The Ouya didn’t become famous for its slick design or mediocre specs—it was the huge Kickstarter funding success that did it. It has exceeded its goal by several million dollars, making it one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns to date. The low price of the console is probably its best-selling point—only $99, compared to the hundreds you would have to spend for other modern consoles. However, this initial funding only means the game has just started. It will have a successful launch with over 40,000 consoles shipped, but does the Ouya have what it takes to remain a top contender?
We’ve learned from Nintendo that graphics quality does not always equal success. The Ouya has little to speak of as far as its hardware is concerned, and there’s no gimmick to push it along like motion controls did for the Wii. It’s banking on the public wanting Android games for their T.V.—but their campaign seems to have an ambiguous audience. Clarifying that audience could go a long way for the success of the console, as well as picking up games catering to that audience.
Speaking of games, a good set of launch titles was enough to launch several titles successfully in the past, and would be essential if the owners of Ouya want to get any use out of their game system. We’ve already heard that Final Fantasy III will be a launch title of the system—and also the first time the game will be available for television play in the West—so that is sure to attract RPG fans. Acquiring more launch titles from high-profile companies like Ubisoft, Konami, or Capcom could greatly increase the life expectancy of the console.
Acquiring a killer app is always essential for launching a piece of hardware, and something that the Vita and 3DS have failed to achieve, despite aiming for it. The Ouya has already said that their console could be hacked to pieces—while this does create a piracy problem, it also makes it easier for developers to create games for the console. Maintaining a small amount of DRM—just enough to deter pirates, without punishing customers—would help indie developers take the gamble and launch a game on the system. By encouraging many indie developers to make or port games to the console, the odds of having a killer app increases, and so does the success of the console.
The Ouya reintroduces an open platform that Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo can’t compete with unless they want to take a risk with piracy. Ouya’s low price keeps it competitive, even with its low specs. The console has had a successful Kickstarter run, but that alone is not enough to outshine the bigger consoles—it has to sign on those bigger titles, encourage smaller developers to publish with it, and refine its audience before it can even dream of that. However, if Ouya manages to do all of that, the console will truly start to compete with the current market.