AfterDawn: News

Kickstarter darling Ouya is already dead, will transition to software company

Ouya, the Android-based hardware console that nearly reached $10 million in funding on Kickstarter, is already dead in less than a year of availability, says the Verge.

The indie game console took Kickstarter by storm in 2012, raising $8.6 million, promising TV gaming for $99 and a plethora of games, all of which were free-to-play. The company was run by CEO Julie Uhrman, a former VP of digital distribution for both IGN and GameFly, very experienced in the gaming world. Uhrman wanted the Ouya to curate and promote games, and even possibly fund indies.



Unfortunately, the box launched late, the plans to fund indies fell through, and the console launched only a few months ahead of the PS4 and Xbox One.

Ouya, having failed as a hardware console, will now be transitioning to a software platform, effectively killing its hardware business. The company will look to embed the platform into TVs and set-top boxes, starting with the Mad Catz Mojo, which was formerly its own hardware console.

By killing off its hardware, Ouya has turned itself into another Android variant, one that has even less users than others. There are no incentives to build for Ouya, especially when standard Android and iOS have over 1.2 billion users and the PlayStation 4 continues to be a smash hit.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 9 Mar 2014 23:20

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• 13 comments

• Menion

  honestly I can say this doesn't surprise me one bit. I see they are listing reasons for the crash of the console but that's all speculation, I personally don't think the console gamers were all that enticed by a box that plays phone games on their tv, seems like a cheap gimmick.
  
  

  10.3.2014 00:08 #1

• Burnasty

  It makes a perfect xbmc box and the absolute best house for emulators. I bought one at launch for exactly those reasons with no intention of putting money into their games. I love the controller.
  

  Buy the ticket, take the ride. -H.S.T.

  10.3.2014 00:11 #2

• SAW_FIEND

  seriously was anyone surprised by this? it sucks big time for the company and people but it just was appealing to gamers. Specially with all the focus was on PS4 and XB1. Yeah this Oyua was a nice gimmick but $99 just wasn't going to happen. They would have had a better chance off selling it for $75. But heck I knew this wasn't good buy and it would fail. Just didn't expect it to happen so quick.
  
  #baked
  

  OH YES ... THERE WILL BE BLOOD.

  10.3.2014 03:16 #3

• hearme0

  "very experienced in the gaming world"
  
  CLEARLY NOT!
  
  I love how people that got into a career in a field they barely know/knew, made a boat load of money because the business succeeded temporarily to line the pockets of the execs (while screwing the underlings) and then takes that boat load of money then throws it to the wind and starts a garbage venture such as Ouya. Now she gets others describing her as "very experienced in the gaming world"...whatevs!!

  10.3.2014 14:19 #4

• biglo30

  Not surprising to me either.
  

  
  

  10.3.2014 17:27 #5

• xboxdvl2

  i actually had my doubts and said it would fail, (if you do a forum search you might be able to find the post).
  
  A few of the forumers said it would be a success and pointed out i had no evidence it would fail, on a plus note at least they shipped out the consoles and made them i had my doubts as to if they would.
  

  custom built gaming pc from early 2010,ps2 with 15 games all original,ps3 500gbs with 5 games all original,yamaha amp and 5.1channel surround sound speakers,46inch sony lcd smart tv.

  10.3.2014 23:42 #6

• ZippyDSM

  A shame but they really had issues with price/performance the same thing will happen to the steam machine unless someone makes a 200-300$ windows steam machine that can paly most of their titles.
  

  Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Lets renegotiate them.
  
  ---
  Check out my crappy creations
  http://zippydsmlee.deviantart.com/

  11.3.2014 09:24 #7

• Jemborg

  I love the way the negative-nancys come out crowing, "I told you so!". I'm sad to see this happen. I get almost daily use out of my OUYA and I like a lot of the little games on the device, especially for my little boy. I though it was worth a go. Unlike you guys I am not interested in shelling out a few hundred for an android device. I like the way I can sideload unofficial apps into the device.
  
  
  
  @Hearme0
  Your prattish ignorance,as usual, knows no bounds. I'd say "a former VP of digital distribution for both IGN and GameFly" counts for experience. Still, when has black&white evidence to the contrary ever stopped you from getting on your wooden high-horse?
  
  
  
  ----------------------------------------------------------------
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  13.3.2014 00:39 #8

• Jemborg

  Originally posted by Burnasty: It makes a perfect xbmc box and the absolute best house for emulators. I bought one at launch for exactly those reasons with no intention of putting money into their games. I love the controller. Try this:
  http://ouyaforum.com/showthread.php?8220-SPMC-Koying
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  13.3.2014 02:02 #9

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by Jemborg: I love the way the negative-nancys come out crowing, "I told you so!". I'm sad to see this happen. I get almost daily use out of my OUYA and I like a lot of the little games on the device, especially for my little boy. I though it was worth a go. Unlike you guys I am not interested in shelling out a few hundred for an android device. I like the way I can sideload unofficial apps into the device.
  
  
  
  @Hearme0
  Your prattish ignorance,as usual, knows no bounds. I'd say "a former VP of digital distribution for both IGN and GameFly" counts for experience. Still, when has black&white evidence to the contrary ever stopped you from getting on your wooden high-horse?
  
  
  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------- I gots my eyes set on a galaxy 3, solid multi use device, I will root and crack it like no ones business.
  
  Its the only one I can find thats the right size and has the newest OS on it, I got an Itouch 3rd gen that needs to be replaced.......
  

  Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Lets renegotiate them.
  
  ---
  Check out my crappy creations
  http://zippydsmlee.deviantart.com/

  13.3.2014 11:36 #10

• kutulu1

  I blame the designer of the system. The thing was underpowered from the start...total lack of foresight...they deserve it.

  14.3.2014 23:18 #11

• ronatola

  Are you listening STEAM?
  

  15.3.2014 21:16 #12

• Jemborg

  For a system that's underpowered it's still getting a ton of games on it.
  
  But I think that was a price point issue... they wanted to keep it under $100
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  16.3.2014 00:19 #13