The OUYA console has generated a lot of discussion in the week since it was unveiled, and no small amount of controversy to boot. The Android-powered system hoped to raise funds via Kickstarter and had its wish granted in a stunning amount of time -- at the time of writing, OUYA has raised $4,895,999 ... with a goal of $950,000 and 23 days to go!

After the first day of fundraising, however, cynicism kicked in. The console has been accused of potentially "scamming" users, while Ben Kuchera of Penny Arcade wrote a very skeptical article urging users to be cautious. Opinions are divided, with some hoping to trust the developers, and others planning to keep well away.

I went straight to the source of the debate -- chiefly developer CEO Julie Uhrman -- to discuss the potential of OUYA, the plans for its future, and whether or not the accusations leveled against the project are worth considering.

"I love games," Uhrman said when I first asked what drove the development of OUYA, "but I especially love TV games. I don’t think anything can compare to the lean-back, take-it all-in of playing games on a big screen with great HD graphics and mind-blowing sound. I was frustrated to see other game screens gaining ground because those platforms were more open to developers. From my perspective, we were witnessing some of the best and most creative minds in game design abandoning consoles as they shifted focus to mobile and social platforms."

"Then I saw another device using Android as an embedded operating system, and thought --

huh -- maybe that could work for a game console. The more I thought about it, the better it sounded. And when I spoke to other people in the industry, they felt like I was on to something."

The concept of the system seems to run counter to the way console gaming traditionally operates. While Sony and Microsoft jealously guard their consoles, OUYA will gladly let you hack it without voiding your warranty. Closed systems and digital rights management have no place with this device, and gamers have embraced the concept. However, was that OUYA's goal? A statement against current console models. Apparently not.

"No, our intent is just to make a great game console," Uhrman responded. "It just happens that many of the things that make OUYA great -- its openness, affordable price -- also make it unique among game consoles. We’re okay with that. We don’t think consoles are dead, but we do think that it’s time to challenge some of the basic assumptions that have guided the thinking of the console makers until now. Who says it can’t be done differently?"

One thing that's caused concern is the idea of OUYA as an open, hackable device, and how other developers will view that. After all, can you imagine some of the major publishers flocking to a system where users can tinker around with its innards? Companies currently put DRM into DRM-protected games, they're that paranoid. Nevertheless, Julie remains unworried.