Ouya's Android-based, hackable game console now official

[newarkhiphop]

A handful of details briefly slipped out about the project earlier, but now it's here: the Ouya, an attempt not just to delve into the cutthroat world of TV game consoles but to try and shift the goal posts. At its heart, the design sounds more like a smartphone than a gaming rig with a quad-core Tegra 3 and 8GB of storage running Android 4.0. The upscale, RF wireless gamepad's standout is a built-in trackpad for playing mobile games alongside the familiar sticks and buttons -- clever, though not entirely new. But with completely open hardware and software, an emphasis on free-to-play gaming and an all-important $99 price, the system is a gamble by a handful of game industry luminaries that at least a subset of players are frustrated with the status quo enough to want a real break. Read on for the full details, including a Kickstarter project as well as added details from our chat with Ouya (and Jambox) designer Yves Behar.

Ouya's Android-based, hackable game console now official: we chat with designer Yves Behar (updated: funded) -- Engadget

raised a million on kickstarter already

The gaming public at large has spoken. In less than 12 hours, Yves Behar's Android-based Ouya gaming console has reached its lofty funding goal of $950,000 on Kickstarter. To refresh your memory, the $99 system (which was only $95 for 1,000 swift early adopters) packs a Tegra 3 CPU, 8GB of storage, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, a USB 2.0 port and an SD card slot -- that price also grants you a single controller with a touch sensor. Most notably, the system is aimed at being extremely developer-friendly, having open hardware and software with a push for free-to-play content. There are only about 5,000 units (out of 10,000) left at the $99 price, so feel free to check out our in-depth chat about Ouya with Behar himself here before you head over to Kickstarter. It appears that the traditional business model for gaming consoles just got rocked, and we can't wait to see the final results.

OUYA: A New Kind of Video Game Console by OUYA — Kickstarter

 

[SwagmundFreud]

* contemplates on if I should donate*


edit: they already raised enough money


I'll wait and see the potential.

 

[WOAHMYGOODNESS]

from what im asuming, ill be able to play android games AND emulators?

 

[Why-Fi]

i fronted on this before, but i realized that with the hacker/homebrew crowd behind this - it really doesn't need dev support. this is going to be interesting, i should cop one

 

[Golayitdown]

I'm thinking HARD about paying the 99 now and grabbing one of the first ones....

 

[Poppa_Dock]

i would only consider getting it if you could put emulators on it

something that could run nintendo, super, genesis etc.

 

[lepard]

i would only consider getting it if you could put emulators on it

something that could run nintendo, super, genesis etc.

I think emulators would be one of the first things coming

 

[Golayitdown]

i would only consider getting it if you could put emulators on it

something that could run nintendo, super, genesis etc.

Worst case is it can use the existing android emulators

 

[Mikael Blowpiff]

Wouldn't the target audience already be neckbearded enough to hook up their Android phone to their TV with a PS3 controller and play Metroid ROMs or whatever?

 

[villain]

i would only consider getting it if you could put emulators on it

something that could run nintendo, super, genesis etc.

u mean like a nintendo ds or psp?

 

[lepard]

Wouldn't the target audience already be neckbearded enough to hook up their Android phone to their TV with a PS3 controller and play Metroid ROMs or whatever?

Yes and no... No matter how "neckbearded" sometimes simplicity and expandability trumps all.

See Apple.