Valve is in the process of developing three complete virtual reality titles that are far more than just creative experiments.
“Right now we’re building three VR games” Valve founder Gabe Newell confirmed to Eurogamer in a recent media roundtable.
“When I say we’re building three games, we’re building three full games, not experiments,” Newell responded when asked about HTC Vive’s The Lab, a series of minigames that launched alongside the headset.
Newell didn’t mention any specifics regarding the projects themselves, other than the fact they will be developed in Source 2 and Unity engines.
Related: PlayStation VR Review
During the roundtable, Newell went onto to describe virtual reality as far more than a gimmick, with the medium yet to come into its own.
“It feels like we’ve been stuck with mouse and keyboard for a reeeaaally long time and that the opportunities to build much more interesting kinds of experiences for gamers were there, we just need to sort of expand what we can do. But it’s not about being in hardware, it’s about building better games. It’s about taking bigger leaps forward with the kinds of games that we can do.”
Gabe Newell believes that developers should strive to create something truly unique in VR, as opposed to simply re-creating what we already have.
Virtual reality is yet to deliver a killer app, something made even more difficult by the expensive entry point.
See also: Oculus Rift Review
When asked about the price of VR, Newell said Valve must first work on a “compelling reason for people to spend 20 hours a day in VR.”
In a nutshell, innovating upon the technology and the experiences within it is are a far higher priority than immediately appealing to a mass audience.
Watch: PlayStation VR Review
What kind of games would you like to see in virtual reality? Let us know in the comments.
Editorial independence
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.
Editorial independence
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.
