With the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One preparing to launch nearly side-by-side in November, people everywhere are talking about an all-out console war. I suppose it’s true to some extent. These are two big systems sure to sell like hotcakes and will provide console gamers a chance to leap into the next generation.
There’s one console war people seem to forget about, and I think it’s time I remind you: it’s a battle between right and wrong. Good versus evil. It’s the ultimate confrontation that will ultimately decide the fate of the world. I’m talking about, of course, the Ouya and PlayStation Vita TV.
I know that the PS Vita TV isn’t even out yet, nor is it even confirmed for the US, but for the sake of argument, let’s make the assumption that it will make its way to the states sometime in 2014. That certainly gives the Ouya a heck of a head start, but its launch so far would hardly be called a massive success. Reviews have called the system clunky, lacking any really good games, and overall just unimpressive. So PlayStation Vita TV has a real chance to come in and knock the system out.
It’s All About the Games
The PlayStation Vita TV will appeal to a similar market as the Ouya: people who want access to a lot of games, especially kid-friendly indie titles, as well as the ability to stream Netflix and the like. One might argue with a purchase price around the same as the Ouya (basing it off the Japanese price it comes in around $95), the PS Vita TV could do some real damage to Ouya sales because the device will also act as a streaming box for PS4 games. The Ouya can’t do that.
Furthermore, the Vita already has an establish library of hundreds upon hundreds of games, ranging in variety from low-cost indie titles to big budget triple-A titles. And with the ability to use a PS3 controller to play Vita games on your big screen TV, the draw is incredibly strong.
Free Is Good
On the flip side, Ouya games are free. You purchase the box and may never have to pay another dime. The library, while not huge now, will continue to grow as developers learn the system and begin creating more titles. Current hits like Knightmare Tower, Towerfall, and Saturday Morning RPG are fun, but it’s hard to call them system sellers, and there hasn’t been much talk of any true AAA games making it to the platform.
The Vita already has big titles like Killzone: Mercenary, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Persona 4 Golden, and more. With an established library like this, it’s hard to argue the Ouya has anything it can offer over the Vita. Especially when you consider that a PlayStation Plus membership offers free games every month as well.
But the Ouya does have the advantage of never needing to pay for a game, and its open source platform means we haven’t even begun to see the beginning of what developers will be able to do. It’s a system that has the potential for a long life, it just needs time to get going. If gamers can hold out long enough, the draw of free games and the open source system may just be enough to push the system into the win column.
Picking A Winner
If I had to predict a winner now of this theoretical console war, I would put my money on Vita TV. Of course we have yet to see how well it will operate, how well the PS4 streaming will work, and whether or not the library of Vita titles will continue to grow. But simply based on what is currently available and all the issues the Ouya has had, I feel like it’s a pretty safe bet.
