Remember Ouya? The Android based home console that started off on Kickstarter and surpassed its original goal within a matter of days? Well there’s some good news; it’s almost ready!
Coming this June in North America, the Ouya console will cost a meager $99 and includes the console itself as well as a controller along with the necessary video and audio cables. What’s more, it’s available for pre-order from several big retailers. GameStop, Target, Amazon and Best Buy are currently taking pre-orders for the humble Android console.
There’s also a bit of bad news. Sort of. Whilst the cost of the console is relatively low in comparison to the main competition, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo Wii U, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, the controller itself will cost $49.99 seperately. It’s a steep price to pay should you miss-place or break the one that comes with the console.
Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman stated the following in an interview with the Wall Street Journal:
“It’s a premium price for a controller, but the inclusion of the touchpad really makes it a premium in the marketplace.”
Though, to be fair, controllers for the other consoles are more or less the same, if not more. Although there are third-party alternatives which are generally a lot cheaper than the official controllers, but don’t expect any third-party ones to come out for the Ouya, not in the near future anyway.
When asked about the expected sales and pre-orders for the Ouya console, Ms Urhman added:
“The number of orders have grown each month. We haven’t disclosed any numbers. I think it’s fair to say to get established players in the retail space excited about pre-selling Ouya speaks to the excitement in the marketplace. We’ve had 68,000 backers, we have more than that in pre-orders today.”
The Ouya is an interesting concept, one which nobody is sure will take off or not. The idea is the Android based console can be used to play games from the Google Play store, but on a big TV and with the use of a controller. Being an Android powered device it will of course be open to all to develop for, an advantage currently being taken use of by big name publishers and developers, EA and Rockstar are just a couple with top games currently sitting comfortably on the top of the pile on the Google Play store.
The problem I personally see with the Ouya is that it’s trying to sell what can already be done with a couple of cheap off the shelf cables and a Dualshock 3 controller, all of which will cost you a lot less than the console, even more so if you already own the right cables and a Dualshock 3 controller.
Personally, I’m curious about the Ouya. I’ll no doubt splash to cash to get one when they release over in Europe, but I really can’t see it make a big wave in the home console seas, especially with the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 still holding strong in living rooms, not to mention the highly anticipated “next-gen” consoles, of which we should get out first peek at on February 20th with the Playstation meeting and the heavily rumoured reveal of the Playstation 4.
What do you reckon? Will the Ouya be a must-have purchase for you? Or have you already pre-ordered one? Let us know what you think in the comments section down below.