Ouya and what it means for the gaming world and when we can expect it to start shipping

For the uninitiated here is a little background on the Ouya project.

Ouya will be a $99 Android powered gaming console allowing you to play games, with a controller(s), right on your TV. What makes this so revolutionary is the fact that it will be open. All developers will be able to develop for the console, hackers can tweak to their heart’s delight and this will bring content to a much larger screen.

Ouya was a Kickstarter project with a goal of $950,000 (USD), but raised a total of just over $8.5 million on Kickstarter when it ended today, to bring this to the public. With the massive amount of funding that they have raised, we will be expecting one heck of a product. They have brought in some major players and game developers, so we cannot wait to see what will happen.

To enjoy Android apps on your big screen, you need to hook your tablet, provided it supports HDMI out, to your TV and need to interact through it. This console will challenge the big 3 players who have dominated consoles for the past decade (and even longer) with a price point and game access they currently do not match.

Here are the specs:

• Tegra 3 quad-core processor
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB of internal flash storage
• HDMI connection to the TV, with support for up to 1080p HD
• WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth LE 4.0
• USB 2.0 (one)
• Wireless controller with standard controls (two analog sticks, d-pad, eight action buttons, a system button), a touchpad
• Android 4.0
• ETHERNET! (Announced by Muffi 7/18)

The preorder prices are amazing for what is offered and it includes the shipping costs.

U.S. Orders

• 1 Console = 1 Controller = $109.99
• 1 Console = 2 Controllers = $139.99
• 1 Console = 4 Controllers = $199.99

International Orders

• 1 Console = 1 Controller = $119.99
• 1 Console = 2 Controllers = $149.99
• 1 Console = 4 Controllers = $209.99

The pricing includes $10 for shipping in the U.S., and $20 for international shipments. The expected time of delivery is listed as being April 2013. I cannot wait to see what happens between now and then, as far as hardware and software improvements — it should definitely be interesting. If you want to order one, head to their product page HERE.

So, who’s game?