If there’s one thing any games developer will tell you, it’s that making games these days isn’t easy, and certainly not cheap. The mounting costs of licensing, studio bills, wages and so on, and so forth makes even the smallest gaming projects a daunting task for any bank balance.
So, what would happen if a new console arrived that wasn’t tied to the big name console manufacturers, and wasn’t’ tied to exclusivity deals, contracts, and all sorts of legal wrangling? What if there was such a thing as an open, Android-powered platform that could run any Android-developed game on your TV, grant access to services such as Twitch TV, offer totally free content, and even grant users the ability to modify it as they wish? Wouldn’t that be a perfect gaming console?
Well, this is now going to happen, as the OUYA games console, powered by Android has had a funding campaign launched via Kickstarter. No doubt many of you are now thinking “awesome, I’ll back that!” And, that’s indeed a good idea. However, the console has not only managed to hit its proposed target of $950,000 in a single day, but has destroyed that goal and is, at the time of writing, currently at $2,348,762. That’s what you call extra budget.
There’s still 28 days to go in the Kickstarter campaign, so anyone can still donate to the project, which, if is manages to hit all the goals outlined in the promo video (see link below) could well be the next big thing in gaming.
As a totally open platform, with none of the usual red tape of console development, the OUYA would not only allow gamers to play any Android game on their TVs, but it will greatly boost indie game development, and thus, will lead to a healthier, more competitive game development market. And, as stated in the advertising blurb, even “Hackers are welcome”, as the console will be totally open to anyone who wants to modify or play around with it, without voiding the warranty. People will be able to tinker with the specifications (also below), create their own peripherals and anything else they could want.
Also offering multimedia streaming capabilities it’s certainly a very interesting, and promising project, and with a working prototype and a truck load of funding already available, there’s no reason that the OUYA won’t become a success. We’ll soon see if the mobile gaming revolution will be televised.
OUYA 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
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