Amazon Android gaming console expected in late 2013

We have seen quite a few Android game consoles introduced in recent months, however it looks like we may have at least one more arriving before the end of the year. This latest is said to be coming from Amazon and according to the details that have arrived thus far — it should arrive in time for the 2013 holiday shopping season. If nothing else, given Amazon already has the Appstore in place, that could put them at a slight advantage over some of the competition.

The details are coming by way of the folks at Game Informer who are reporting based on an anonymous source. So far they have shared how this source has “knowledge of the in-development hardware.” Bit and pieces coming from that source talk about how the system will have a dedicated controller and take advantage of the titles that Amazon already has available in the store.

The other tie-in here would be the app of the day setup. Simply put, it seems like that could easily be extended into a gaming system. As one would expect, Amazon has yet to offer a comment. This of course would come in addition to the Kindle Fire lineup, which is also taking advantage of Android. We aren’t trying to discredit the source, but we do need to remember that this is still in the rumor category and as we already know — rumors do not always come true.

After all, Amazon has long been rumored to be working on an Android smartphone. On the flip side though, it does seem that an Amazon Android gaming system is slightly more realistic as compared to an Amazon Android smartphone. With the Appstore already in place it seems a big part of the success here will come down to the hardware and pricing.

Looking at some of the competition and we have seen a variety of options. There is the OUYA which has a fairly standard setup where you buy the console and then buy the games. Then there is the still unreleased GamePop and GamePop Mini from BlueStacks. That system is expected later this year and will arrive with an all-you-can-play monthly subscription (in addition to the hardware purchase).