Ouya co-founder Muffi Ghadiali departs company
Ouya co-founder Muffi Ghadiali left his position as VP of Product Development, with his departure noted in a company statement as one of a number of "recent changes." Ouya informed TechCrunch that Ghadiali is no longer employed at the company, while a "well-placed source" told the site the decision to leave was his, and not Ouya's. Ghadiali left Amazon for Ouya in 2012, having been part of the Kindle development team.
"Ouya is focusing more on the next phase of the business and product development," reads an Ouya statement provided to TechCrunch. "We've made some recent changes including the departure of Muffi Ghadiali who was invaluable during the launch of OUYA. As is to be expected, OUYA is an ever-changing business, and as we continue to grow our needs shift accordingly."
After amassing $8.6 million via Kickstarter, Ouya brought its $99 Android microconsole to retail in June 2013. It accumulated first week sales that were "relatively light for a new console" according to the NPD Group, although Ouya CEO Julie Urhman dismissed that data, saying the company sold "every unit available." Meanwhile, game sales or the lack thereof have been a bone of contention for some developers.
Nonetheless, Ouya attracted more than 500 games to its marketplace last year, and the company is looking forward to a busy 2014 in turn. Development is set to begin on the Ouya 2, with plans to release the improved microconsole later this year, while a controller redesign is also in the works.
