Today was a momentous day at Amazon as the debut of Amazon Fire TV became available to the public for $99 with an emphasis on plunging straight into the online streaming market. In order to expand their product’s general value, Amazon has also gone as far as to recruit some renowned game developers for this brand-new system. Most notable amongst the expected “thousands” that Amazon is seeking to bring to their Android-powered device are Mojang’s Minecraft and Gameloft’s Asphalt 8. Other publishers that are listed as possible contributors are Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, and Disney. Joystiq commented that Amazon Fire TV’s prime function will be broadcasting television and streaming music; “gaming will be a bonus feature,” in hindsight of the product’s alternate capabilities.
The purchase system will mimic the App Store’s protocol with each “app” costing about an average of $2 on Amazon. The bluetooth controller that was leaked last month is going to cost at least $40 which’ll add up to an $139 bundle (or $140 if we’re rounding up) to use the system as a substitute gaming console.
Amazon Fire TV will include 2 GB of RAM, dual-band WiFi, and comes with its own remote control. The system will host Amazon Prime alongside other numerous options, such as Hulu plus, which’ll become accessible after purchase. You can definitely feel the company’s intended target audience, but the icing on the cake will be how Amazon chooses to approach the gaming market. As the global community can offer an ample amount of revenue– for the right price. But choosing to compete against iOS or even next-gen consoles might prove to be an unwise decision for Amazon, at the moment it seems that corporate is simply dabbling in the potential of the concept rather then diving in headfirst.
The first Amazon Fire TV exclusive will be Sev Zero,a tower defense/third-person shooter hybrid developed by Amazon Game Studios. You can see an comprehensive list of Amazon’s intended titles on their official website.
So, will Fire TV be the next Steam of the gaming industry? Or just another App Store knock-off that’ll eventually fade into the backdrop? Feel free to voice your opinion below!