Valve is shipping out its virtual reality headset to developers

Valve is getting its Vive virtual reality system into the hands of developers. After opening up an application process for developers to determine who should receive one of the free developer kits, Valve has starting shipping out the units, according to a blog post published yesterday. The company says that the “first wave” selected through the program includes “a wide range of developers, from major movie studios [and] triple-A developers, to small indie teams working on their first title.” Other select developers will receive their units through the rest of the summer. When packages start arriving at developers’ doorsteps, they’ll find the HTC-built Vive headset, as well as two Lighthouse base stations that can track the user’s location in a room. It will also come with the Vive’s inventive new controllers. By getting the developer edition of its VR headset out to companies early, Valve hopes teams will be able to have time to get comfortable with the hardware and produce quality games and software before its planned commercial launch later this year. The Vive already shows plenty of promise — let’s hope developers can make some magic with it.