Square Enix backs Kickstarter-funded console Ouya

Upcoming Android-based console Ouya, funded by crowd-sourced funding website Kickstarter, has received the backing of one of the world's biggest video games developers.

Square Enix has announced its support, pledging to provide its Final Fantasy III game for the console's launch in March 2013.

Users will be able to plug in the $99 (£63) Ouya directly into their TVs.

An analyst said other publishers are likely to follow Square Enix's lead.

Ouya exceeded its funding target within a day of the project being announced in July. In total, the console has so far received more than $5m (£3m).

The console's TV connectivity may be especially appealing to publishers, IHS Games Digest analyst Piers Harding-Rolls told the BBC.

We're promising to deliver Final Fantasy III like you've never seen it before”

"The landscape for devices that are connected to the internet and that enable playing of games on the TV is evolving rapidly," he said.

"Ouya is only one of many different connected TV devices that are emerging as alternative or incremental distribution channels to the dedicated consoles.

"Traditional games publishers such as Square Enix are keen to diversify into these new channels if the investment is minimal as it represents a low opportunity cost that might have significant upside.

"As such it is very likely other publishers will also be looking closely at the Ouya platform as a potential distribution partner."

For now Square Enix, also known for its Dragon Quest and Tomb Raider titles, plans only to release its 1990 classic role-playing game on the console, but it said it was considering creating more content in future.

"This will be the first time gamers outside of Japan can play FFIII on their televisions through a console," Kickstarter said in a post.

"We're promising to deliver Final Fantasy III like you've never seen it before."

Gaming service Onlive, which offers a cloud gaming platform, has also announced its support for Ouya. The console will run Onlive's on-demand games service right from the start.

The system allows users to play games without owning a traditional console.