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First two Ouya 'Free the Games' projects meet funding goals [Update]
The first two games from Ouya's Free the Games promotion have been funded on Kickstarter. Gridiron Thunder, a football game that uses official NFL licensing, reached its $75,000 goal with 13 days left in its campaign. The other funded game, Elementary, My Dear Holmes met its $50,000 goal with 17 days left. Developed by Vancouver-based Victory Square Games, point-and-click adventure game Elementary, My Dear Holmes has players investigating mysteries not as the famous Baker Street sleuth, but as his faithful companion John Watson. Ouya's $1 million Free the Games campaign has the company matching funds for successfully Kickstarted projects that earn at least $50,000. Ouya will match up to $250,000 for an individual project, the trade-off being that each game must remain Ouya-exclusive for six months. The company said more than 40 games have been submitted for the program, and 11 campaigns are live, including that of Gridiron Thunder and Elementary, My Dear Holmes. Update: We've contacted both Ouya and Kickstarter regarding Gridiron Thunder's legitimacy, as the project's $78,259 came from just 126 backers, with some suspect funding spikes as tracked by Kicktraq. We will update as we learn more. Update #2: Ouya responded with a statement to Joystiq, saying that "based on our program's guidelines, the team behind Gridiron Thunder have successfully qualified to receive the match and we couldn't be more excited to see them bring their game along with their supportive community to Ouya."
That Dragon, Cancer tackles Ouya in 2014
That Dragon, Cancer will debut on Ouya in 2014, showcasing an intense, emotional game on the big screen, in living rooms and just as developers Ryan Green and Josh Larson intended. That Dragon, Cancer tells a raw story of Green's real life – his 4-year-old son, Joel, has cancer and is fighting his eighth tumor, and the game chronicles his family's struggles, mimicking events and emotions that Green is experiencing himself. It's a breathtaking, interactive poem disguised as a low-poly point-and-click adventure. "Part of the reason we're creating this game is to create a safe space to talk about hard things," Green told Joystiq. "We want people to share their own experiences about life and death and hope and grace with each other .... It's an experience that we're designing for players that have an hour or two to spend with us. And while it's certainly a personal experience, my hope is that it will be a shared experience." Green and Larson will self-publish That Dragon, Cancer through their studios, Media Greenhouse and God at Play, with an investment from Ouya. Kellee Santiago, head of developer relations at Ouya, said that investment was "enough so Ryan and Josh and their team [could] make this game a reality without the added burden of struggling financially to do so." After crafting the ideal living room experience, the developers will "eventually" bring the game to other platforms.
Ooh Ouya! Testing MMOs on a $99 console
My big birthday present this year was an Ouya -- the $99 Android console that was funded by Kickstarter, powered by dreams, and promoted as a "revolution" by its makers. I've not been big on either consoles or Android platforms as of late, mostly due to being preoccupied elsewhere. But something about Ouya's roguish underdog status and the combination of being a fully functional console and a development kit in one attracted me to it. Plus, it's so dang tiny! You can only fit one-half of a magical elf inside it, and even that took some intense pushing. Obviously this is not a bleeding-edge console that's going to pump out realistic graphics at 100 fps, but that's not Ouya's thing anyway. So you might be forgiven in thinking that MMO studios might stay far away from it, what with its limited storage space and processing power, but that's actually not the case. Two MMOs that I know of have been released on the Ouya, Vendetta Online and Order and Chaos Online, and to me that signals the possibility that there might be more in the future. So I downloaded both of them fairly quickly and settled onto my couch to check out MMO gaming with a controller on a TV powered by a console smaller than a Coke can. What kind of MMO experience was I going to get with a $99 machine?
Ouya giving $1 million to Kickstarters through Free the Games Fund
Ouya has launched its Free the Games Fund initiative, which seeks to match contributions for burgeoning Kickstarter campaigns that meet a $50,000 threshold, up to a ceiling of $250,000, from a pool of $1 million. Those seeking fund-matching through Ouya must meet submission guidelines by contacting the console manufacturer prior to initiating the Kickstarter drive, which can run anywhere after August 9, 2013 until August 10, 2014, and agree to six-month exclusivity. Eligible games will get a quarter of their cash once the Kickstarter campaign has ended, then half of the promised total once the game launches on Ouya. The remaining quarter of owed payment will be granted after that six-month exclusivity has expired. The qualifying game that raises the most cash through Kickstarter will receive an additional $100,000 on top of what Ouya has agreed to match.
OUYA's Free The Games Fund now live, offers $1 million toward crowdfunded titles
OUYA has launched its promised fund-matching campaign to spur development of games for its recently launched Android console. Now known as the Free the Games Fund, the effort rewards successful Kickstarter campaigns with a matching $50,000 to $250,000; OUYA will back as many games as its $1 million pool allows. There are a few conditions, of course. Producers have to meet that $50,000 minimum, end their campaigns within the next year and agree to a six-month OUYA exclusive. The console maker will also stagger payments across the development cycle, although the company promises an additional $100,000 to the most successful project. If you're looking for help in building a game and are willing to take a chance on a young platform, full details of the fund await at the source link.
IGF finalist MirrorMoon EP offers up pre-orders to tide us over
MirrorMoon EP, a finalist for the 2013 IGF Nuovo Award for innovation, took a long, hard look at itself and decided to open up pre-orders with beta access today, August 7. MirrorMoon is an exploration and mystery game set across thousands of Star Systems, wherein each planet holds a variety of artifacts, structures and puzzles to decipher. The beta offers the multiplayer portion of MirrorMoon, allowing players to share Galaxy Maps and discoveries with each other. The first explorers to land on a planet get to name its Star System, making that name permanent and official for every other player. "Each Galaxy consists of a thousand Systems: It will be possible to fully discover the mysteries of MirrorMoon EP only while collaborating with other players," developer Santa Ragione says. MirrorMoon is set to launch on September 4 for PC, Mac and Linux via Steam and the Humble Store, with an Ouya version scheduled for fall. Pre-orders run $9, $1 off its final price, and are currently open to PC and Mac players. Early buyers will get a DRM-free version and a Steam key automatically upon the game's launch. You can't explain that.%Gallery-195609%
Ouya-exclusive Polarity reaches Steam Greenlight, offers Oculus Rift support
BlueButton Games' first-person puzzler Polarity will add a chamber to its labrynth-like vault for the PC with Oculus Rift support if it's voted onto Steam Greenlight, Eurogamer reports. Craig Littler, founder of the one-man studio, claims he "wasn't asking for much" when he tried to negotiate with Ouya, Inc. for the necessary revenue to retain Polarity's Ouya exclusivity. Littler says "they were fairly resistant to change and as such I think there will be plenty of devs who just use them as 'another platform' rather than committing to them exclusively." While Littler knows Polarity isn't a blockbuster, he wants "as many people to play it as possible so I can fund my next project." Polarity follows TowerFall as the next Ouya exclusive to call off its engagement and launch on additional platforms. We noted both as highlights during the Ouya's launch.
Ask Engadget: best retro gaming / homebrew machine?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Brady, who just wants to play NBA Jam, dammit. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "Hey, I used to be really into the homebrew and homemade software communities, but times changed and I fell out of the scene. Now I'd like to get back into it, and would love a new device that'll let me play all of these old-school games without having to chop and change -- letting me swap between titles like Mario Kart 64 and NBA Jam without any effort. There are so many new options, from buying an OUYA through to snagging a new PC, so what's my best (and cheapest) bet? Plus, anything that can take a wireless controller is a big plus. Thanks!" Well, we're thinking that if you're prepared to get your hands a little dirty, the OUYA can be turned into an Android-based emulator thanks to its hacking-friendly setup. If that's a bit too rich for your bones, however, you can set up EmulationStation on a Raspberry Pi which will let you run a wide variety of consoles from the same piece of hardware. Still, let's turn this question over to the Engadgeteers for them to share their experiences.
Double Fine's Dropchord entrances iOS, Android and Ouya users
Double Fine's rave simulator rhythm-driven Dropchord launched for iOS, Android and the Ouya this week for $3. Dropchord assigns ends of a line to each of a player's fingers and tasks them with gathering notes and dodging scratches. The game focuses on getting the highest score possible and its leaderboards encourage competitive play with friends. Dropchord's neon visuals pulse to the beat of its electronic soundtrack and switch styles with each song. The game's Standard Mode moves players through stages while gradually adding new gameplay mechanics, while a Full Mix Mode supplies an endless session that gradually becomes more difficult. Dropchord previously launched on PC and Mac for the hands-oriented Leap Motion.
Ouya CEO offering store credit to unsatisfied Kickstarters
Unsatisfied contributors to Ouya's Kickstarter campaign may request a $13.37 credit for the console's Discover store, Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman revealed in an email to backers this week. Uhrman's email acknowledged late shipments, missing controllers and delayed responses from customer support as missteps during the console's launch. Uhrman offered the credit in an effort to "do more than tell you how much we appreciate you." Kickstarter backers should check their inbox for the message and click the email's included link to request the credit. The full email is available after the jump. [Thanks, Scott!]
OUYA offers $13.37 store credit as mea culpa to Kickstarter supporters
If you were a die-hard Kickstarter supporter of OUYA, you might have had your feelings hurt to know the Android console was actually available for retail before you got yours in the mail. It looks like OUYA founder and CEO Julie Uhrman is certainly aware of that (along with a few other teething problems) as she has just sent out an email with the above image, offering all Kickstarter supporters a $13.37 credit to its Discover store. While that may not solve all of OUYA's issues, at least early adopters will feel better about it after a hearty round of You Don't Know Jack.
The Daily Roundup for 08.02.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Editor's Letter: Made in the USA... sort of
Motorola has been doing its best to build some buzz around the Moto X, which launched this week. As a smartphone, the X is decidedly middle-of-the-road. It boasts specs and a design similar to the Droid models Motorola announced last week. Available later this month at $199 on-contract from most major US carriers, the X's biggest claim to fame -- other than swappable backplates, including one made of wood -- is the fact that it's assembled in the US, in a 500,000-square-foot factory in Fort Worth, Texas. Yes, that's "assembled." Despite widespread reports that the X is being made in the US, most of its components, from its display to those backplates, are produced in factories around the world, and workers in Texas will assemble the phones. Does it really matter where your smartphone is made? If your main concern is domestic job creation, it might. A 2012 survey by Boston Consulting Group found that over 80 percent of Americans are willing to pay more for products that are made in the US instead of China, mainly because they want to keep jobs in the country. Interestingly, the same survey found that 60 percent of Chinese consumers would pay a premium for US-made products, apparently based on the belief that the US produces higher-quality products. When it comes to smartphones, that's an idea that's difficult to put to the test; there are none currently manufactured in the United States, and that's not about to change with the launch of the X.
OUYA founder and CEO Julie Uhrman on the Motorola StarTAC and fitness gadget dependency
Every week, a new and interesting human being tackles our decidedly geeky take on the Proustian Q&A. This is the Engadget Questionnaire. In this freshly transcribed edition of our regular smattering of queries, OUYA founder and CEO Julie Uhrman addresses click reduction and quantifying inactivity. Head on past the break to peruse the full list of responses.
Sonic CD travels through time, lands on Ouya
Sega's time-traveling 16-bit platformer Sonic CD is now available for download via the Ouya's Discover store, joining previously released Ouya ports of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and Episode 2. Originally released for the Sega CD add-on in 1993, Sonic CD arrived on Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation Network, and mobile platforms in 2011 as an enhanced port built using a custom engine. The Ouya version of Sonic CD offers the same set of features as the 2011 port, including widescreen support and the addition of Tails as a playable character. The Ouya version of Sonic CD is priced at $2.99.
Order and Chaos Online comes to Ouya
Order and Chaos Online, that scrappy little mobile World of Warcraft clone, is continuing to expand its presence in the gaming market. Its latest conquest? Ouya, the Android-based console that released in late June. Ouya Chief Executive Julie Uhrman welcomed the title to the Ouya family: "Ouya is excited to be working with Gameloft to bring the wildly popular Order and Chaos Online to the consoles world for the first time. This also marks our first MMO, expanding the gaming possibilities for all Ouya gamers." This isn't technically the first MMO for the Ouya, however. Vendetta Online premiered on the console several months ago. Order and Chaos Online is available for free in the Ouya Discovery store.
Towerfall PC aims for a complete single-player mode, more content
Towerfall on PC will have a "fully fleshed-out" single-player mode, creator Matt Thorson tells Shacknews. Towerfall launched as a multiplayer-centric game on Ouya and we noted it as one of the console's stand-out titles. The PC version will have a ton of new content, Thorson says. The PC version will include two new towers, balance changes, and new power-ups, archers and variants, Thorson says. He adds that the solo mode is for people without any friends – or at least friends who enjoy Towerfall. "It's going to be a massive update. I can't wait to see how people react," Thorson says. Recalling the game's Ouya demos, he said, "It's always great to see the moment when players realize that they can catch arrows, and the gameplay implications of that. At the Ouya booth at E3 I saw a little girl get super excited about the game and drag her mom over to show her; that was almost too much for me." Towerfall PC will take "a couple months" to develop and, afterward, he wants to work on Mac and Linux ports. The PC version may cost $20, at most, if the new content justifies a hike from its Ouya price of $15, Thorson says. Towerfall made it into the PAX 10 lineup, as one of 10 indie games chosen by a panel of 50 industry experts to be featured at PAX Prime in Seattle from August 30 to September 2.
Ouya CEO: 27 percent of Ouya owners have bought a game
Thus far, it doesn't seem that Ouya developers have been raking in the money, with only a few developers reporting sales in the thousands of dollars. Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman defended the console, telling The Verge that sales have been "better than expected" and adding that it's "too early" to judge the platform's success. Regardless of the money being earned, a full 27 percent of Ouya owners have purchased a game, she said. Furthermore, 13 of the top 20 Ouya games have earned an 8 percent conversion rate, a number she said many developers would "kill for" on such a young platform. She predicted that by the end of 2013, "we'll see a few developers telling us they've made more than a million dollars on Ouya."
Dropchord drops into Leap Motion store, OUYA and mobile versions to come
Leap Motion owners better start stretching their air keytar muscles now that Double Fine's Dropchord is available for purchase in the Airpsace store for both PC and Mac. In terms of innovation, the game itself isn't particularly earth-shattering -- if a score-based arcade game and a music visualizer got together and had a baby, it would be Dropchord. What's enough to pique our interest is the fact that its gesture controls have been optimized for use with Leap Motion, allowing it to showcase the device's motion-activated potential. That being said, the game is also heading to other platforms in the near future. It'll land on OUYA on July 31st and iOS and Android devices on August 1st. You can check out the full press release after the break or head on over to Airspace to purchase the game for $2.99.
Ouya game developers sound off on disappointing sales numbers
The Ouya has been on shelves for nearly a month now, and developers have had a chance to gauge initial sales numbers of their games. Gamasutra polled several developers on their earnings so far, and a handful obliged with straight sales numbers. Adam Spragg, creator of Hidden in Plain Sight – one of our favorite Ouya launch games – has brought in $4,381 on 1,900 purchases sold at a pay-what-you-want price (minimum $1). The port of Foddy's Get On Top has earned $728 off of 9,700 downloads and 520 purchases. BombSquad creator Eric Froemling didn't provide financial numbers, but noted that he "peaked at close to 200 sales per day and [is] currently sitting at around 70" for the $4.99 game." That's not to be confused with BombBall, which creator E McNeill says is making "a little over $30 a day" before Ouya's 30 percent cut. Organ Trail's Ryan Wiemeyer may be the harshest critic, saying that his game "sold about half" of his low-end predictions. The Ouya version of Organ Trail accounts for 500 sales, a meager portion of the 400,000 the game has sold across its available platforms. "I don't even know if it was worth the man hours yet," said Wiemeyer. Meanwhile, TowerFall, probably the most well-known Ouya exclusive, has garnered "about 2000 sales so far at $15 each," creator Matt Thorson told Edge. "Launching on Ouya got me a lot of attention, and the sales have been better than expected." It earned enough attention, apparently, that Thorson is now bringing the game to PC as well. Finally, developer NimbleBit's David Marsh told Edge that its mobile hit Nimble Quest has been downloaded 6,508 times with 122 purchases, earning $427. Since Nimble Quest uses the Unity engine, it was "a snap to port," said Marsh. He recommended the Ouya to any independent developers who already port games to Android. "It's probably not going to be a huge source of income compared to other platforms, but it's dead easy to submit a game and get it into the store."
