What if I told you there was a new console that wasn't really a console, but just a USB plug-in stick that allows you to play Android games from your television with a game controller? Well, TV games company PlayJam has a new device called the GameStick in its Kickstarter stages and hopes to fund the project that will enable gamers to play console-style games on their TV from the comfort of a USB stick.
Jasper Smith, CEO of PlayJam commented to GamesIndustry.biz about the company's turn to Kickstarter and how the competition in Ouya is healthy for the industry, saying...
“To get to the next step genuinely requires additional, outside support,”..."We need the capital to get GameStick to market and the way in which projects are funded by Kickstarter gives us the freedom to make this happen.""Ouya ran a fantastic campaign but it would be premature to assume that they will own the market with their offering,"
It's hard to tell right now, but Ouya has already successfully had their devkits shipped and proved as much with an unboxing video. As for PlayJam's GameStick, you can see whether or not this could be the wave of the future for console gaming with two promo videos below. Check 'em out.
All during the first video I just kept thinking to myself “How exactly does this work with the TV?” and then, thankfully, PlayJam was smart enough to include a second demonstration video further down on the Kickstarter page.
I suppose the real question here, however, is how do gamers feel about an established company using crowd-sourcing from the general public to raise capital for their capital venture? I'm a bit torn, because this seems like the sort of thing investors would have drooled over during a shareholder boardroom meeting.
Smith, however, sees it differently, saying...
"We understand there is a risk that PlayJam's success in building out a network across Smart TV will translate in people's minds to a high revenue business asking for yet more money, but anyone working in this sector will appreciate the truth is somewhat different. “"If Kickstarter does not work for us, we will need to assess out options and go from there. For now, we are thinking positive an trust that the community will see huge value in having more than one solution out there to drive innovation and ultimately the best deal for both the development community and the consumer."
It still sounds like a PR pitch to me, but that's how most top brass at big businesses are expected to convey their thoughts.
I'm interested, very interested to see how this all unfolds. The GameStick is scheduled to release for $79.99 and the devkit/SDKs will be available for free. You can learn more about the GameStick over on their Kickstarter page.
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