OUYA, a successful Kickstarter-funded gaming startup recently faced the heat at E3 2012 Expo. Apparently, Entertainment Software Association (ESA) called the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in order to shut down Ouya’s public presence at the E3 event.

Being a startup and crowdfunded company, OUYA does not have budget to pay up the hefty fees to get inside the Los Angeles Convention Center, let alone the equipment for setting up a booth and advertising. So, it rented a parking space in a nearby lot. This certainly offended ESA, who organizes E3 Expo and called the cops to get rid of OUYA from the parking area.

When ESA got to know about OUYA’s out-of-box idea to save money and display on street, it rented out the spaces in front of Ouya’s display and parked semi-trucks in them. Apparently, ESA did this to in what block people from noticing Ouya’s presence. In response, the Ouya team rented the spots in front of the ESA’s trucks and used the spaces to display various Ouya banners. Just how funny, rather awkward this sounds!

Anyways, when ESA could not handle the situation, it ESA called the cops. LAPD asked Julie Uhrman, founder of the Ouya console, to see the company’s permits. Finding everything under control and Urhman’s permit valid, the cops left without taking any further action.

According to Urhman, Ouya is being unfairly targeted due to its decision to go around the ESA and attend E3 on its own terms. She also reached out to the ESA in an attempt to resolve the dispute, but has yet to hear back. Here are some tweets from OUYA’s Twitter account for your pleasure :)

OUYA ‏@playouya11 Jun
Hmmm I wonder who parked this semi in front of #OUYApark stay tuned in

OUYA ‏@playouya11 Jun
You thought a little semi truck was going to stop our #OUYApark? Haha! You were wrong #E3 #OUYApark open to.

OUYA ‏@playouya11 Jun
Whoa, not cool. ESA (which runs @E3expo) tried to block #OUYApark with a big trailer, then someone called police

OUYA ‏@playouya11 Jun
We aren’t breaking any laws. Just trying to make @E3expo open to everyone. #occupyE3

OUYA ‏@playouya11 Jun
RT @juhrman: Like I said, no stopping us! #e32013 #occupyE3

Back in July last year, OUYA raised over $2.3 million from the backers of its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Ever since, it has grown so fast and began shipping in late March to early Kickstarter investors. As of now, over 10,000 game developers working on titles for the Ouya gamebox. Prominent studious could also start developing games for Ouya when it sees that there is a huge demand for this new kind of game console – yes, the Ouya team is optimistic about gamers’ acceptance of the gamebox. This is evident from OUYA’s out-of-box E3 presence.