“OUYA?” you might be wondering to yourself. “What is that? Some sort of Japanese restaurant? A type of super-smart car?” Well, sorry to disappoint you, but it’s neither. What OUYA is, however, is the most-anticipated new gaming system since the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and WiiU combined. The OUYA represents a new generation in console gaming in price, game development, and innovation. So what exactly is it? And why should you want one? And why majority of avid gamers are sitting at the edge of their chairs, waiting for the release of this gaming system, making them all say OUYA? Oh Yeah!? Seek and you shall find.
What is OUYA?
In essence, OUYA is an Android-powered gaming console that is revolutionizing the television gaming industry. The creators initially started the project with a Kickstarter account, which is a crowd funding site that takes pledges from consumers who want to see certain products come to market.
What makes OUYA different from, and may even help it rise above, its competitors is that it is open-source, meaning that anyone can develop games for it without having to pay licensing or retail fees. This is where the Android component makes itself apparent; much like apps available on Android-powered phones; the OUYA’s games can be produced by anyone who has the right ideas. This factor, coupled with the Kickstarter funding used to facilitate production of the console, represents a departure from the traditional development of gaming consoles; the OUYA is almost entirely developed and funded by the public. This contributes to the feeling that the OUYA is something new, something novel and something needed to break the mold in the ever-so-consistent pattern of console releases.
What’s so Great About OUYA?
For one, the price. OUYA is expected to debut with a $99 price tag, which is great in terms of accessibility. Gone are the days of shelling out $400 for an Xbox console and another few hundred dollars on games. When you buy your OUYA, it still comes as a tiny, sleek, silver-and-black, cube-shaped console with a smooth, ergonomic controller, so it’ll satisfy traditional gamers with its lustrous presence.
You won’t have to sacrifice the games you love, either. OUYA will still support favorites like Minecraftand Madden, and it will allow users to watch streaming TV channels and listen to streaming audio if they desire. What’s even more enticing, however, is that you won’t ever have to purchase any game disks that’ll take up precious shelf space at home; the OUYA streams its entire game library directly to your TV, which is a great example of how efficient and modern this device is. Remember how iTunes made people not want to buy CDs anymore? OUYA has the potential to do that for the gaming industry.
It probably won’t come as a surprise that OUYA was, in part, developed by Yves Behar, who is the man responsible for developing $100 laptops to increase children’s accessibility to the learning devices. This enterprising, philanthropic spirit is still somewhat evident with OUYA, which is another great reason to support it. Who doesn’t feel good about allowing independent game developers a chance to bring their content to market?
There’s something so appealing about the fact that OUYA is so inclusive; everyone can afford one, everyone can develop games, and everyone will enjoy it. The fact that it is breaking so many boundaries is almost endearing, and definitely refreshing in today’s console climate. That’s the most that excited consumers could ever hope for. OUYA is currently scheduled for a March 2013 release and is currently available for preorder from the OUYA website. Your TV room will never be the same.
