Remember Ouya? Razer now owns part of it

Ouya Razer

Update: When asked why it had interest in a less-than-stellar selling platform, Razer told us: "What attracted us to Ouya was their innovative software platform for Android gaming on the TV and their solution for serving Android-related content. We're looking forward to further developing that software and expanding its value for the benefit of gamers and game developers worldwide."

Original story below...

Just when you think you won't hear the word "Ouya" again, PC peripheral company Razer manages to bring it back into the spotlight.

Razer announced today that it will acquire the rights to the software platform for use in both the upcoming Razer Forge TV, as well as a new, unannounced micro-console sometime down the road.

According to a press release sent to TechRadar, Razer plans on repurposing the Ouya's storefront and collection of games on its hardware, but "is not retaining interest in Ouya hardware or related other assets."

What does that mean for existing Ouya owners?

According to the release: "Razer's intention is to allow Ouya users to bring their games, controllers, and accounts to the Cortex TV platform on the Forge micro-console, advancing the experience of Android gaming on TV that they have previously enjoyed. Additionally,Razer is planning deep product discounts for incoming Ouya users to purchase Razer hardware, and a spate of freebies, giveaways, and promotions to enjoy on their new Forge consoles."

Razer also plans on reaching out to its existing network of software development partners to continue to create new games for Ouya.

There are few stories in the video game world more interesting in the last five years than Ouya, the fly-by-night Kickstarter that raised $8.5 million (about £5.4 million, AU$11.5 million) before losing momentum a few months after launch.

This deal, which closed back on June 12, might be a second chance at fulfilling the platform's promise creating a more open, accessible gaming platform not tied to Nintendo, Microsoft or Sony.

Nick Pino

Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar's sister site, Tom's Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He's also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he's not using if anyone wants it.