The Android-powered device is going to appear at the beginning of summer

Mar 29, 2013 17:21 GMT  ·  By

The Ouya home console will be officially released in the U.S., Canada, and the UK on June 4 but those who backed the project via crowdfunding will get their devices even faster, as they're already being shipped.

The Ouya company surprised a lot of console gamers last year when it presented the Ouya device, a home console that promises freedom for both players, who can try out games before they buy them, and for developers, who can use more tools and don't have to jump through any complex hoops like those set in place by Microsoft or Sony.

Now, after sharing plenty of details and hyping it up, the company has confirmed that the Ouya will be released on June 4 in the U.S.A., Canada, and the UK for $99.99 (around €78).

The "tens of thousands" of gamers who backed the Ouya project via crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter will receive the console sooner, as devices are already being shipped to them, according to a statement from Ouya.

You can check out a short list of the Ouya's main features below, straight from the company.

- Console: Designed by Yves Behar, Ouya features a sleek, compact cube design that plugs into the TV. The days of waiting out long boot cycles are over, because Ouya wakes up instantly. - Controller: A gamer-envisioned and refined, intuitive wireless controller with fast, responsive buttons, triggers that feel like triggers, laser-precise analog sticks, a cross-style D-Pad, and even a touchpad. - Power: An on-board Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset delivers fast performance and amazing graphics for a truly, immersive game experience in 1080p HD. - Games: Games will be added daily to Ouya into the June launch and beyond. All games on Ouya will be downloadable and free-to-try. The system was designed as an open platform to enable all developers the freedom to create games and publish to the TV. - Apps: In addition to games, Ouya fans can access their favorite steaming video and music apps including content directly from Twitch.tv, Flixster, Plex, XBMC, Crunchyroll, iHeartRadio and many others.

In case you didn't back Ouya last year, you can pre-order the new home console from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Game, GameStop, Target, or even from Ouya itself.