US company Ouya is plotting an Android-powered games console, which is designed to be dirt cheap, built for hackers and offer free games to play on your telly.
Here's the rub -- it's not yet real. Ouya is using crowd-funding site Kickstarter to harvest money for the project, which is born out of an acceptance that indie game developers are moving towards mobile gadgets like Android smart phones or the iPad.
In a classy promo video (embedded below) that promises an "inexpensive games console for gamers", Ouya founder Julie Uhrman explains the box will be powered by Google's mobile operating system -- version 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to be exact -- and that every game will have a free-to-play element.
Notable indie developers have flocked to support the project, including Minecraft creator Mojang. Adam Saltsman, who created popular moody mobile platformer Canabalt, said, "The prospect of an affordable, open console -- that's an idea I find really exciting."
Also on board is Yves Behar, who did design work for the One Laptop per Child project, and has given the Ouya its shiny curvy cuby look.
Throwing $95 (about £60) or more Ouya's way will get you an Ouya console and controller, should the project escape the realm of fantasy and become a real object you can buy. Developers who pay $699 (about £450) for the ambitious project will have their game promoted for one year, and marked with a 'founder emblem'. If it doesn't hit its target, you won't be charged.
It's a cool project, and makes you glad that open-source platforms like Android exist. Ouya has just 29 days to reach its mammoth $950k goal -- I'll be watching its progress like a hungry hawk.
Kickstarter recently confirmed that it's coming to the UK, so if you have a crazy invention you'd like other people to pay for, your chance could be coming up.
Will you be backing Ouya? Let me know in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
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Comments 5
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anonymous 10 July, 2012 20:50
It's already got 757,000 so not much more. Sounds interesting and not that expensive. I hope it comes to the UK/ takes off.
anonymous 10 July, 2012 20:51
Another $10,000 in less than a minute. If I know kickstarter they'll easily get more than they need.
anonymous 10 July, 2012 23:56
It's just over the $1.3 m mark now.
anonymous 11 July, 2012 02:20
YAY!!! Nobody knows how long I've been saying there needs to be an Android based games console. I thought Sony would have been first considering their phones used android and it would have made more sense to make your console Android powered to open up more possibilities and integration but alas, big corporations rarely listen to the little guy :(
This will be great for developers like they said, being able to develop a game, and see how well it is received by the community and then being able to change it and tweak it so it's a brilliant game to be developed for more platforms like Xbox and PlayStation. The controller looks a bit ugly but hey! Who cares when it's cheap and the games are free!
ucleay 13 July, 2012 07:36
Great... We will have consoles of more options at lower prices.