Category: viveport subscription

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Viveport Subscription Gets Serious About Gaming, Doubles Library Size

Viveport Subscription Gets Serious About Gaming, Doubles Library Size

HTC’s Viveport Subscription service has been available for a little over two months now, and in that time it’s mainly focused on offering experiential VR content with just a few games. Today, though Viveport gets serious about gaming.

The service today announced that it’s doubling the amount of apps on offer with the Viveport Subscription, adding more than 75 new titles to bring the total of experiences to over 150. New additions include some top games that have released on the HTC Vive as recently as the past year. Among the flood of new apps are highlights like Grab Games’ excellent boxing title, Knockout League, the highly-polished ROM: Extraction from First Contact, and Psytec Games’ Windlands. Also coming to the platform are a huge number of apps that were previously only available in Asia, and aren’t listed on Steam.

If you haven’t subscribed to Viveport yet then your first month is available for free, and it’s $6.99 a month from then on. For that price you’ll get to choose from five titles to download a month. The update presents a lot of value, then; the three games mentioned above would cost around $60 to buy together and there’s still room for another two titles on your download list. For one month you can get access to them at a fraction of the price.

When you roll onto the next month you’ll be able to either trade those apps in for another five experiences, or keep hold of some of them and trade others in. In its first month it was Solfar Studios’ highly-polished Everest VR that proved to be the most popular app. It will be interesting to see if that changes at all with the introduction of these new experiences.

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HTC Sweetens Viveport Subscription Deal with 75 More VR Games

HTC launched its interesting Viveport Subscription service back in April; for $7/month, the program lets users choose five VR games from a pool of available apps, and grants them unlimited access. The company is sweetening the deal with 75 additional titles to choose from, including a number of notable games.

While the industries of film, TV, music, and more, have embraced the subscription content model, the gaming space has thus far largely resisted its pull. With the state of VR content today—largely consisting of shorter and less polished games than what’s available in the traditional gaming sector—the idea of a subscription model might actually find a suitable home by allowing users to tour many VR experiences for a lower cost than buying them all outright.

To that end, HTC has launched Viveport Subscription which lets players pick five titles from a pool of VR games, and then gives them unlimited access to those games for the entire month. When the next month rolls around, players are free to select new games to try, or stick with the ones they like.

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Now a little more than a month since the initial launch of the service, the company is adding a batch of 75 additional titles to the Viveport Subscription lineup, which brings the total now to over 150, HTC says.

And while a bulk of what’s available through the service are lesser known indie titles (and a number of Eastern VR gamers being introduced to the Western market) we’ve spotted more than a handful of standouts being added in this new wave, significantly sweetening the deal. You can now browse all 150+ titles available through Viveport Subscription on the official site, but here are the games in the new batch that caught our eye, followed by their Steam rating in parenthesis.

Given that these games range from $5 to $25 alone, it would seem there’s definitely some value to be had for those wanting to tour many VR experiences to find what appeals to them. Better yet, you can get a free trial for a month over at the Viveport Subscription page.

The post HTC Sweetens Viveport Subscription Deal with 75 More VR Games appeared first on Road to VR.

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Frontier VR, MakeVR And More Added To Viveport Subscription

Frontier VR, MakeVR And More Added To Viveport Subscription

As of today HTC’s Viveport Subscription service is one month old, meaning those that signed up at launch have used up their free month and are now able to download a new set of experiences (or choose the same ones from last month) for $6.99. New apps are coming to the service, too, including some you should definitely check out.

Highlighting the new content is Frontier VR, the wonderfully atmospheric experiential piece from Gaugepunk Games. It offers three environments to explore, discovering different interactive elements and mixing with the wildlife of the wild west. It’s a hugely immersive experience that might not have any objectives but is a must see for those that simply like to exist in a space they’ll likely never see for themselves.

Another big addition is MakeVR, the Sixsense-made, Vive Studios-published 3d content creation app that aims to set standards for VR. It was first released on Vive at the end of last month. If you have any interest in making things inside of VR then this should be on your radar.

Elsewhere there are some fairly interesting experiences. Great Pyramid VR mixes exploring the ancient equptian pyramids with an eductional experience, complete with a map that shows you the various workings of the mysterious structures. Spacetours VR, meanwhile, allows you to explore our solar system, visiting eight planets realistically recreated with the help of NASA imagery and Unreal Engine 4. VR Home lets you created a virtual living space, and Solitaire VR does exactly what it says on the tin.

Moriarty Endgame VR is an interesting concept, based off of an Image comic book experience and putting you inside its environments. For scares, there’s OuijaVR, while gamers can enjoy Alcatraz: VR Escape Room and Arcade Saga (if they didn’t scoop it up for free last month).

That’s a pretty healthy selection joining the list, but will you stick with the Viveport Subscription now you have to pay for it?

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What To Download With A Viveport Subscription

What To Download With A Viveport Subscription

It might be Vive’s birthday, but owners of the headset are getting the presents. HTC today launched its Viveport Subscription service, allowing players to choose five of a select range of VR apps every month. Usually the service costs $6.99 a month, but you can get started for free in April with over 30 titles from which to choose. These aren’t just games but a wide range of experiences.

Looking through the list, it can be hard to know what to choose, so we’ve pulled out some highlights depending on what kind of VR user you are. Whether you like to play, explore, learn or something else entirely, these apps should give you just a taste of the power of VR.

For The Creators

Those of you that like to use VR to build things are in luck; some of Vive’s best experiences are available in this category. Titles like Northway Games’ Fantastic Contraption do a great job of showing you just how creative VR can be, while Space Draw lets you visualize whatever comes into your head in a 3D space. Sketchbox, meanwhile, is a VR design tool that lets you edit images and more. There’s plenty here for creatives.

For The Players

Viveport may favor experiences over games, mainly letting Steam handle the latter, but it is not without its own offerings for playtime. If you’re quick, you can grab Vive Studios’ Arcade Saga completely free of charge today only, but it’s a great pick in this category too. Indie action game Dimensional is also worth a look for its excellent use of room scale, while Albino Lullaby‘s first episode is a chilling example of what VR can do for psychological horror.

For The Explorers

If there’s one thing VR does best it’s almost certainly explore, and Viveport’s offerings have some great destinations. If you haven’t already tried it then you have to head to the icy peaks of EVEREST VR for Solfar’s stunning, informative trek up the mountain. But why stay on Earth? Mars Odyssey gives you a chance to step onto the red planet and explore for yourself, while the beautiful iOMoon gives you some of the most stunning sights yet seen in VR.

For Historians

VR isn’t as quite as good as a time machine but we’re pretty sure it’s as close as we’re ever going to get. If you’re considering a trip back in time then you have to try Airborne VR 1944, which places you in the shoes of a paratrooper making a dramatic jump on D-Day. Remembering Pearl Harbor, meanwhile, transports you to another part of the war, allowing you to live one of the most decisive days in the global conflict. Finally, the Apollo 11 VR Experience documents man’s historic mission to the moon like never before.

For The Learners

VR’s ability to educate is arguably its most important asset, and Viveport has plenty of apps that showcase that potential. 3D Organon VR Anatomy gives you a detailed run down of the human body with startlingly accurate 3D models, while We Are Stars is an imaginative and entertaining way to learn about the history of our universe. Or, hey, if you just want to learn how to be a more interesting cook then Chinese Cook VR has you covered.

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HTC Marks ‘Vive Day’ Anniversay With Sale, VR Subscription Launch

HTC Marks ‘Vive Day’ Anniversay With Sale, VR Subscription Launch

Update: Happy Vive Day! It’s Vive’s birthday, so you can get all the freebies and promotions listed below for the rest of the day.

Original story: Oculus hosted an extensive sale to mark the Rift’s first anniversary last week, but it looks like HTC is going one better.

The company is celebrating the one year anniversary of launch of its Vive VR headset on April 5th with ‘Vive Day’. There HTC will launch a long-anticipated software subscription service, and host promotions for VR fans both old and new.

Kicking things off is the launch of the Viveport Subscription service, the first of its kind for VR storefronts. Every Vive owner is going to get a free months’ access to this service in which they’ll be able to download five of a specific set of titles from HTC’s digital store. Confirmed launch titles include TheBlu, Richie’s Plank Experience, Everest VR, Fantastic Contraption, and Mars Odyssey. After your free trial you’ll be able to pay $6.99 a month to again download five titles which can either be apps you’ve previously selected or new ones.

A common criticism of VR software is how much value it offers, with some experiences only offering 30 to 120 minutes of content but still charging $10 or $15 at least. Seeing how consumers react to this subscription model, then, will be hugely interesting.

Next up for existing Vive owners is a free game, Arcade Saga, which is the first title released under the Vive Studios publishing arm. It’ll be available to download at no extra cost from Viveport on April 5th. For those still interested in getting a Vive, HTC will again slash the price from $799 to $699 for one day, which it’s done for promotions like Black Friday before.

We’ll have our own coverage of the Vive’s anniversary over the course of the week, so make sure to check back on Wednesday.

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Viveport Subscriptions To Feature Free Trial Month, First Apps Revealed

Viveport Subscriptions To Feature Free Trial Month, First Apps Revealed

Earlier this week we wrote about how HTC Viveport’s upcoming subscription service could push acceptance of shorter VR experiences. Now it appears that service is prepping for launch.

Variety is reporting that VR developers can now submit their applications to feature as part of the service, which will launch within the coming weeks. Viveport President Rikard Steiber told the site that HTC has seen more than 14,000 VR enthusiasts register their interest for the plan, signing up to be notified about it. But here’s the most intriguing part of the company’s plan for its subscription; everyone will get their first month free.

That means you’ll have access to an entire month of free games and experiences featured on Viveport, though not everything that’s already featured on the store will be included. Steiber said that “a handful” of apps would be available to download and use at the same time, and once you’re finished with one you’ll be able to trade it in in exchange for another download. Developers will be getting a 60 percent cut of the subscription revenue, while HTC reportedly takes the remaining 40 percent. It’s not clear how that 60 percent will be divided between developers, so we’ve reached out to the company to find out more.

A price for the plan has not yet been announced. Current apps set to appear on the service include Mars Odyssey, a Viveport Developer Awards winner from Steel Wool Games, Remembering Pearl Harbor and Lumen from Time, and Arcade Artist from Groove Jones.

HTC will be pushing the service next week at the 2017 Game Developers Conference and Mobile World Congress. It may be that we find out the final price there. The company apparently sees the subscription as a promotional tool for developers; they could choose to first launch an app on the service to gain exposure, then sell it later, or sell first and add it to the plan get get more money later on.

Depending on the final price of the service this could be a great way to get more people engaging with more VR content, and add an extra source of revenue for developers. Last week Vive co-creator Valve said that only 30 of 1,300 VR apps on Steam had made over $250,000, so it’s important to developers to seek other means of income for their apps beyond a single digital storefront. To that end, they might also look to HTC’s Viveport Arcade plan, which offers a similar approach to granting access to apps for location-based VR.

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HTC to Offer Monthly Subscription Service for VR Content

Starting in Spring 2017, you’ll be able to pay a flat monthly fee for VR games using the Viveport digital distribution platform. HTC calls itself the first ever global app store to announce a subscription service for VR content.

Announced at VRLA last summer, Viveport is somewhat of a parallel marketplace to Steam, featuring all-VR content across several genres, including information, edutainment, social media, 360˚ video, news, sports, health, travel and shopping. Some content is exclusively published on Viveport, such as the recently released The Physiology of the Eye (2016), an interactive training VR application.

Using the new subscription service, HTC says you’ll be able to download select titles from a curated pool of VR apps of their choosing, a nice idea if you’re new to VR and don’t know where to start once you’ve ripped through all the free and bundled content with your headset.

HTC hasn’t mentioned exactly what their “low monthly fee” will be, or when the service will drop, but we’ll be interested to see what the pool of apps looks like before we throw our money down.

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“We’re happy to let VR fans know that the same way they discover and consume content through popular subscription services for music, films, TV and games is coming to virtual reality,” said Rikard Steiber, President of Viveport. “For developers, this is yet another opportunity for them to reach broader audiences – we want to give VR developers as many ways as possible to monetize and feature their content, and this is yet another channel for them to reach new customers on Viveport.”

HTC offers Viveport in two other flavors; a dedicated enterprise app store destined to be filled with VR tools for professionals in areas such as medicine, architecture, design, 3D modeling and workforce training; and Viveport Arcade platform, a digital storefront designed for arcades, cinemas, amusement parks and other location-based entertainment centers wanting to introduce their customers to VR.

HTC currently has more than 1,000 locations where Viveport Arcade is installed, and is expected to grow to more than 5,000 locations globally by the end of this year.

Early signups for Viveport’s subscription service free trails are currently available through the Viveport website.

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