The Ouya release date has been pushed back by three weeks to accommodate huge demand for the Android gaming console.
Originally scheduled to ship to retailers in the US on June 4, consumers will now have to wait until June 25 to get their hands on the little Android console.
“The demand we’re seeing from gamers and our retailers is beyond expectations, so, to meet all this demand, we are shifting our launch date by three weeks to give us time to make more Ouyas,” said Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman in a blog post. “Our official launch date will be June 25.”
Uhrman did confirm that this delayed release date would not affect any early Ouya backers who are expecting to receive their Ouya by the end of May, as those units shipments are “still on track.”
However, the news of the adjusted release date does come with fantastic news for the console, its fans and Ouya developers. The Android console has just secured an additional $15 million (£9.65 million) in funding, led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB).
“It means we’ve got additional resources to make Ouya everything it can be,” said Uhrman. “It means that we can increase production to meet our demand continue to support game developers who are building innovative and exclusive games for Ouya.”
Ouya has also confirmed it has a new board member in the form of Bing Gordon, who previously held the position of EA Games’ Chief Creative Officer. According to an official press release, Gordon will advise the company as it “scales its development community and executes its retail strategy and product developments plans.”
“What we really liked about Bing is that he doesn’t get constrained by conventional thinking, and that’s a lot about what we do at Ouya,” said Uhrman to Joystiq. “And he also is a really big supporter of game creators, and that’s been one of the key focuses of Ouya. It felt like a perfect match.”
There’s still no word on an Ouya UK release date, but we’ll keep you posted.
If you’re totally into gaming, you might want to take a look at our pick of the best games of 2013.
