depth. There seems to be at least a little networking capability, and the controller's not just a simple controller (the touchpad is a somewhat interesting addition). It seems like it could actually pump out some pretty good-looking graphics, as well.

The speed that this kickstarter's reaching its goal is astounding, so the demand (and possibly the user and developer base) is there to have this reach its goal. I think indie developers need to deliver now, and port some great titles over or make some really interesting games for this.

I'm thinking that it might start with some "Temple Run with a controller" kinds of games, but may quickly blossom into an interesting system with cool and unique games. Best of all, if it supports firmware upgrades over WIFI, then new features (like voice chat, achievements, streaming, etc) can be added later. A lot of people would pay money for just a streaming box that gets you NetFlix or something similar - this thing can do a lot more. Hopefully it will be able to run normal Android apps, and stuff won't have to be ported over to it.

[phubans]

It's funny... I wanted to develop a pocket-sized console to run Windows exes with audio, video, and control input. It would have to be something small enough to fit in your back pocket (or slightly larger) with RGB out, a A/C in, and two USB ports that would be used to transfer files (if you had it hooked up to your PC) or plug in controllers like gamepads or mouse/keyboard (if you've got the console hooked into your TV already).

The OS would simply have a HUD listing your files that you could select and run, as well as on-board controller configuration and other settings (like an emulator). The console was meant to be a way to play indie games on your TV with controllers to get the console experience away from your PC. Now that most people use HDTVs, it's a lot easier to output video games to their TV from their PC.

[John Nesky]

This kickstarter has reached a million dollars in half a day, with 29.5 more days to go. Clearly this idea matters to people, and if it's not a runaway success when it's launched then all these people who care about it will keep pushing it until it's a success. If you don't like it, you don't have to develop for it, but there's not much point in being skeptical now.

The developer-friendly attitude is the thing that excites me most about it right now.

[deathtotheweird]

it won't ever be a success. even if they manage to get 1 million dollars every single day from now to the end of the kickstarter, it won't be a success.

if it does, I will eat my shoe on webcam.

[Richard Kain]

Um, Wow! I certainly wasn't expecting such an outpouring of popular support for this project, so soon. Clearly someone (some 8000+ someones) think there is promise in this endeavor. The Kickstarter for this was at about $300,000, six hours ago. I figured that maybe in a week or two, they had a pretty good chance of hitting their roughly $1 million mark.

They hit that mark in a single day. It appears that the team behind this project will likely have some extra scratch to throw at advertising and marketing their new device.

[John Nesky]

free to play games are generally always bad. a console with exclusively free to play games? no thanks.

Free-to-play is also my biggest complaint with the console. However, their kickstarter FAQ makes it clear that having a free demo for a full game counts as free-to-play by their rules, which is basically a good thing to do anyway. So I'm not as concerned about that now.

[SolarLune]

Um, Wow! I certainly wasn't expecting such an outpouring of popular support for this project, so soon. Clearly someone (some 8000+ someones) think there is promise in this endeavor. The Kickstarter for this was at about $300,000, six hours ago. I figured that maybe in a week or two, they had a pretty good chance of hitting their roughly $1 million mark.

They hit that mark in a single day. It appears that the team behind this project will likely have some extra scratch to throw at advertising and marketing their new device.

Yeah, it's really jumped up there quick. Marketing will be pretty important; they can't make it seem like it's an alternative to a 360, PS3, or Wii; I don't think that'll fly. But if they can market it like an alternative console with a large set of unique, fun, interesting games, then it might be very, very successful. I wish I could back it to get an early console, but I can't right now. I guess I'll just have to wait it out to get an 'official' console.

[Theophilus]

it won't ever be a success. even if they manage to get 1 million dollars every single day from now to the end of the kickstarter, it won't be a success.

if it does, I will eat my shoe on webcam.

I would pay 29.5 million dollars to see this, if i could. Eating a real shoe. That would be cool.

[Lauchsuppe]

I imagine, that especially (indie)gamedevs have a huge interest in this console. Yet, the people helping to fund this project are in no way representative for the actual videogame market. Most people who know about ouya right at this moment are probably somehow involved in the indie game scene anyway. I think it's too early to draw any conclusions. I am impressed by this kickstarter's speed, though.

Ouya exclusive titles might be a key to success - but there are no advantages in making an android compatible game for a sole ouya release. Who would do that, if the same game could easily be made accessible for each tablet and smartphone out there as well?

This idea would have been somewhat interesting about 5 or 6 years ago, when there still where no tablet pcs or smartphones. But as there is a trend of putting every function into one single handy gadget that will do any task you wish for, this product is either too early or too late.
What makes developing a game solely for this console more fun than developing a game that could basically run on all android systems?

[baconman]

First off, it eliminates that middleman. And secondly, PRICING. Of the up-and-coming consoles, it does look like the strongest potential competitor out there, but it's placing a big wager on the indie development community - that gaming software is gonna be what makes or breaks this thing.

Although personally, I'm still curious to see if/how controllers on this work, and if there are any USB ports on it. Those are also major determining factors.

[Tuba]

It's impressive how it got the money so fast. But I can see this being forgotten 6 months from now, remember the GP32?

The idea of having a totally open console is nice but, I don't think indies are enough to keep it alive, unless Activision, EA and others show some support I don't see it going too far.

Also, even between indie devs, why would you make something exclusive for it? Since it uses Android already, why not make a phone/tablet version too? Or a PC version, which is also an open platform!

[Richard Kain]

Also, even between indie devs, why would you make something exclusive for it? Since it uses Android already, why not make a phone/tablet version too? Or a PC version, which is also an open platform!

(shrug) So why not? While it would be an impediment to the Ouya receiving many truly "exclusive" games, it also makes it much more likely that a lot of non-exclusives will get ported over to it. If there is little to no work in porting your Android-compatible titles to the Ouya, why not go ahead and port them? At the end of the day, the result will be more games available on the Ouya, even if they aren't exclusive.

One point I think a lot of people are overlooking is the potential for this console in markets that the current console cycle still hasn't tapped. It's an accepted fact that most home consoles get a lot of their hardware sales after the hardware dips below a certain price point. The Ouya is going to start off selling below that threshold. A budget-priced console actually stands a pretty good chance in the current economy. Get a version of Angry Birds on the thing and you're half-way there already.

[Schoq]

Eating a real shoe. That would be cool.

He could pick an all leather shoe and just boil and eat it. He would even be able to digest it.

I learned this on a faux survival show on discovery or something.


About the console: It seems completely pointless. Why wouldn't you just hook your PC to your TV and play flash games. Or other games.
There's like a million good ad-free, middle man-free games already, and this machine is bound to have a minuscule library in comparison (and probably no exclusives).

[s0]

there already is an open console. it's called the pc.

the problem with openness is that it almost inevitably comes with reduced ease of use. by cutting out middlemen you're cutting out gatekeepers who pre-chew the content for users who don't want to wade through a sea of shit to find something that'll interest them. the way i see it open source consoles will never work because they remove that central advantage consoles have over home computers as a gaming platform.

[SolarLune]

@C.A. Sinclair - It seems like quality assurance would have to be there. I'm not sure if absolutely any game would be pushed onto OUYA's marketplace. But I'm not quite sure if that's what you were talking about.


And yeah, the PC is open, obviously, but you can't find a nice one for $99. And why would you have a 360 or PS3 anyway if you can get the same games on the PC? There's room for consoles that do different things.

[Tuba]

One point I think a lot of people are overlooking is the potential for this console in markets that the current console cycle still hasn't tapped. It's an accepted fact that most home consoles get a lot of their hardware sales after the hardware dips below a certain price point. The Ouya is going to start off selling below that threshold. A budget-priced console actually stands a pretty good chance in the current economy. Get a version of Angry Birds on the thing and you're half-way there already.

Being from Brazil, the country where the Zeebo was launched and failed miserably with that exact same proposal: being a cheaper console for emerging countries. I can tell you that it doesn't work that way.

Kids don't want any console, they want a console that can play God of War, Call of Duty, Pro Evolution Soccer and all the other games that their richer friends are playing and that they see on the TV and magazines. That's why the PS2 was selling more than the Zeebo over here.

[e_va]

theres already a open home console and it is actually one of the big 3 uh oh!!!!!!

anyway like all consoles... it needs games. and canabalt isnt a game

[Lauchsuppe]

anyway like all consoles... it needs games. and canabalt isnt a game

don't say that. you haven't tried playing it with the ouya gamepad yet