The pass, which costs $60 and lasts for a full year, is meant to unlock seemingly unlimited access to the Ouya online store's major paid offerings: namely, "one-time purchases under $30 such as full-game unlocks and level-pack add-ons." However, the fine print explains that downloadable content designed to "enhance gameplay" with options such as "extra lives and power-ups" is not included in the All-Access Pass, which may create a blurry line between what content is and isn't included. Ouya's Chess 2, for example, doesn't include a full "unlock" purchase but rather coin packs used to enable online play at a cost per online session.
The promotion comes on the heels of a March change in Ouya policy allowing developers to make paid games that don't include free demo versions or in-app purchases. That shift made particular sense for a wave of serious games coming to Ouya, including That Dragon, Cancer, and Thralled, whose sensitive content might be undermined by "pay more to keep going!" alerts mid-stream.
Such paywalled games, combined with the likes of Double Fine's The Cave and Broken Age and upcoming delights like Toto Temple Deluxe, may add up to enough fun and value for $60... at least for new buyers who could also scoop up the system's few older hits as well. Conversely, Ouya devotees who have burnt through hits like Towerfall and Knightmare Tower may have to ask themselves whether Ouya has enough momentum to merit $60 more of must-play games from this point on.
Though Ouya has yet to announce firm sales figures for either its hardware or software, developers have routinely complained about low sales for their Ouya fare. A Gamasutra report from last October saw that issue come up as a recurring theme, and our own interviews with game designers have echoed that sentiment in kind. In an e-mail interview, Chess 2 developer Zachary Burns told Ars that "there is no money in the [Ouya] userbase," though he was quick to express unabashed appreciation for the promotional and developmental support given by the official Ouya team.
However, the company's best chance at expanding its userbase—the Ouya Everywhere initiative, which would deliver Ouya's storefront as an app for other Android living room devices—has seen no new announcements since Mad Catz announced signing on in March. The Amazon Fire TV may have quelled some of Ouya's momentum with its April launch, though not in the way gamers might have expected. If anything, Amazon Fire TV seriously damaged the Android-box movement thanks to its ho-hum game support and lack of long-term announcements. Worse, long-rumored plans for a "Twouya" follow-up console have yet to receive firm details.
Ouya sent a statement to Ars Technica about the promotion, calling the All-Access Pass a "pilot subscription program" and saying, "For the price of one console game, players receive access to the entire OUYA catalog of more than 800 titles for a full year. It's just one of many things we're exploring to give players the best value and developers the best visibility. Results of this test will dictate if/how we proceed with an official subscription program."
We've followed up with questions about current hardware and software sales figures, Ouya Everywhere plans, and whether game creators can expect to be compensated at a normal rate for All Access Pass unlocks. (As reported by Gamasutra, game creators received an e-mail confirming that pay rates for All Access unlocks will remain the same as for normal purchases.) We will update this post with any response.
Update: Emphasis on "limited-time," as the promotion has already been closed. Visitors can enter their e-mail address at the promotion's link to receive an alert if/when it resumes.
reader comments
62