HTC has launched a new internal development and publishing initiative for VR content in the form of Vive Studios.
The new project will see VR games and other content created by HTC’s own developers launched, and will also involve publishing partnerships with external developers.
To coincide with the launch, Vive Studios has produced its first game, Arcade Saga, developed by internal studio 2 Bears Studios.
“We’re excited to formally unveil Vive Studios as a new pillar in HTC’s initiative to drive persistent growth for VR,” said Joel Breton, VP of content at HTC Vive.
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“Vive Studios’ aim is to nurture and discover development talent and help create content that will continually push the boundaries of the kinds of experiences VR can deliver.”
HTC says it will use a publishing model similar to console games, where the label will produce first-party content through internal developers, such as 2 Bears, as well as partner with external developers.
External developers will be able to request development funding from Vive Studios, as well as publishing and marketing support on VR content.
What’s more, the company says Vive Studios is already creating content including games and other VR experiences for education, cinema, design, social, real-estate, and sports, as well as “tools and applications that can revolutionise areas such as media, retail, healthcare, and location-based entertainment centres and arcades”.
The launch title, Arcade Saga, will see players playing the role of A.I. fighting threats developed by humans, and takes inspiration from arcade classics such as Breakout, Galaga and Arkanoid.
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2 Bears Studios, the developers behind Arcade Saga, is led by game veterans from Microsoft Game Studios, Rockstar and Midway who have now joined senior engineers at HTC Vive.
“We have entered a golden age of virtual reality content creation with incredibly powerful game engines, toolkits, and development kits at the fingertips of talented content creators worldwide,” said Breton.
“With Vive Studios, we’re going to support the global VR development community as we work together to make virtual reality the next mass medium.”
Arcade Saga is available now for the HTC Vive on Steam. The title will also be available in China on Viveport, HTC’s VR app store.
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Let us know what you think of the new project in the comments.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
