UPDATE: An Ouya representative told The Verge on Tuesday the console wouldn’t exclude online multiplayer at launch, but developers will need to implement the function into their games themselves. System-wide features such as friend lists, online chat and achievements will still not be available, The Verge writes.
The little Kisckstarted console that could, Ouya, is coming to backers soon, March 28 soon, and coming to store shelves a couple months later in June, but is not coming to the world of online multiplayer gaming by either of those dates. Company founder Julie Uhrman, a massive Kickstarter success story, at the SXSW Interactive festival in Austin, Texas let it slip that the console won't add the feature until later on, though she assured the crowd it would happen "sometime this year."
Uhrman, speaking with The Verge, said, along with online multiplayer, similarly structured features such as leaderbards and achievments won't be there for the official launch but, again, should find it's way to the $99 console by the time 2014 rears its beautiful face. Local multiplayer is in and ready to go, you'll just need to purchase some controllers, each going for about half the price as the console itself.
This kind of semi-release isn't uncommon. Both Nintendo consoles, the 3DS and Wii U, updated with features (3DS eShop for example) later on the system's life cycle. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 receive updates regularly. The Ouya, with architecture similar to mobile phones (more powerful, of course), will likely be regulary updated.
Ouya is the first android-based home console, it's tiny, in case you didn't hear me the frist time, and it should run most of the games you see on the Android marketplaces today. However, there is one catch. Games published on the Ouya store will need to go through some light screening, checking for things like pornography and intellectual property violations, The Verge reports. Obviously this means the entirety of the Google Play marketplace will never be on the console, though I'm sure, just like any console release, Ouya's people are going to get as many games on there as possible.
The console isn't without it's library advantages though. Former Valve-developer Kim Swift's next game will be an Ouya exclusive. She worked on the "Left 4 Dead" and "Portal" franchises in the past.
Uhrman did have one other thing to say. It was a sort-of, iffy kind of announcement. She wants to see Ouya in TV's, on tablets and basically anywhere she can fit it. Clearly, her ambitions haven't ceased at the little box in the living room entertainment center. She's thinking big, baby.
