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Ouya Android Game Console Launches, Quickly Sells Out
Ouya, the Android-based game console that arose out of a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, officially launched today. The $99 device quickly sold out at a number of retailers, including Amazon and GameStop. "According to Ouya, the console currently has more than 170 downloadable games, as well as a built-in software development kit that enables people to create and test titles right from the hardware." Many reviews of the console suggest the controllers are not very good, and there are reports that the Wi-Fi connectivity can be flaky. There's also a lot of commentary about Ouya that clearly came from unrealistic expectations of what a $99 device can provide. Most of the backers from the Kickstarter campaign have received their consoles, but some are still waiting as Ouya tries to sort out shipping problems with DHL.
Why get this when you can soon get Xbox One?
Well, it really depends on how much of an exhibitionist you are.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
This thing costs $400 less than the XBox?
Why get a Honda Fit when you could get a Pontiac Aztek?
Everything is better with chainsaws.
Heh. I used to have this daily ritual that started when I bought a complete piece-of-shit rice cooker from Walmart. I'd walk to Walmart, rice cooker in hand, to get a replacement unit. Walk home, plug it in, and poof! Rice cooker go boom. I think this kept up for just over a week before they finally got sick of me (and lord knows who else) and pulled all the things off the shelves.
The replacement (an Oster or some such) never failed me.
I got my Ouya a few weeks ago. I feel sorry for the people that were part of the Kickstarter but haven't gotten theirs. I had a tracking number for weeks but the US Post office delivered it before the tracking number ever was recognized. DHL from Hong Kong is not exactly a good shipping partner. They took the cheap route on shipping and it looks like it really hurt them. Doing order fulfillment from HK was a mistake. They should have bulk shipped them to the US and shipped them out from here.
As for it's value as a game console. It's kind of disappointing. I've yet to actually pay money for any games, since not one of the demo versions were interesting enough. While the Tegra 3 is a decent chip, somehow they have managed to make it have about the same power as an old SNES. Oddly enough Final Fantasy 3 is one of the few name brand titles. A best seller on the SNES.
As as platform for Android development (one of the reasons I got it) it is fairly disappointing. Their "every game has a demo" model pretty much means anyone developing for it is giving them free content. It' is rare that a game will convince me with a great demo. More often than not a demo just gives me enough to know it is not worth buying.
It also has strange issues with it's sleep mode/power on (I almost always have to walk up and press the button on the top). The gamepad feels awful. The box itself is not exactly easy to place in the living room.
It does seems like a good addition to my collection of failed consoles though, joining my Atari Jaguar and 3DO (among others).
But can you run any game you want, any emulator you want, or write any game you want on an old XBox? Not really. Yes, it's a niche, but and important one that is not being served by the current console makers. That's why Ouya's been so popular so far. It fills a need that the console makers refuse to satisfy.
1. Your cell phone doesn't have a 360-like controller.
2. Your cell phone likely won't play games on your TV.
3. Every game on the OUYA can be tried for free. You don't have to put a credit card in to start downloading apps from the store.
4. Your cell phone can't be a dedicated media center.
5. Mother-fucking-Towerfall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es-okjDMAbI
Consider that many people consider $99 media center appliances to be a good bargain. Now consider a device at the same price that includes a gaming controller and plays games. That somehow makes it less viable?
http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
Why is your shower not in your bathroom?