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With $8.6M In Kickstarter Funds, Ouya Opens Console Pre-Orders

Posted by timothy on from the ok-yes-I-want-one dept.

Chameleon Man writes with an excerpt from PC Mag: "Early this morning, the Android-based Ouya console ended its run on Kickstarter with nearly $8.6 million in user donations. In recent weeks, the company has secured a number of content partners for the device, but now it's time to see if Ouya can really deliver. Interested buyers can now pre-order an Ouya on the company's website. In the U.S., one console and one controller will cost $109, one console plus two controllers will be $139, and one console and four controllers will be $199. All orders include a $10 shipping charge." Adds Chameleon Man: "Here's to hoping that an open-source console can gain a foothold in an already competitive market."

4 of 218 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I got one! by Ironhandx · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm hoping its something that can beat the Wii at its own low-end game. A cheap console with cheapish games without Nanny Nintendo watching all of the games that get released on it to make sure they're fit for our eyes would be fantastic.

  2. How open is this "open console"? by Adrian+Lopez · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I asked developers whether Ouya will run games sold outside the official store (without having to root the device, like with to Android's "unknown sources"), but they never replied. Until they do, I don't consider this a particularly open console.

    Have we reached an era when even those who advertise openness won't release commercial platforms that aren't like walled gardens?

    --
    "In prison you just have to shut your eyes and take it. Here you have to shut your eyes and give it."
    1. Re:How open is this "open console"? by guises · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Have they advertised this as an open console? I didn't get that impression at all. Do we know that they aren't going to require a signed OS? Will I be able to run my own ROM? I haven't been able to find that information.

      Actually, I can't understand why so many people are behind this. Both from a gamer's perspective and from a developer's this seems like a non-starter. Open platforms can sometimes overcome the lack of a customer base by virtue of their openness, but we don't seem to have that here. It's underpowered compared to other consoles, the 30% cut that they want for selling games through their store is huge - I've never heard of Nintendo or Sony taking more than 20%, though Microsoft jacked up their cut on XBLA after a while - and that plus the small potential customer base means there's no financial reason to develop for this thing.

      I also somewhat resent their business model. They're funding development of their product through donations, at no risk to themselves, and then demanding 30% of all sales. That's rent-seeking if I've ever seen it.

  3. Re:Probably going to get one, but not preordering by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I actually did. When I showed my pre-order receipt from -01 to the cashier a hush fell over the entire store. I laminated it in about -07 because it was getting in pretty bad shape... I was a bit worried that they wouldn't accept it, but they did more than that - they gave me the game for free and took pictures with me and the receipt to hang up in the store, with the caption "Our most patient customer".

    Sometimes it pays being a hoarder. Other times, three hundred used bottle caps sorted by size.