The Android-based Ouya microconsole finally updated its offerings with a 16 GB version of its console in solid, matte black. The new 16 GB Ouya console will cost $129.
The Ouya microconsole started as a Kickstarter project in 2012 and quickly surpassed its funding goal. Ouya released its first 8 GB console and controller in June for $99. This past holiday season, Ouya offered a limited number of 16 GB consoles. Needless to say, the 16 GB version was very popular among gamers, so Ouya decided to bring it back.
The 16 GB Ouya console is now a permanent offering listed on Ouya's website. The best part about the new console is that it costs just $30 more than the original and you get double the storage. Games, mobile or otherwise, are very rarely small file, so having extra storage on this mini, portable console is a very big benefit.
Ouya stated that the new console also features better Wi-Fi connectivity, the latest firmware update and an improved controller. One of the problems users had with the first Ouya console was that whenever you were far away from your Wi-Fi router, the wireless connection would fail. Ouya says that it has increased the signal strength significantly.
The new Ouya controller's joysticks and buttons move easier and have less lag time. Overall, the console and controller look pretty much the same, except for the sleek black finish. Ouya has yet to release a detailed list of the microconsole's specifications, so little is known about any other changes the company may have made.
Many gamers enjoy the Ouya console because of the exclusive games that are available for download, including "Towerfall," "Wrecking Ball Arena," "Brick Break Blitz" and "Soul Fjord." There are a lot of home-brew games for the console and some side-load games work with Ouya, too.
Although Ouya hasn't announced its sales figures since its microconsole first went on sale, the amount of funding a buzz the company has garnered seems to suggest a certain level of success. So far, Ouya has raised $23.6 million from crowd-funding sources and investors. During its Kickstarter campaign, Ouya raised an astounding $8.5 million It will be interesting to see how many consoles Ouya has sold since June and whether the company will rise in the ranks of game consoles of fall away into its own little niche.
