While heated fanboys troll comment threads and online forums against the backdrop of the raging console wars, today's international launch of the OUYA went largely unnoticed. The OUYA, an Android-powered, open source console, is currently sold out on amazon.com, and has more than a few heads turning to see why. So what is the OUYA and why might it merit our attention?

The OUYA opened as a kickstarter project on July 10, 2012. In just under a period of a month the OUYA exceeded its funding goal by a staggering 904%, boasting over $8.5 million in funding from over 63,000 backers worldwide. So what makes the OUYA different from next generation consoles and why should we be excited?

Firstly, the OUYA allows any developer to easily create, and design their own video games. Even you. And in a world where the video game industry is worth billions, small-scale independents have the odds stacked against them. The OUYA, then, opens a bright new door for new up-and-coming developers: "You can build games for OUYA [...] Our tools are free and come with every OUYA--no more excuses [...] Create a boundless 3D universe with the UNITY engine or scale things back to the turn-based RPG--youre in control."

Second, OUYA listens to their consumers, and has relied heavily on consumer feedback. In today's world where megacorporations like Microsoft can pump millions into their own projects, consumer opinion is often ignored. Coversely, the majority of financial support for the OUYA has come directly from the wallets of consumers, rather than big money and big corporate interests. For now, at least, OUYA is listening.

Now for the specs. Physically, the OUYA is small and easily portable. It's been outfitted with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage. Storage can be increased simply by connecting (via USB) to an external source, such as a thumb drive, external hardrive, etc. In addition, whether you use WiFi or Ethernet, the OUYA allows users to stream their favorite videos or music apps in 1080p HD. As for games, they are downloaded directly to the OUYA, which means less clutter.

As for its game library, 177 titles are currently available on the OUYA. Its shinier titles include: Final Fantasy 3, ChronoBlade, and The Bard's Tale, which isn't much. However, their library is consistently growing. To compete with the big boys, OUYA has partnered up with Twitch.tv, Crunchyroll, iheartradio, TuneIn, XBMX, PLex, and Flixster. And don't forget that the OUYA provides access to multiple emulators, including Atari, NES, SNES, Gameboy, and N64. All users need do is download their favorite ROMS, bringing classic titles back to the big screen. This, perhaps, is the most underappreciated aspect of the OUYA, as there are literally thousands of ROMS available to download--for free.

Now let's talk about price. The OUYA bundle is currently selling on amazon.com for $99.99, and includes the console itself along with 1 wireless controller. Sold separately, the OUYA controller is US$49.99. Not a bad deal. Should you buy a OUYA? Truth be told, probably not just yet. With a limited library and having only just been released, as a console it still has a long way to go. However, keep in mind that it only launched today. With new developers signing up, and new games continually added to its library, the OUYA has the potential to grow into something great. We'll have to wait and see!

What do you think of the OUYA and its prospective future? Feel free to comment below!