Ouya has launched at retailers nearly one year after its Kickstarter debut, but it’s already in short supply.
The $100 Android-based game console is sold out at GameStop Amazon. Ouya is still available for purchase from Best Buy, Target Ouya’s own website.
Ouya launched its Kickstarter campaign in ly 2012 became the second-most funded project of all time, with $8.6 million in pledges. (Only the bble smartwatch was more successful, with $10.3 million pledged.) The console runs a heavily modified version of Android promises the kind of small-scale games found on phones tablets.
The games make use of Ouya’s included controller, which is fashioned after traditional console controls with dual thumbsticks, buttons, a directional pad triggers. It also includes a touch-sensitive panel. For developers, Ouya promises a self-publishing model with no license or fees necessary. The main requirement is that all games include some sort of free element, whether it’s a timed demo or a free-to-play game with in-app purchases. So far, Ouya says it has 173 games available on the platform.
Ouya is open to hosting music video apps as well, but at the moment only TuneIn Radio TwitchTV are available. CEO lie Uhrman told The Verge in February that the company is “in conversations” with , Netflix, Hulu, Amazon about accessing their services, but obviously those conversations haven’t panned out in time for launch. As an alternative, users can sideload apps like XMBC.
Not all roses retail
Reviews of the retail version of Ouya are still scarce. though some reviewers have tested the Kickstarter edition found problems with controller lag, button stickiness software bugs, Ouya says it’s worked out the kinks, both in later Kickstarter models the final product. Engadget, which had rendered a harsh verdict of the Kickstarter edition, says it’s “optimistic” after spending time with the retail version.
But not all Kickstarter backers are feeling warm fuzzy about Ouya anymore. Some backers are still waiting for their units to arrive, despite being promised early access to the console. A recent message to backers claimed that all units have shipped, but may be in transit from the company’s fulfillment partner in Hong Kong. Uhrman said that Ouya has tripled its customer service team to help out with these issues. However, some backers are now leaving negative reviews on Amazon, complaining about shipping delays, customer service issues the lack of available games so far.
It definitely hasn’t been smooth sailing for Ouya since its big splash on Kickstarter. But with the retail launch out of the way, hopefully the company can now focus on building up the platform improving the hardware. Sadly, Ouya reps have reneged on their commitment to the already-announced yearly refresh of hardware, confirming via email that they “don’t have any specific targets for a future/next OUYA” that updated versions of the Ouya hardware will be released at a pace akin to the rapid refresh of the mobile device market.
