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Mad Catz Android game console first to get OUYA content
When OUYA announced it was expanding its gaming platform beyond its own hardware, it also said it'd share its first deal with a hardware manufacturer within two weeks. Well, it turns out that we only had to wait a couple of days, after accessory maker Mad Catz confirmed it's signed a deal to bring OUYA's software to its M.O.J.O. Android game console. The company says it's already working to incorporate its new partner's content and expects to roll out an update "later this spring," giving die-hard Android gamers access to exclusive OUYA titles on top of regular Google Play and Amazon app store downloads. If this unexpected Android union leaves you pining for some dedicated console action, Mad Catz has slashed $50 off the price of the M.O.J.O. in the US, although the new $199.99 price tag is still pretty hard to swallow.
OUYA Everywhere is bringing the Android game platform to other devices
OUYA has plans to level up in the near future, and it has nothing to do with a new console. In fact, it has nothing to do with any console at all, as the startup has confirmed to Engadget that its software/platform will soon extend to other devices, including set-top boxes and smart TVs. As you'd expect, the firm's keeping most details about the "Everywhere" initiative a secret at this point, but OUYA's slated to announce its first deal with a hardware manufacturer within the next two weeks. This development doesn't mean one of Kickstarter's biggest success stories is about to get out of the hardware business, though, as a rep told us "...there will always be OUYA hardware." The firm will push through with the annual refresh cycle it promised, though he couldn't share details about the next reference design. If you're crossing your fingers for a mobile release, though, we're sorry to say that won't be happening. At this point, we're told the Everywhere project has nothing to do with mobile, since "Julie [Uhrman] believes strongly that the most immersive way to game is with controller and screen."
Ouya Everywhere puts games on TV, PC without the Ouya
Ouya Everywhere aims to put Ouya games on devices that aren't Ouyas, such as televisions or PCs, CEO Julie Uhrman revealed to Slashdot and A-list Daily. Uhrman plans to announce details about Ouya's software initiative this week. "One thing you'll start to see is Ouya on other people's devices," Uhrman told A-list. She continued, "We started with a $99 box, but we always wanted to create a console platform that can live on other people's devices. We just knew it was going to take us a little bit of time to get it ready. Now we think the software is good enough, it's ready to be embedded in other people's devices. We actually started having some of these conversations during CES, and the takeup was so great that we're really jumping into the strategy with both feet this year." Ouya signed one deal at CES, Uhrman told Slashdot. The company aims to craft a games-delivery system that "could be another set-top box" or "could be the TV itself," she said. Ouya is talking with partners about bringing its games to PC, and the company is "thinking about" building a Steam-like application. Porting Ouya's Android games to other platforms is conceivable, according to Uhrman: "Based on our strategy to bring games to gamers wherever they are, it is absolutely conceivable that we will." Update: Ouya confirmed reports with our friends at Engadget. [Image: Knightmare Tower, Juicy Beast Studio]
Limbo investor funds indie sleepwalker Back to Bed
Sleepwalking puzzler Back to Bed is back on track thanks to assistance from Danish investment firm Capnova. The investment prompted the team of students from the Danish National Academy of Digital Interactive Entertainment (DADIU) to form an official studio now known as Bedtime Digital Games. Capnova's history of video game investments include Playdead's Limbo, PressPlay's Max and the Magic Marker and Full Control's digital adaptation of Space Hulk for iPad. Bedtime Digital Games Project Manager Klaus Pederson told Polygon that the funding from Capnova will make a second game from the developer possible. Back to Bed was scheduled to arrive in late December 2013 before being pushed back during the developer's restructuring. Players guide a sleepwalker through dreamlike, 3D puzzle-platforming environments in the game, which will come to PC, Mac, Linux , iOS, Android and Ouya. The developer earned $13,312 on Kickstarter in March 2013 to initially fund the game. [Image: Bedtime Digital Games]
Catch arrows in Towerfall Ascension on PlayStation 4 this March
Those without an Ouya will be happy to hear that Towerfall, one of the nascent console's best games, is headed to the PlayStation 4 in the enhanced form of Towerfall Ascension on March 11. The original version of Towerfall mates the pixel-heavy aesthetic so popular with indie game developers with frantic, four-player multiplayer combat. In lieu of guns and a series of corridors, players are each given archery equipment, then dropped into a 2D stage rife with platforms and pitfalls. Think of it as a cross between the frantic combat of the Super Smash Bros. games, and the exacting, retro platforming and chunky aesthetic of Spelunky. Towerfall Ascension improves upon this basic template by adding 50 new Versus arenas, "a bunch of new variants" for the game's stages and a few new power-ups. Additionally, Ascension brings with it a new Quest Mode that allows two players to cooperatively battle waves of monsters spawned from portals. The gameplay here is similar to that seen in the game's core multiplayer modes, but as designer Matt Thorson notes, Quest Mode fleshes out Towerfall as a whole by adding "a bunch of new content to explore even when you don't have three friends around." As of now there is no price point attached to Towerfall Ascension. That March 11 release date only applies to the United States, but Thorson claims that a European release "shouldn't be far behind." [Image: Matt Makes Games]
Spend $85, get an Ouya and $25 games credit
Arguably the best deal on an Ouya we've seen in a while has surfaced over on digital commerce site Stack Social. You can grab an Ouya console, controller and a $25 credit towards games right now, all for $85. Sorry, this deal is only available to folks in the continental United States. Also, this is the 8GB console, not the new 16GB console Ouya revealed last month. This sale ends in 12 days and price includes shipping. Need some ideas for what to spend that $25 on? Towefall is a strong candidate, as is Double Fine's The Cave and free-to-play roguelike Soul Fjord. There are over 500 games in total to choose from. The Ouya is an Android-powered games console whose marketplace is characterized by having free demos of every game offered there. Ouya ships with the latest updated firmware, which was introduced late last year and augments much of the Ouya's user interface. [Image: Ouya]
Ouya coupon lovingly lowers price by $30 for a limited time
The 8GB Ouya is $30 off until Monday, dropping its price from $100 to $70, all in the name of love (and Hallmark cards). Enter the coupon code "OUYA<3" at checkout via the Ouya store by Monday and not only will the console magically fall in price, but it should arrive on your doorstep in time for Valentine's Day, Ouya promises. Ouya, a $99 Android microconsole crowdfunded to the tune of $8.6 million in 2012, hit retail in June 2013. A 16GB version for $130 launched late last month, iterating on a limited edition, white 16GB model offered during the holidays. In mid-January this year, Ouya co-founder Muffi Ghadiali left the company as it underwent some "changes." [Image: Ouya]
Hyper Light Drifter scales up development, closed beta set for June
Heart Machine's stylish action-RPG Hyper Light Drifter is gunning for a closed beta release in June, its developers announced via Kickstarter. While the full version of Hyper Light Drifter was originally set to launch in June, Heart Machine has since decided to scale up the game in response to an unexpected outpouring of backer support. Pitched as a modest project developed by a team of two with a funding goal of $27,000, Hyper Light Drifter ended up earning more than $645,000 over the course of its Kickstarter campaign. Developer Alex Preston explains that the project evolved as a result, demanding "polish and finesse that I was not originally afforded." Hyper Light Drifter is now set to launch for Windows via Steam in December. Ports for Linux, Mac OSX, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, Wii U, and Ouya will be released in the months afterward. [Image: Heart Machine]
Pinball Arcade extends WMS license, Black Knight 2000 among incoming tables
Pinball Arcade, FarSight Studios' digital pinball hall dedicated to creating counterparts of real-life pinball machines, will add more Williams and Bally tables to its future lineup. The associated Facebook post states that a renewed license with Williams and Bally will allow FarSight to add more tables from the classic pinball manufacturer's archives, starting with Black Knight 2000. An estimated release date was not offered. Pinball Arcade has reached a lot of platforms, but its absence from Xbox Live Arcade is explained in the FAQ on the game's site, noting that unavailability on the platform stems from "legal problems with Microsoft and [publisher] Crave and we must wait for legal resolution while we consider other options." A forum post from January, spotted by Polygon, notes FarSight's plans to "re-launch" Pinball Arcade on XBLA. This post also shares a Linux version on Steam in 2014 as well as plans to submit a Wii U version to Nintendo in early 2014. FarSight shared hopes to continue expanding Pinball Arcade's lineup for as long as sales "stay strong!" Hopefully the renewed license doesn't make FarSight think they're the Bally king; that crown's already been claimed.
New Ouya console now available for $130
An updated version of the Android-powered Ouya console is available in North America starting today. The new box, outside of sporting double the storage capacity, comes with a refined controller, improved WiFi innards, a new matte black finish and all of the latest firmware updates, right out of the box. It also features a slightly steeper price tag of $130, which is $30 more than the current Ouya console. A similar version of this console was offered in North America during the holidays last year, albeit in a matte white color scheme. You can grab this new Ouya through Amazon or directly through the Ouya shop. Image: Ouya
OUYA's new matte black console offers twice the storage for $130
If you were jonesing for a 16GB OUYA console but didn't snag the limited white edition, we have good news: you just got a second chance at buying your dream Android gaming system. The company plans to launch a standard 16GB model in matte black (aka "anthracite") that throws in a handful of important tweaks. It includes the refined gamepad, with higher-quality buttons and a more responsive Bluetooth connection; it also boasts stronger WiFi performance and more recent firmware. Should the color, capacity and tweaks be enough to seal the deal, you can buy the black variant starting today from Amazon or OUYA for $130.
Broken Age Act 1 Review: To Part
Financed by a Kickstarter army of fund-it pundits to the tune of over $3 million, Broken Age is a bespoke graphic adventure like no other. And yet the point of this old-school clique, of course, was to guarantee a game that was just like all those others – old adventures in the grand LucasArts legacy. It should have been nostalgia, made on-demand by Double Fine, but there's more to it; a modern personality. The delta between what should have been – and what is – lies right in the middle of Broken Age, a sincere story of a boy and a girl breaking free of expectation and tradition. Shay and Vella exist in separated worlds, but you can visit either at any point, funneling your curiosity into the regular point-and-click mold: relaxed exploring, conversing with the locals, and collecting odd inventory objects that are sure to have some weirdly sensible use later. These are the old, uncluttered ways, paired with truly new-feeling art and an irresistible optimism that simply can't be found elsewhere, today or yesterday.
Rumors suggest Amazon's game console project is still alive
No matter how many times Amazon denies that it's developing a set-top box, the rumors continue to pop up once every six months or so. VG 24/7 is reporting that the company is still working on an Android games console that'll retail for "below $300." Based on gossip from game publishers, the latest indication is that Amazon's product team, Lab 126, has designed a grey oblong similar in size to the PSOne, designed to play both games and Instant Video / Lovefilm content to your HDTV. With rumors of a pay TV service and a future product that's "bigger than Kindle" currently swirling around, we can see how this looks plausible. That said, $300 seems an unlikely price for Amazon to target, when Apple TV and the Roku 3 are so much cheaper, and when other Android consoles are showing only lukewarm demand, so there's still plenty of room for skepticism.
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.
Ouya-funded Soul Fjord launching January 28
Quantum Conundrum developer Airtight Games will launch its funkified roguelike Soul Fjord later this month exclusively for the Ouya microconsole, Polygon reports. Soul Fjord blends '70s funk with Norse mythology, making for a unique aesthetic as players plumb its randomly-generated dungeon layouts. The funk isn't just for show, either, as the game's music plays a crucial role in its rhythm-based combat system. Soul Fjord boasts a soundtrack by Austin Wintory, who previously composed music for thatgamecompany's Journey and Stoic's crowdfunded strategy game The Banner Saga. Soul Fjord will be available as a free download supported by in-game purchases when it hits the Ouya Discover store on January 28.
VVVVVV sets a course for PS Vita, iOS, Android and Ouya
Indie puzzle platformer VVVVVV will launch on PS Vita, iOS, Android and Ouya this year, creator Terry Cavanagh has announced. VVVVVV follows Captain Viridian, lost in arguably the most dangerous alternate dimension ever conceived, as he searches for his missing crew. In a blog post welcoming in the new year, Cavanagh reveals he's had "an incomplete iOS version of the game working for over a year now," but that other projects got in the way of him finishing it up. He spent time trying to wrap up the iOS port over the holidays, however, and adds he'd "really like to get that out soon, though." The PS Vita port has been in development at Nicalis since last year and is based on the 3DS version of VVVVVVV. Cavanagh says the ports "will very likely be the last thing I ever do with VVVVVV."
Tech's biggest misfires of 2013
You can't win 'em all. The adage certainly holds in the fast-paced world of technology, where one small slip can put a damper on your entire year. Every year, among all of the celebrations of top gadgets and big news stories, we like to take a moment to acknowledge the other side of things. This time out, it's a pretty diverse list, from flubbed Kickstarter launches to massive governmental privacy breaches and yet another really lousy year for one smartphone manufacturer. But don't worry everyone; the year 2013 is nearly over.
Back to Bed sleeping in, will miss Christmas launch window
Bedtime Gaming's successfully Kickstarted puzzle game Back to Bed has gone to rest its weary head before it stumps us all with some brainteasers. In less metaphorical terms relating to beds, the game has been pushed back from its planned Christmas launch window. "We know the estimated launch date for Back to Bed is delayed again," reads an update on the game's Kickstarter page. "But we can't put a product on the street that isn't done. This would kill the game! We just gonna have to live with the fact that the game is not going to launch before it's completely done." The update cites a "restructuring" of Bedtime Games as the reason for the delay, and assured backers that they would not be disappointed. A new release date was not given.
Ouya now $59.99 for a limited time
If you're itching to join the Ouya revolution but haven't pulled the trigger at the Android microconsole's $99.99 price point, a coupon code issued today drops the unit's price to $59.99 with free shipping, marking its lowest price to date. Use the coupon code "calamity" after adding the $99 console to your cart at shop.ouya.tv and you'll get a $40 discount on a new Ouya, with free shipping. Note that if you plan to pay using PayPal, you'll first need to log in and reach the store's final confirmation screen before you're given the option to input the code. The Ouya earned over $8.5 million during its crowdfunding campaign last year, and now hosts a catalog of more than 500 free-to-try games. The discount code commemorates this week's launch of Killing Floor: Calamity, an Ouya-exclusive top-down shooter created by indie developer Tripwire Interactive.
Dino Run 2 Kickstarter couldn't outrun extinction
Dino Run 2, the sequel to Pixeljam Games' side-scrolling extinction platformer, Dino Run, failed to meet its goal on Kickstarter, raising $83,476 of a requested $175,000. Dino Run 2 was slated to be an upgraded, fresh game for the Dino Run franchise, with randomly generated levels, multiple dino characters to choose from and multiplayer options, set to launch in January for PC, Mac, Linux and Ouya. We spoke with Pixeljam co-founder Miles Tilmann in the hours before his Kickstarter ended, and he said that if the campaign failed, Dino Run 2 might never see the light of day. "Maybe yes and maybe no," he said. "If it is, it will probably take a lot longer than it would if we got funded. We've been doing this for almost eight years though – we've learned the value of patience and careful planning. There are multiple ways to arrive at a goal." As a team, the plan now is to "mourn a little bit, take a deep breath and carry on," Tilmann said. Here's hoping that wherever Pixeljam is carried, it's on the wings of a giant, majestic pterodactyl.