For many people their first introduction to the world of virtual reality (VR) is through 360-degree video. Less immersive than a full VR experience, but easier on the equilibrium of many users, 360-degree videos are becoming increasingly common and popular, as detailed in the Life in 360 series. Now the 360-degree experience will be available through Steam with the Steam 360 Video Player.
The Steam 360 Video Player is currently in Beta, but several 360 videos are already available through the content library, including the recently released Alien: Covenant In Utero along with videos such as LEGO Batman: The Batmersive Experience and the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Silent Resonance.
The player uses adaptive streaming technology from Pixvana, a company that has been providing streaming 360-degree video playback for quite some time. The FAQ on the Steam store page suggests that playback for 360-degree video will soon be available for desktop users who do not have a HTV Vive or Oculus Rift without needing to launch a separate application.
The technical requirements for the Steam 360 player are fairly high at the moment, requiring Windows 10 64 bit and a minimum spec graphics card of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon R9 290. For ambitious users who wish to experience 4K x 4K video playback, a GTX 1070 will be required at minimum.
Further information can be found on the Steam 360 Video Player official Store page.
VRFocus will bring you further information on the Steam 360 Video Player as it becomes available.