Ouya is a proposed $99 home console powered by Android, and its makers are currently seeking $950,000 in Kickstarter funding to bring the device to market.

The company wants to bring indies and app developers back into the living room, arguing that "the console market is pushing developers away."

"We've seen a brain drain: some of the best, most creative gamemakers are focused on mobile and social games because those platforms are more developer-friendly," it explains. 

Courting creators

Since Ouya's eponymous console is based on Android 4.0, any Android app can be published to the device's store.

And since each $99 unit operates as a complete dev-kit, the company hopes that it can attract studios, bedroom coders, and hackers alike.

The only condition for developers is that their app must be free to download, although they can charge for in-app purchases or full-game unlocks as they wish.

Ouya has a prototype device up-and-running, and has done much of the necessary design work already. Its fundraising efforts will pay for production orders, the delivery of early dev-kits ahead of launch, and some first party development.

What's inside

Each unit will powered by a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, and include 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, wi-fi, and HDMI connectivity.

The Ouya's controller features the standard array of console controls, as well as an integrated touchpad.

"We've packed this little box full of power. Developers will have access to Ouya's open design so they can produce their games for the living room, taking advantage of everything the TV has to offer," says Ouya on the project's Kickstarter page.

"Developers can wave farewell to the roadblocks of bringing a console game to market. Anyone can make a game: every OUYA console is a dev kit. No need to purchase a license or an expensive SDK. It's built on Android, so developers already know how it works."

"It's time we brought back innovation, experimentation, and creativity to the big screen. Let's make the games less expensive to make, and less expensive to buy."