OUYA Android-based video game console breaking Kickstarter record

If you think about video game consoles names like Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft and maybe even Sega and Atari may come to your mind first. The market has seen its ups and downs in the last two decades but has not really changed that much in that time. What I mean by that is that while technology has advanced, the requirements to produce games for a system have not as much. While all current generation consoles support an arcade-style market, for instance Xbox Arcade, it is still mostly open for developers who spend time on development hardware and fees.

When you look at mobile games, you notice that investment costs to produce games are much lower, and as such open to many more teams and individual developers. And that's exactly what the Android video game console OUYA tries to take advantage of.

The project is currently in funding stage on Kickstarter, and boy has it taken off like a rocket. The console broke the one million mark in record time after 8 hours and 22 minutes, and managed to receive a funding of more than 2.5 million Dollars after 24 hours. Currently interested backers have pledged more than 3.8 million Dollars with 27 days still to go before the funding closes down.

Lets take a look at what OUYA has to offer, and why it is that successful on Kickstarter.

• You can get a system for $99 including one wireless controller
• The system runs on Android 4.0, 1 GB of RAM, A Tegra3 quad-core processor, 8 GB of storage, HDMI connection with full 1080p support, WiFI, Bluetooth and USB support
• All games free to play (with in-game sale options)
• Can run Android apps and games
• The system can be rooted without voiding the warranty. Everything is hackable.
• Backed by industry veterans

Here is the promo video that has been created for the Kickstarter funding.

There will certainly be games out there who question why anyone would want to buy a video game console that is on paper inferior to this generation's, let alone next generation's console line-up. From a developer perspective, it has a lot to offer. Existing Android developers can port their games and apps to the device without issues, and since there is no need for expensive dev kits, approval processes or fees, it is ideal for many smaller developers who simply cannot afford to pay money upfront to develop for one of the mainstream systems.

End-users on the other hand may like the idea of trying something new for a good price. The prospect of running existing Android games and apps on the device, the traditional controller model, and the fact that this is a game console first and foremost and not an entertainment hub may all play a role here.

While you can't expect the next Gears of Wars or Uncharted to be released for the system, you can be almost certain that this console will see lots of independent game releases. Some like Minecraft have already been announced for the system. And since it is allowed to be modified, it is likely that we will see emulators pop up for older gaming systems among other things.

In the end, it will come down to the hype the system is generating during its funding and afterwards, and how well the company behind the product will market it once it is available to everyone.

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