Ouya competitor GameStick launching worldwide in October

The Android-based microconsole market gets a bit more crowded in time for Halloween.

Developer PlayJam confirmed that its GameStick device launches worldwide Oct. 29 for $80. GameStick, like Ouya, uses Android as a backbone to serve up games on a television. The GameStick name refers to the size of the device, which is no bigger than a standard USB thumb drive. It also locks into its controller for easy portability.

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PlayJam plans to sell its games and other developer’s titles through a proprietary market.

GameStick runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. It has 1GB of memory and 8GB of storage. It also features an micro-SD card slot so that gamers can expand that storage space. The device can output full 1080P high-definition graphics, and PlayJam included a processor that can handle 3D visuals.

“While to myself and the team at PlayJam the journey seems longer, we have in fact come a significant way in a very short period of time with GameStick,” PlayJam chief executive officer Jasper Smith said in a statement. “The challenge of bringing affordable gaming to the big screen has always sat at the heart of everything we do and GameStick represents a huge step forward in reaching that goal. We’re extremely proud of what we have achieved and look forward to families getting their hands on devices in the run up to Christmas.”

GameStick began as a Kickstarter project. Nearly 5,700 backers contributed around $650,000 to the campaign. PlayJam assures its backers that they will start to receive their GameStick devices in mid-October.