Ouya is apparently up to more than just releasing newer versions of its Android-based micro console. Speaking to [A]List Daily, Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman says the company is interested in bringing its game line-up and operating system to other devices. Just what devices are involved in those plans is still a bit unclear.
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In preparation for the upcoming holiday season, a limited edition Ouya is now available for pre-order. The updated version of the indie Android console features a fresh coat of white paint for both the console and the controller.
In addition, the limited edition Ouya will include 8GB more flash storage for a total of 16GB. Other than that, this Ouya is nearly identical to the original, except for one thing: the price tag. The white Ouya will go on sale for $129.00, which is a $30 increase over the $99 original. Ouya wants to be the new home for independent developers looking to break down barriers. In a panel at GDC Next in Los Angeles today titled “Why Now Is the Best Time Ever to Be a Game Developer,” Ouya’s CEO Julie Uhrman and “developers’ best friend” Kellee Santiago explained how Ouya is working with creators to make releasing games a simple process, and why it’s “never been easier” to create a game than it is right now.
“It really has never been easier to build games before,” Uhrman said. “Between the growing number of platforms and the growing number of engines to the fact that every single person today is a gamer. I truly believe that. I think one of the things that mobile and tablets did was create an instance for us to always engage and to play something.” The Walking Dead: The Game is coming to Ouya, developer Telltale Games has announced. The first season and its spinoff episode 400 Days arrive this winter, with Season Two coming to Ouya whenever those episodes start rolling out. Episode 1: A New Day will be available for free when the game launches. Check out GTN's spoiler-free review of Season One if you want to get an idea of what the emotional adventure game has to offer you on Ouya. Telltale didn't reveal pricing, but episodes traditionally cost about $5 each.
Waiting to pick up the Kickstarter-backed open-source gaming console, Ouya, at retailers? Well, you'll have to wait a little longer than previously planned: Ouya has announced a delayed release of its first console from June 4th to June 25th.
Ouya will begin shipping to Kickstarter backers on March 28th. The news comes via a new update on the console’s Kickstarter campaign from Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman, who notes that “parts are in the factory and assembly lines are buzzing. We’ll gradually ramp up production as we make sure things are working.”
Uhrman adds that backers should “keep a lookout in your inbox for an email from us. It will have your tracking number and estimated delivery date. Might take a few weeks to get to everyone. We have a lot of Ouyas to ship!” The update also announced that former Journey developer Kellee Santiago, who left thatgamecompany in March of last year, has joined the Ouya team. According to Uhrman, “we’ve been looking for someone to lead our outreach to developers, someone who really ‘gets’ how developers work, someone who can help devs bring their most creative, exciting work to Ouya. We are thrilled to share that Kellee Santiago, co-founder of thatgamecompany (the maker of Journey) and partner at Indie Fund, will be joining us to lead developer relations. We’re calling her Ouya’s DBF (Developer’s Best Friend).” “Ouya gets it,” Santiago wrote. “This is the first console company that really understands how important it is to remove the barriers to development. By freeing up the development process, Ouya is opening up new doors in console gaming.” Ouya will launch in June for non-backers and will be available at Target, Amazon, GameStop and Best Buy, among others. A new console is said to be coming every year. With Ouya's Tegra 3 processor already a generation behind the recently announced Tegra 4, the system will arrive this June behind the curve, but according to CEO Julie Uhrman, the Android-based games console will receive refreshed hardware every year. Speaking at the DICE Summit and reported by SlashGear, Uhrman says that company will upgrade the system on an annual basis, taking advantage of faster and more powerful processors, all the while maintaining its $99 price point. Due to its Android-based OS, Uhrman assures that each new console will preserve backwards compatibility, though obviously older consoles may be unable to run more advanced 3D titles as time goes on. The consoles will also take on new naming conventions to reflect the annual refreshes, such as Ouya 2, Ouya 3, etc.
While the prospect of having hardware outdated on a regular annual schedule may be a turn-off for some, the company seems to be banking on the system's low price and unified OS as a means of encouraging upgrade purchases and preventing fragmentation. Ouya is set to arrive on store shelves this June for $99. Android-based gaming consoles are becoming a bit of a "thing." The Ouya smashed Kickstarter records last year, and PlayJam quickly followed suit with GameStick. But where the Ouya still utilizes a more traditional console unit and controller setup, GameStick packs the entire system into its quasi-retro controller with HDMI dongle. Based on Kickstarter backer feedback, PlayJam has just revealed GameStick's final design.
In a recent update, the Ouya team has announced that on December 28th, developer kits will be en route, which means - despite the crazy unforeseen demand - the Ouya is still shipping on time.
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