Crowd 
funding has been a buzzword in the start-up world for years. For most entrepreneurs, though, it was virtually mythological: While it was certainly possible to fund an idea through donations by potential customers, there was no real way to reach out to a broad audience.
Then came Kickstarter.
Veteran 
journalist Chris Morris tackles the major reasons why Ouya could be a revolution or a mere footnote
Any time a start-up makes $4.5 million in four days through crowdsourcing, it’s bound to raise a few eyebrows. And Ouya has certainly done that.
Enthusiasts are dreaming of a dark horse console that will bring gaming back to its roots, ending the cycle of sequel-itis and injecting some fresh new game mechanics into the industry. Skeptics, meanwhile, say those Kickstarter supporters could be throwing their money away on a product that will never find a significant audience.
Ironically, they could both be right.
When 
Double Fine Entertainment launched its crowd-sourced video game experiment on Kickstarter in early February, it was anything but a sure bet. While the funding platform had boasted a number of successfully funded projects, it had yet to chalk up any victories on the big stage.
By now, of course, everyone knows how that story ended. The developer, which had hoped to raise $400,000 to create an adventure game, took in more than $3.3 million. That opened the dam, and it wasn’t long before Kickstarter was flooded with game projects, many from well-known industry names.
Chris Morris: Journalist 