Skip to main content

Valve begins allowing developers to apply for HTC Vive virtual-reality kits

HTC Vive
Jeffery Van Camp/Digital Trends
When Valve first announced that it was working to bring the HTC Vive VR headset to market, two things stood out; it would release a consumer version by the end of this year, and it would be offering developers the ability to get developer kits for free. True to its word, Valve announced in a blog post that it is opening up applications for developers, who can head over to the application page and apply for a kit right now.

For any consumers thinking they might like to apply as a developer just so they can get their hands on a device, the application calls for quite a few specifics in hopes to make sure that only legitimate developers apply. Things like details on the VR project, when the developer plans to release, and the size of the team are asked for.

Valve will be looking over those factors to decide which teams will get a headset, and the company advises “all interested developers, big and small” to apply for a headset, so if you’re out there legitimately working on a game, even with a small team, you should definitely try to get in and apply for one so you can get your experience ready for the launch later this year.

On its blog, Valve said, “Our goal is to support as many VR content creators as possible and, to that end, we will be distributing dev kits continually, with new units going out every couple weeks. However, supplies may be limited.”

Valve did affirm that commercial units will be available later this year, so it appears that plans are rolling as originally intended. Of course, shipping developer kits at the middle of the year and releasing at the end of the year doesn’t leave a lot of time for developers to create experiences, so it will be interesting to see what kind of games and demos are available during the consumer launch.

Editors' Recommendations

Dave LeClair
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Dave LeClair has been writing about tech and gaming since 2007. He's covered events, hosted podcasts, created videos, and…
HTC Vive XR Elite vs. Meta Quest Pro: mixed-reality showdown
HTC's Vive XR Elite is a very sleek VR headset.

As more high-end VR headsets are arriving, HTC's new Vive XR Elite is looking to challenge Meta's Quest Pro as one of the best standalone VR headsets.

HTC’s New Vive XR Elite Headset: My First Impressions Trying It Out #shorts

Read more
Apple aiming to unveil its mixed-reality headset this spring
Apple VR Headset Concept by Antonio De Rosa.

Apple’s highly anticipated mixed-reality headset could be unveiled just ahead of the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

Apple’s headset, expected to be called "Reality Pro," will likely offer virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) capabilities so wearers can immerse themselves in a virtual world or have digital data overlaid onto real-world, real-time imagery.

Read more
Here’s everything I learned using the HTC Vive XR Elite at CES 2023
The HTC Vive XR Elite on a white table.

HTC has a new flagship headset, and this time, it's about more than just VR. Like the Meta Quest Pro, the HTC Vive XR Elite is made to do AR just as well as it does VR.

Shortly after the Vive XR Elite was announced, I got a chance to try it out myself. After all, we can talk specs about the headset all we want, but it's first and foremost an experiential product. So, here's everything I learned from my firsthand experience in my first try with the new mixed reality headset.

Read more