Razer, better known for manufacturing gaming mice and keyboards, has acquired all of Android console OUYA’s assets – which includes software and personnel from tech and development teams. The actual purchase went over on June 12th, but it hasn’t been confirmed or commented on until now. The deal doesn’t include console hardware, so why exactly did Razer purchase just the name and software?
Well, Razer has plans to release OUYA’s storefront as “Cortex for Android TV,” as the company is “deeply invested” in pushing a TV-based game system that runs on the Android OS – hence the usage of OUYA software as a base. Ultimately, the software will be merged and integrated with Razer’s micro-console Forge. OUYA owners will be able to migrate their digital games onto the Forge system, which means Earth’s five OUYA owners won’t be left in the dust.
As mentioned, most of OUYA personnel is now working for Razer, meaning they’ll probably be working on the aforementioned integration. Even using OUYA as a base, it’s likely a lot of work will need to go towards shaping Forge into a TV-based console that’s strong enough to conquer markets. Understandably, OUYA founder Julie Uhrman will not be joining the team.
The goal for Razer’s acquisition of OUYA and subsequent integration into an Android TV based console is to tap the large Chinese video game market, a country which has just lifted a 15-year ban on the production and sale of video game consoles. Although the tech and business talk might be a little complex, it ultimately boils down to the purchase of OUYA not as a console, but rather as a software base for another hopefully more successful one.
