The newest update for the Ouya game console has been made available, and it's a big one. This time the cryptozoological mascot is the infamous goat-sucker itself, the Chupacabra. It's more than a name, though. This is a notable update that addresses some of the concerns users have had about the device since launch.

Here's the full changelog for the Chupacabra update. It's a really big update.

  • Audio passthrough is now supported in XBMC! Once you have the newest OUYA update, make sure you download the latest copy of XBMC on DISCOVER and you’ll have audio passthrough support for AC3, DTS, and AAC.
  • Redesigned the Details page to provide a cleaner new look and feel.
    • Now text is easier to read and screenshots are easier to navigate.
    • Reduced screen clutter to make navigation more clear.
    • No more stuff scrolling off the screen and looking like an overscan issue.
    • Page is now more versatile to support various types of pages like the Developer page discussed below.
  • Reorganized PLAY to make it easier to find games.
    • The top row will function as PLAY previously did.
    • We’ve removed the Thumbs Up system (too much overlap with ratings) and added a new “Favorite” system. Games you Favorite from the Details page will show up in the second row of PLAY.
    • Added a category for Purchased games, so you can more easily find games you’ve purchased (installed or not).
    • Added a category for Recent Downloads which will show currently downloading games plus the 10 most recent finished downloads.
    • Added an A-Z category so you can find games alphabetically.
  • Added Developer-specific Details pages (and support for other generic Details pages).
    • Now you can learn more about the folks who make the great games you love. Get to know your favorite devs!
    • These pages also allow an easy way to access all the games from a specific developer.
    • As Developers fill out their profiles, you’ll start to see these pages appear on the console.
  • Genre sections are now updated to have multiple rows.
    • Instead of the previous “bucket”, Genres now have rows like the main page of DISCOVER, allowing the display of Featured games, New Releases, etc.
  • Added a simple “download manager”.
    • Games that are currently downloading will appear in the Recent Downloads section of PLAY (in addition to the places they previously appeared).
    • By pressing U on a game in the download queue, you can move games to the front of the queue to set the order in which you want your games to download. It will pause any current downloads and resume them from where they left off when the prioritized games are finished.
  • Game developers can now choose if they want their games to be Free to Try or have a price up front.
  • Made pairing of Bluetooth media remotes easier.
    • Using the PS3 Media Remote as an example:
      • Navigate to the Android Settings located in Manage > Controllers > Pairing > Bluetooth Settings (Alternately, you can reach this by navigating to Manage > System > Advanced > Bluetooth)
      • Activate “Search For Device” to begin looking for pairing requests
      • On the Media Remote, press and hold START+ENTER buttons until the PS3 button begins flashing
      • When the device appears in the Available Devices list, select the BD Remote Control from the Available Devices list
      • The BD Remote Control should now appear in the Paired Devices list as connected.
  • Added an option to keep controllers turned on (no timed auto-shutoff) in select Media programs (like XBMC). This can be found in MANAGE -> CONTROLLER -> SETTINGS. This new option will be enabled by default.
  • Improvements to the new user flow
    • Gamers no longer need to confirm their password as a new user
    • Added a date of birth field and optional gender field for new user signup
  • We’ve made it more clear that if you are a user that would like to use PayPal, you can always purchase vouchers from OUYA.tv – pay there with PayPal, enter the code under MANAGE -> ACCOUNT -> PAYMENTS, and you are good to go!

See? I told you is was a big one. Of particular interest this time is that audio passthrough for XBMC, which makes the device a much more capable media streamer. The Play screen is also no longer organized by last played – there are favorites and alphabetical lists too. Add to that a raft of visual tweaks, and you've got a goat-sucker. Check out the video below for some additional details.

You can update the console in the settings, but give it some time. Again, it's a big update.

[Ouya]