Ouya vs. ESA

Something that slipped through my radar……….

The Entertainment Software Association, the company which owns and operates the E3 Expo, called the Los Angeles Police Department during the conference in an attempt to shut down Ouya’s public presence at E3 2013.

Julie Uhrman, the founder of the Ouya console, informed IGN and several other publications that the police visit was just another event as part of their on-going conflict with the ESA.

Ouya had their console on display in a lot across the street from the Los Angeles Convention Center, which is the home of E3, and was obviously intended to been seen by the crowds. However, by 9am on the Saturday morning, the ESA rented out the spaces in front of Ouya’s display and parked trucks in them in, what Uhrman felt was an attempt to, block people from noticing Ouya’s presence.

Frankly he’s probably right!

In response to this action, the Ouya team rented the spots in front of the ESA’s trucks and used the spaces to display various Ouya advertising.  Uhrman then claims that the ESA called the police, which prompted the LAPD to show up checking the permits. Ouya felt this was another action to decrease their credibility and, after determining that everything was in order, the cops ultimately left without taking any further action.

Urhman feels that Ouya is being unfairly targeted due to their decision skip the ESA invite and attend E3 on its own terms. Uhrman and the rest of the Ouya team intend to tackle the second day of E3 2013 by increasing their street team presence. She also claims to have reached out to the ESA in an attempt to resolve the dispute, but has yet to hear back.

It seems like a bit of a petty situation to me, and one that can easily be avoided. Both parties have not done anything illegal, at least that we currently know of, and Ouya is an interesting concept that the ESA should really support. But then again my opinions don’t really matter!