16GB OUYA in White Launched for Holidays Limited Edition

Looking for a cool holiday gift for the gamer who collects everything under the sun? How about a limited edition OUYA Android console for $129.99 USD? Sure, the PlayStation 4 just hit North American shores, and the Xbox One is gearing up to invade retail shelves in this week. But this cheaply-priced console already has more than 500 free-to-try games that everyone in the family can play.

Just last week, the OUYA team said that Chain Gang Chase, a unique couch co-op game for OUYA, hit its funding goal on Kickstarter, and OUYA's $1 million Free The Games Fund will match the final Kickstarter pledge sum, which is $11,662 USD. The game challenges players to steer an escaped chain gang toward train tracks and ultimately freedom.

"The game's developer (and original OUYA backer), Joe Pietruch, is a professor with the School of Interactive Games and Media at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)," reads a company email. "Joe built the current prototype over a 25-day sprint in June of 2013, and will be able to finish with Kickstarter pledges and OUYA's matching funds, part of which will go to students working on the game as a project toward their degree!"

Earlier this month, the OUYA team also said that the console surpassed 500 games in its DISCOVER storefront. "From sure-fire party starters such as Towerfall and You Don't Know Jack to quirky, unique fare such as The Amazing Frog and Potatoman Seeks the Troof!, there are games for nearly every type of gamer on OUYA, with new games going live almost daily," reads the OUYA announcement.

The new Limited Edition version packs twice the internal storage than the regular $99.99 model, offering 16 GB of storage. This version is also completely white, ditching the brushed aluminum and black colors. Other than that, the console uses the same Tegra 3 chip, provides one USB 2.0 port, one microUSB 2.0 port, Ethernet, Bluetooth, Wireless N connectivity, HDMI output, and the same controller, only in white.

The thing to keep in mind is that OUYA is a closed system, meaning whatever you purchase on Google Play will not carry over to the console without side-loading. That said, it's possible to bring games over to the device, but they won't be optimized for the OUYA controller. Still, Android games are typically so cheap, gamers will likely not care about purchasing their favorites again.

To pre-purchase the console now, head here.

  • hakesterman
    Since it is a closed system i will have to pass. The Madcatz console is on it's way, that has a Tegra 4 processor and it's open.
    Reply
  • MrBreakyourFace
    This is inaccurate. The Ouya is more open than any console on the market. What the author refers to is that it does not include Google services, thats it. You can do almost anything to this machine, even over clock it. Please do your research before you lie
    Reply
  • soccerplayer88
    Regardless if it's open or not, other then the piss poor launch it had, OUYA basically killed the native XBMC client so that means not AC3 or DTS support. Side loading is still possible but they made it much more harder then it should be.

    I've been hearing about some developers "jumping ship" after that update.
    Reply
  • basketcase87
    Comparison to a product over 2x the price? Sounds legit...
    Reply
  • tobalaz
    I loved mine for running emulators, there were even a few fun game demos.
    Problem is, some of those demos never became full games, mine overheats unless I lay it on its side so the bottom vent holes have more breathing room and the controller responsiveness isn't all that great.
    So..
    The great hope for Android powered gaming has received little support from developers, and both the controller and console design needs some overhaul.
    Reply
  • mman74
    Ouya or PS4 for Christmas, such a difficult choice. Ouya (who ya) kidding, I'm getting a PS4 for sure.
    Reply
  • Jgriff
    cant hate on the ouya, compact and silent, makes for the best xbmc player money can buy
    Reply
  • dalauder
    You can hate the OUYA. It doesn't have games from major developers, for the most part. I mostly want a console to play sports games and there's not Fifa 14 or NBA 2K14 for OUYA.

    The OUYA market is so bad too. I wish they'd bother to distinguish between Alphas, Betas, and Consumer-ready games.
    Reply
  • dalauder
    The OUYA is barely open. It's harder to root than most tablets/smart phones and side-loading doesn't work half the time. The console could easily worth great, but those in charge don't really seem interested in making the console successful. It's really frustrating and I understand why developers jumped ship. There's just no reason not to allow USB storage, among other inexplicable problems.
    Reply