Digital and Nontraditional: Breaking Down Ouya, Steam Box, And Other New Wave Systems

What makes each of these systems unique, and what factors will result in their failure or success?

By: Chris Pereira January 15, 2013

If 2012 was the year of crowdfunding, it's looking more and more as if 2013 will be the year of the nontraditional games console. Apparent one-offs like Ouya attracting $8.5 million on Kickstarter and the notion of a Steam Box have given way to numerous others trying their hand at developing some sort of gaming system. There has been talk in the past of a one console future; whether or not that's where we're ultimately headed, in the short term it seems abundantly clear that there is no lack of interest in being a company that puts hardware in gamers' homes.

For years it's been said that companies like Microsoft and Sony wanted to take over the living room. They've attempted to do this by expanding upon the functionality offered in the boxes they already have in place. As we are quickly approaching the point at which both of those companies will again be competing to sell new pieces of multi-use hardware, we're seeing quite a few other companies line up to get into the living room, but with much more gaming-oriented systems: There's Ouya, the various Steam Boxes, Shield, GameStick, and Razer Edge, to say nothing of lesser-known ones such as eSfere.

What makes these systems so much unlike, say, Microsoft entering the console market at the turn of the century (aside from the fact that none of them have Microsoft's billions backing them) is that not a single one of them is seeking to become another standard games console. Each is doing something different or new, whether it be with its price, its operating system, its portability, or something else, and with each of those variations comes pros and cons. There are reasons to get excited about some of these systems, but there are also many reasons to doubt they have any realistic shot at succeeding.

A common thread among these systems is their use of digital media. Not a single one of them relies on users going to the store to purchase physical games to play on it -- a marked shift from what we're accustomed to. They can afford to do this because, to varying degrees, they are all taking advantage of existing digital game distribution services (either Android or Steam). Staying digital-only allows these systems' creators to avoid the headache of trying to establish a retail foothold at a time when the industry is becoming increasingly digital-centric and enables them to keep the price of their hardware down. It also affords them a level of flexibility over the pricing of games, and you can bet free-to-play will play a central role as the model becomes more prominent outside of the mobile, social, and PC game spaces.

Many of the particulars about these systems remain in flux, and the Steam Box, Edge, and Shield only began to really take shape last week at the Consumer Electronics Show. Despite this, we do have a good sense of what each system is shooting for and, as a result, why they might succeed or fail.

Although its target was much higher than the vast majority of videogame-related crowdfunding attempts, Ouya had no trouble setting the still-standing record for most money raised by a videogame Kickstarter. It also sent a clear message in the process: There is money out there for alternative forms of videogame systems, a category Ouya firmly fits into. Its $99 price tag certainly distinguishes it from the current generation of consoles, and that distinction will only become more stark when new consoles from Microsoft and Sony arrive -- systems which will almost undoubtedly exceed the $350 price tag of the Wii U. It's also cheap enough that, if and when a model with improved hardware is released down the line, upgrading won't break the bank.

Being Android-based, many game developers already have experience designing games for Ouya. Like existing Android devices, it will be easy to hack, and the team behind it is going to great lengths to ensure the hacking community's experience is a pleasant one. Standard screws and support for USB and Bluetooth should make it easy enough, and rooting the system (thereby granting complete control over the system) not only doesn't void the warranty, it's actively encouraged. That approach is light years away from that of the big three console manufacturers, each of which goes to great lengths to prevent any unauthorized usage of its platforms.

With each system doubling as a development kit, there is the potential for games to come from anywhere. Without things like certification fees to complicate the development process, Ouya could be a haven for small, independent developers seeking to get their games onto television sets without resorting to the likes of the notoriously ineffectual Xbox Live Indie Games service.

As for existing games, while porting over those intended for Android phones and tablets will require some work on the developers' part -- adding controller support, adapting the UI to work on a TV as opposed to a much smaller screen located inches away from the user, etc. -- it's not as if they're being tasked with redesigning their games from the ground up. That means many developers may be enticed into at least dabbling with Ouya game development, and if those experiments pan out, full-fledged support may follow.

The problem is, success for these developers is far from assured, whether they're simply porting over Android projects or crafting something from scratch. There's a lot to like about Ouya, particularly its open nature. The idea of having a hackable Android box that hooks up to a TV set for $99 will be immensely appealing to many people, but its very nature also makes it susceptible to piracy.

Combined with the ability to pre-order systems through the official website, Kickstarter support suggests the initial install base for Ouya may be in the neighborhood of 60,000 to 70,000 people, which is incredibly small by game console standards. Factor in the number of people who may never spend a dime on software (either because they aren't getting one to play games or are resorting to piracy), and the number of potential buyers for any given game shrinks to a point where it could be difficult for developers to make much money. In the case of games that are headed to Android anyway, the Ouya versions would only need to sell enough to justify the cost of adding Ouya support, but that's not applicable to developers who have no intention of bothering with Android in the first place.

The free-to-play model may be useful in thwarting pirates to some degree, but it's not right for every game. Even if it were, making effective use of free-to-play is not as simple as one might believe -- just look at Punch Quest as evidence of that. Fortunately, games won't be forced to use free-to-play, which was the belief about Ouya at one point. While Ouya has advertised all its games have a free-to-play component, all that means is that every game is required to have something that is playable for free. That can amount to nothing more than a standard demo.

One concern raised by Jetpack Joyride developer Halfbrick's Phil Larsen is the matter of trust. "I see the biggest problem being the trust in the user account," he told 1UP. "What this means is that Microsoft, Sony and to a lesser extent Nintendo have created a home for the user, a place where everything someone does is saved, backed up, logged, displayed and ultimately indestructible (pending some massive meltdown at HQ). Valve saw this, and crafted their platform to handle this exact service on PC. People have connections to their accounts, profiles and game collections. Monetary and even emotional connections.

"With the new hardware coming, they are essentially starting with nothing and claiming everything is open. That causes the player to ask the question -- do I trust this ecosystem? Where is my data saved? Who knows my information? The big players like Valve and Nvidia already have strong reputations so there's no real doubt in their good intentions, but these are problems on open marketplaces -- any developer can choose any technology to run the game the way that works best for them. So many unknown factors working in tandem can result in unexpected problems like losing saves or profiles. These kinds of problems are being fixed all the time, my only wonder is whether the home user who has previously had everything happily stored and logged for them on consoles will react badly to the pros and cons that come with a completely open system."

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• ouya

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  beatcreator
  

  the oyua looks awesome. i want one.

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• ehh. I prefer hard media.

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  Togegawa1
  

  that way you don't loose the game when the manufactoror goes  bellyup.

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• Remember the L600 / ApeXtreme / Phantom / ... ?

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  Kroko
  

  We already have to many platforms available.

  Consoles, handhelds, desktop PCs, laptop PCs and, for people who appreciate to give the price of a PC for a giant walkman with built-in touchscreen, tablets... There simply is no room for something else. Especially if the newcomer does what current platforms already did for years, which is the case here.

   

  In the last 20 years, we had like a lot of these "revolutionary" projects, and not a single one succeeded. In 2014, everyone might just have forgotten about these things, and the cycle will repeat it self. In 3~4 years, another project will appear and people will be like:

  "Oh dude! You remember that thing? What was its name? Oyu? Youa?

  - Err... Ouya? Oh yeah I remember. What happened to that poor **** ?"

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• Razer edge

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  AJAPAM_34
  

  So... what? Why not just buy a laptop? You could get the same hardware in a laptop at a better price without sacrificing much mobility at all. I can't see a single upside to buying one of these things.

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• In the unlikely event...

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  nipsen
  

  "One concern raised by Jetpack Joyride developer Halfbrick's Phil Larsen is the matter of trust. "I see the biggest problem being the trust in the user account," he told 1UP. "What this means is that Microsoft, Sony and to a lesser extent Nintendo have created a home for the user, a place where everything someone does is saved, backed up, logged, displayed and ultimately indestructible (pending some massive meltdown at HQ)."

  ...that HQ would melt down. Which has, just to our knowledge so far, happened at least twice at Sony. While xbl account hacks for xbl accounts with credit cards attached to them, and sales of those accounts for cheap credits, is close to becoming a business on it's own. Not in the least since MS's holding company carries the cost associated with unauthorized use of the credit cards.

  Which in the end they can write off as nothing - since they're selling digital wares that in their budget does not really count as a loss.

  In any case - nice hit-piece against digital consoles and rooted android devices, Pereira! I can tell you're a technical mastermind who knows everything there is to know about the difference between user-levels and "a wide open system that you can copy games unrestricted".

  Like a Sony guy said once: "If it doesn't have our DRM, it's not worth shit!". 

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• Gold for REAL Gamers

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  colexions
  

  I'm excited about it all, it creates more options for REAL gamers.  There's more to gaminig than war sagas.  For others of us who still like quirky platformers these new options will be pure gold.

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• Not for me

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  Hunterman328
  

  The reason I don't buy or get excited about PS Minis or Xbox Indie games is that I'm at home in front of my TV where I'm able to play the "Real" games, instead of on the go somewhere where the best available games are smaller, quicker, and often less polished.  Those latter games are great for phones and the situations where that's the best gaming possible.  But once I get home and sit down in the big chair I don't want to settle for a mini experience.

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  • Interesting

    Posted: 01/16/2013 by  Archintyeron
    

    Can you define what exactly makes a game be a "Real" one?

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  • 

  • reply

    Posted: 01/16/2013 by  Hunterman328
    

    The games that you're happy to shell out $60 or more to play.  Your classic home console in front of the TV gaming experience that you've been doing for years and love doing.

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  • Agreed

    Posted: 01/16/2013 by  6StringSamurai
    

    I don't playh them because they are usually incredibly boring after 5 minutes.

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  • "Real" & $60 don't mean love

    Posted: 01/16/2013 by  ButterflyMAC
    

    To begin, I'm not at all disproving your decision to hold, what are now considered AAA titles and the like, in high regard. A great host of such projects nowadays require a team the likes of Wal-Mart and millions of dollars. However the implication (or as it seems) is that length and monetary value make a game "real" (if Super Meat Boy was released on SNES, it would have been roughly $70--times/situations change). First I don't love shelling out $60 for the experience lol. More titles are able to justify themselves than not, but if the same game was even $10 less out the gate I'd go for that! 

    Second, length has no bearing on the value, considering there are a lot of those AAA titles that seem aloof as they only last 3 to 4 hours--trying to justify the experience with multiplayer modes. That being said, the ones you actually notice, are the ones you are most likely to least enjoy. Flying Hamster is a PS Mini I absolutely enjoy (was enjoyed on my PS3). It's short, however I'd gladly pay for it again just for the way the game ends its story. I consider it a real game. 

    The barrier of what's a mini-experience and what isn't is very obscure. I played Spectral Souls on one of my Android devices and that's a very engrossing, time consuming experience based on the RPG mechanic. Minecraft, whether the version is good or not, is also on mobile devices. That title definitely isn't a mini-experiece. 

    But I won't end on what may come off as a condesending position. I understand that you enjoy engrossing, rich and memorable experiences. So do I! But I emplore you to allow yourself to find those experiences on multiple platforms. I want nothing but for you to have even more "real" games you can pass down and share with others. 

    BTW - I've also had terrible experiences for $2.99 

    *I wouldn't be surprised if the cost of games went up. After all, the precedent is being set with pre-order bundles. How many consumers purchase the game for $70 and above at the notion of "extras"?

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• All of these...

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  pashaveliki
  

  ... frankly carry a big whiff of the Phantom.

  Also, can we take a moment to just bask in how amazing apt the name of that console really was,?

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• Echo of the past

  Posted: userComment.createdDate by  DJ_Caesar
  

  When I first heard about the Steam Box, it reminded me of Infinium Labs' Phantom that never managed to exist beyond (from what others have said) a hastily-assembled and unimpressive prototype.

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