Ouya on Fire TV: We’re solely dedicated to games

Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman says she is confident the microconsole can face off stiff new competition from Amazon’s newly announced Fire TV.

The retail giant has made games a big focus of its new set-top box, revealing Mojang is bringing its hit world-building title Minecraft to the system.

It is also releasing its own title by Amazon Game Studios, third-person shooter Sev Zero, and has bolstered its team with Portal creator Kim Swift and Far Cry 2 lead designer Clint Hocking.

Despite being in direct competition with Ouya and others such as the GameStick, in a statement to CVG Uhrman said Ouya stood out because of its sole focus on games rather than broad entertainment.

"Just as Amazon blazed a trail for a new way of selling online, Ouya invented a new way to think about console games. But for us, games are not simply an ‘added bonus’, they are the whole point," said Uhrman.

"Ouya is solely dedicated to the devs creating games, and the players who play them. Their ideal experience is all we think about."

Amazon has positioned the Fire TV as a source for free and cheap games, making its own exclusive Sev Zero available at $6.99, or free with a controller.

Ouya has also previously used free as a core pillar of its activities but recently dropped this requirement claiming it was restrictive for some game developers.