GAMING NEWS

Free-To-Play Console Ouya Completely Relying On Kickstarter

Posted on Tuesday, July 17 @ 13:21:03 Eastern by Nicholas Tan

Ouya, the free-to-play console, will not be taking any funding outside of Kickstarter. This is not only a gamble, but a point to be made about the viability of crowd-sourced funding instead of investors.

Ouya CEO Julie Urhman reiterates this statement in a recent in interview with Engadget:

We've been approached many times in the last week, of course, and told everyone we are totally focused on getting our support from Kickstarter.

All of the games for the console will be available in some free-to-play model, which I interpret to mean that it will have lots of in-depth demos for every game:

When we say free-to-play, we'd also include free demos or early levels of a game, so we are confident that while not every game will use in-game items, every game can offer some aspect of its gameplay for free.

Let's hope this means that a good number of these games can be completed for free, but that microtransactions will aid players in case that need them or are primarily cosmetic in nature.

Ouya has already had half of its 80,000-unit stock pre-ordered through Kickstarter.

[Source]
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Comments

LinksOcarina
Joined: Nov 2005

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 1:26 pm
Still no guarantee it will succeed. We shall see come launch.

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Barth_Vader
Joined: Nov 2005

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
don't care what anyone says, this is still the most retarded thing and eighty thousand people are full retards

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NecroWolf
Joined: Oct 2005

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Care to elaborate on why you think that, or is that the entirety of your opinion with no information to back it up?

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WILLS_COOL_MODE
Joined: Oct 2010

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Just look it up. It seems like he's being facetious but he's really not.

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Barth_Vader
Joined: Nov 2005

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
you're paying one hundred dollars to play cell phone games, CELL PHONE GAMES, on your god damned television. you don't see a problem with that?
"b-b-b-but the doors will be opened for developers!!!!!!!1!!!" how exactly? ouya specs are currently in tons of phones and tablets, why the hell would you take a gamble and buy this thing that doesn't even have a touch screen? android games are made for handhelds, how is this going to enhance my experience? also, there are devices that you can perfectly hook up to your tv as of this moment, so why pay extra for yet another box that is cluttering up near your tv stand?
also don't get me started on "WE WELCOMES 1337 HAKKERS!!!!1" and "ZOMGGG FREE GAMEYES ALL DAY ERR DAY~!!!1"

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NecroWolf
Joined: Oct 2005

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
While it is semi-true it isn't that powerful (Though it is more powerful than you think), there are plenty of reasons why someone would want an. One is ease of use, the biggest draw for the system is the open development concept.
Also, some of your information is incorrect, Barth_Vader. The console does have a touchscreen, it's located on the controller, the photos shown lack one, yes, but the retail version will have a touchscreen built into the controller.
Another reason is the low cost, smartphone games (and tablet games) require a smartphone. Smartphones are around $135, with tablets sometimes being a little more. The $99 pricetag is a big appeal to a lot of people who can't afford a smartphone, or don't want one but want the games they can play anyway. Not of all of us want a smartphone or think they're cool, but the games are sometimes kinda rad.
There a multitude of reasons why people would donate money to this project, and it isn't very nice of you to hurl insults at them.

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WILLS_COOL_MODE
Joined: Oct 2010

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 3:38 pm
I'm pretty sure if someone can afford $99 for something that plays games, they can most likely afford $135 for something that plays games and is actually useful.

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WILLS_COOL_MODE
Joined: Oct 2010

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 3:39 pm
I'm pretty sure if someone can afford $99 for something that plays games, they can most likely afford $135 for something that plays games and is actually useful.

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Anthony_Severino
Joined: Oct 2010

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
I semi agree with that rant. I can't believe people paid to kickstart a console that will never play big budget games, and only emulators that can easily run on a PC or even a smart phone. It's essentially a smartphone turned into a console. Who really wants that?

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Jobin_Wendy
Joined: Mar 2012

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 3:07 pm
I work at a small software company and one of my co-workers (a programmer) makes Android-based games in his free-time. He's extremely excited about this. I think this is marketed towards two types of people: casual gamers stupid enough to buy it, and programmers who want another market/test group for their games. While I wouldn't say either group is comprised of 'retards,' I will say that the latter group will definitely put the Ouya to good use.

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NecroWolf
Joined: Oct 2005

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
True emulators can run almost anything the Ouya can run, and maybe run it better. However, Emulators are often used to download and play illegal copies of games, and some people don't want to use emulation. Also the idea that it only plays cellphone games isn't true, that's an association people are making because of Android 4.0. No, it can run anything someone designs for it, any kind of game. It doesn't just play 'ports', it plays anything that can be designed for it, just like any console.

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TheJx4
Joined: Jun 2011

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
$99 to play Android games...great idea?

Only if it's compatible with touchscreen TVs...I guess. Not really. Maybe if Nvidia backs it up, it won't fail.

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NecroWolf
Joined: Oct 2005

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Again, it has a touchscreen. Please do your research here people before berating the project. No, I didn't donate, nor would I, but I can see the appeal.

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TheJx4
Joined: Jun 2011

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 5:00 pm
Not what I was getting at, at all. I said compatible with touch screen TV's. Never played the arcade version of Fruit Ninja, I assume.

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NecroWolf
Joined: Oct 2005

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
Here is the Ouya in action, an unoptimized Ouya running a few games on the Tegra 3. www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBl-goBrWno&feature=relmfu

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WILLS_COOL_MODE
Joined: Oct 2010

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Yeah that is really impressive... for a mobile phone.

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sandineyes
Joined: May 2008

Posted: Jul 17th, 2012 at 4:52 pm
I don't think that is running on an Ouya, as it is just a tech demo from Nvidia. I think the Kickstarter page just links there to demonstrate what tegra 3 is capable of.

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Barth_Vader
Joined: Nov 2005

Posted: Jul 18th, 2012 at 2:11 am
well necrowolf you convinced me, i'm sure those guys in their basement who program java games for android in their free time will make absolute classic games. i can't wait to play another great retro platformer with 8bit graphics, this time not for free on my computer but for one hundred dollars, what a steal!

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