Amazon reveal and release FireTV

Yesterday Amazon announced and then subsequently released their new set top box called FireTV.

Here is some good condensed info on the box taken from Neogaf:

Info:
-$99 system
-$40 controller (comes with $10 in Amazon credit to spend on games and a free copy of Sev Zero)
-Runs Amazon’s version of Android
-It’s like a Roku or Apple TV but it also plays games, so think the Ouya as a basic concept here
-Publishers like EA, 2K, Ubisoft, Gameloft, Disney, Double Fine, and Telltale are on board (with their mobile games presumably)
-Minecraft and Asphalt were demoed
-Thousands of apps/games available soon
-If you’ve ever said “this mobile/tablet game would be great, but I want physical controls and tv output” then this device is for you
-If you were hoping for a PS4 competitor, this device isn’t for you

Hardware:
-SOC Platform: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8064
-Processor: Qualcomm Krait 300, quad-core to 1.7 Ghz
-GPU: Qualcomm Adreno 320
-Storage: 8 GB internal
-RAM: 2 GB LPDDR2 @ 533 MHZ

Here are some pictures from the press release:

Personally I am not really impressed, I don’t know you would game on this thing compared to a simple smartphone, which is a lot more pick up and play than this can possibly be. I feel like the need to bring mobile games to the living room is just ridiculous, why would you tie yourself to your TV when that really defeats the point of a game being on a mobile device. I am still of the belief that mobile games are horrible blights on the gaming industry as a whole, because whilst it may be where the money is that’s all there is to developing on a mobile platform. Japanese studios are wilting away because of the dominance now of mobile devices in their market and its not nice. I don’t want to see the next SUDA51 or Platinum game on a smartphone I want it on my PC (if not I guess console is okay…).