Virtual reality is perhaps even more important to HTC Vive co-maker Valve than you might have thought.
The company, which made its name with the immensely popular Half-Life game series and the Steam PC gaming platform, worked with HTC to launch the Vive VR headset earlier in the year.
If you thought VR was just a niche concern for the developer, though, you’re mistaken. In a recent Vive subreddit (via UploadVR), Valve’s Alan Yates revealed that the VR research team “has since grown to encompass about a third of the company.”
Should there be any remaining doubt as to Valve’s view of VR as an essential concern, Yates then said that “short of human space flight or life sciences I can’t imagine working on something of more significance right now.”
Related: HTC Vive vs Oculus Rift
Yates revealed that the key individuals who solved many of the issues for the initial HTC Vive are now working on the next generation for Valve.
With a significant chunk of the company working on VR, perhaps that explains why there’s no one around to make Half-Life 3. Of course, there’s always the possibility that Half-Life 3 is in the works, perhaps as one of those next generation VR projects.
HTC Vive hands-on:
Would you be happy with a VR-focused Half-Life 3? Let us know 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.
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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.