Valve's yearly Steam Dev Days conference started on October 12, Wednesday and the tech event has a heavy focus on virtual reality. That includes a new controller prototype that works with SteamVR and like the Oculus Touch allows gamers to fully open their hands without dropping the accessory. The VR device is missing the "grip buttons" on the side of the original HTC Vive controller.
Dev Days is a two-day event in Seattle. The new SteamVR controller reportedly detects when the player's palms and fingers are gripping the side of the controller.
One big question about the gaming peripheral is how the controller will attach to the person's hand when it is open.
The Washington State-based company is also adding Linux and OSX support for SteamVR. Valve's new SteamOS support will be based on the Vulkan standard for open-source graphics.
The dev conference also included something called "asynchronous reprojection" for its SteamVR platform. It seems to be like Oculus' "asynchronous spacewarp" tech that allows a 45 frame-per-second (fps) game to run better using old 90 fps technology.
Valve is also developing next-generation Lighthouse tracking boxes to launch next year. No details have been announced but some possible features could include a wider tracking area and battery-powered portability, according to Ars Technica.
Valve claims that every day 1,000 new VR fans use Steam. That would equal about 365,000 HTC Vive headsets sold per year, although Oculus Rift owners could be distending that figure.
The tech company also announced that it will launch new VR software next year, which could suggest the game "Ricochet 3 VR" is in the works.
In related news, Sony is launching its PlayStation VR headset on October 13, Thursday. It does not provide a super-clear virtual world but could be the first system that becomes a big hit with mainstream games.
The new VR device's price tag and ease-of-use make it a better option as a mass-marketed product than Rift and Vive, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. It also provides a better experience and more comfort than Samsung's Gear VR for Galaxy smartphones.
PSVR also has many features. They include high physical comfort, high frame-rate image, and low-latency (time for data transfer).
Sony's PSVR has a $399 price tag and requires the $59 PlayStation Move camera and $49 Move controllers. The Japanese company is also offering a $500 PlayStation VR bundle.
Here's a review of PSVR: