OSVR certified by Valve for use on Steam Written by Matthew Lambert Companies: #osvr #razer

Razer and Sensics, the co-founders of Open Source Virtual Reality (OSVR), today announced that a Steam update will be enabling support for OSVR hardware and content on the popular digital distribution platform.



'We are delighted to announce support for OSVR titles,' said Valve’s Augusta Butlin. 'Steam is an open platform for all developers, and adding support for OSVR further expands the massive content offerings for the millions of gamers on Steam.'



The update will see OSVR icons added next to compatible content, and users will also be able to filter search results to include only those titles that support OSVR hardware, including the Hacker Development Kit (HDK) headsets. The latest HDK headset, the HDK 2, is still meant for developers and isn't a true retail boxed model but nonetheless matches the specifications of the popular HTC Vive and Facebook Oculus Rift with dual-OLED displays, 90Hz refresh and an overall resolution of 2,160 x 1,200. Of course, the whole point of OSVR is not to limit users to a closed ecosystem and a single headset, but instead to allow combinations of headsets and controllers (and future upgrades) that all support the same content. The platform is still very much in development, but this news is likely to be warmly received by VR hardware and software developers alike.



'This is a great milestone for VR, giving users access to more hardware and content and driving Valve’s and OSVR’s shared vision of totally open VR content to everyone,' said OSVR lead at Razer Christopher Mitchell.



'OSVR makes it easy for game developers to support hundreds of devices and for hardware vendors to tap into top-notch content,' added Sensics CEO Yuval Boger. 'OSVR content on Steam makes it easier than ever to distribute and obtain OSVR-compatible content.'



At the time of writing, over 250 OSVR-compatible titles are available through Steam and more are in the works. Back in June, Razer led the charge on a $5 million developer fund to incentivise developers to support the OSVR ecosystem by buying game codes in advance, with 32 titles already having received funding.

