Ouya Crashes E3, Organizers Call Cops

Android-based gaming console Ouya doesn't have an official booth at the E3 gaming conference in Los Angeles, but that hasn't stopped the Kickstarter success story from setting up shop.

PCMag spotted an Ouya demo and concert area in a parking lot across from the LA Convention Center, where anyone could try out the Android-based game system. But as IGN noted, the organizers of the E3 conference called the cops in an effort to shut down the operation.

In general, when it comes to tech trade shows, it's a faux pas to forego the price of buying an official spot on the floor in favor of setting up shop in a less expensive hotel suite (or parking lot) nearby. The organizers of CES have also cracked down on the practice in years past.

Ouya provided giveaways and demos inside "Ouya Park." In retaliation, the ESA - which runs E3 - rented space directly in front of Ouya and parked huge trailers that blocked views of the Ouya setup.

"Whoa, not cool. ESA (which runs @E3expo) tried to block #OUYApark with a big trailer, then someone called police," Ouya tweeted.

The showdown did not appear to be too contentious. Ouya tweeted photos of police officers on their Segway-like vehicles holding Ouya t-shirts and posing with Ouya personnel. "I think that we know which side these specific cops were on," the company quipped.

"OUYA rolls with the LAPD," the firm wrote in another tweet. Ouya argued that "we aren't breaking any laws. Just trying to make @E3expo open to everyone."

The ESA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Ouya, meanwhile, is scheduled for release on June 25 and recently nabbed an additional $15 million in funding. In an Aug. 2012 interview with PCMag, Uhrman said Ouya wanted to "disrupt" the traditional console industry. This year's E3, meanwhile, is all about the traditional console, with Sony and Microsoft holding high-profile events to show off their upcoming PS4 and Xbox One systems, respectively.

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