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[[File:SteamVRLogo.jpg|thumb|SteamVR logo]]

[[File:SteamVRLogo.jpg|thumb|SteamVR logo]]

'''SteamVR''' is a [[virtual reality]] hardware and software platform developed by Valve, with a focus on allowing "room-scale" experiences using [[positional tracking]] base stations, as opposed to those requiring the player to stay in a singular location.<ref name="cnet vr">{{cite web |url=http://www.cnet.com/news/htc-vive-valve-the-lab-steamvr-desktop-theater-mode-gdc-2016/ |title=Valve's 'Lab' and desktop theater mode could be the perfect introduction to virtual reality (hands-on) |work=[[CNet]] |date=March 16, 2016 |access-date=March 17, 2016 |first=Sean |last=Hollister |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317011947/http://www.cnet.com/news/htc-vive-valve-the-lab-steamvr-desktop-theater-mode-gdc-2016/ |archive-date=March 17, 2016}}</ref>

'''SteamVR''' is a [[virtual reality]] hardware and software platform developed by Valve, with a focus on allowing "room-scale" experiences using [[positional tracking]] base stations.<ref name="cnet vr">{{cite web |url=http://www.cnet.com/news/htc-vive-valve-the-lab-steamvr-desktop-theater-mode-gdc-2016/ |title=Valve's 'Lab' and desktop theater mode could be the perfect introduction to virtual reality (hands-on) |work=[[CNet]] |date=March 16, 2016 |access-date=March 17, 2016 |first=Sean |last=Hollister |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317011947/http://www.cnet.com/news/htc-vive-valve-the-lab-steamvr-desktop-theater-mode-gdc-2016/ |archive-date=March 17, 2016}}</ref>

SteamVR was first introduced for the [[Oculus Rift]] headset in 2014,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/valve-launch-steam-vr-beta-ahead-of-their-dev-days-event |title=Valve Launch SteamVR Beta Ahead of Their Dev Days Event |author=Phil Savage |work=[[PC Gamer]] |date=January 13, 2014 |access-date=April 26, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502114358/http://www.pcgamer.com/valve-launch-steam-vr-beta-ahead-of-their-dev-days-event/ |archive-date=May 2, 2015}}</ref> and later expanded to support other [[virtual reality headset]]s, such as the [[HTC Vive]] and [[Valve Index]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/03/hands-on-valvehtc-vive-opens-up-the-virtual-reality-experience/ |title=Hands-on: Valve/HTC Vive opens up the virtual reality experience |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=March 5, 2015 |website=Ars Technica|access-date=November 21, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/06/steamvr-the-room-scale-vr-world-that-feels-like-an-imax-in-your-house/ |title=SteamVR: The room-scale VR world that feels like an 'IMAX in your house' |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=June 12, 2015 |website=Ars Technica |access-date=November 21, 2019}}</ref><ref name="cnet vr"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/03/steam-controller-steamvr-steam-machines-valves-hardware-push-in-photos/ |title=Steam Controller, SteamVR, Steam Machines: Valve's hardware push in photos |first=Sam |last=Mackovech |date=March 4, 2015 |access-date=March 10, 2015 |work=Ars Technica |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150309233012/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/03/steam-controller-steamvr-steam-machines-valves-hardware-push-in-photos/ |archive-date=March 9, 2015}}</ref> SteamVR was originally released for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Since then, Valve has dropped macOS support for SteamVR in May 2020 but has continued support for Windows and Linux.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.engadget.com/valve-cancels-steamvr-support-macos-162443682.html | title = Valve will no longer support SteamVR on macOS | first = Marc | last = DeAngelis | date = May 1, 2020 | access-date = May 1, 2020 | work = [[Engadget]] }}</ref>

SteamVR was first introduced for the [[Oculus Rift]] headset in 2014,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/valve-launch-steam-vr-beta-ahead-of-their-dev-days-event |title=Valve Launch SteamVR Beta Ahead of Their Dev Days Event |author=Phil Savage |work=[[PC Gamer]] |date=January 13, 2014 |access-date=April 26, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502114358/http://www.pcgamer.com/valve-launch-steam-vr-beta-ahead-of-their-dev-days-event/ |archive-date=May 2, 2015}}</ref> and later expanded to support other [[virtual reality headset]]s, such as the [[HTC Vive]] and [[Valve Index]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/03/hands-on-valvehtc-vive-opens-up-the-virtual-reality-experience/ |title=Hands-on: Valve/HTC Vive opens up the virtual reality experience |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=March 5, 2015 |website=Ars Technica|access-date=November 21, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/06/steamvr-the-room-scale-vr-world-that-feels-like-an-imax-in-your-house/ |title=SteamVR: The room-scale VR world that feels like an 'IMAX in your house' |last=Machkovech |first=Sam |date=June 12, 2015 |website=Ars Technica |access-date=November 21, 2019}}</ref><ref name="cnet vr"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/03/steam-controller-steamvr-steam-machines-valves-hardware-push-in-photos/ |title=Steam Controller, SteamVR, Steam Machines: Valve's hardware push in photos |first=Sam |last=Mackovech |date=March 4, 2015 |access-date=March 10, 2015 |work=Ars Technica |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150309233012/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/03/steam-controller-steamvr-steam-machines-valves-hardware-push-in-photos/ |archive-date=March 9, 2015}}</ref>

As of February 22, 2022, there were over 2.93 million monthly connected headsets on Steam.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Ben |date=2022-03-10 |title=New Data from Valve Reveals the Growth of VR Users on Steam in 2021 |url=https://www.roadtovr.com/valve-steam-vr-headset-stats-2021-monthly-active-users/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Road to VR |language=en-US}}</ref>

SteamVR was originally released for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Since then, Valve has dropped macOS support for SteamVR but has continued support for Windows and Linux.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.engadget.com/valve-cancels-steamvr-support-macos-162443682.html | title = Valve will no longer support SteamVR on macOS | first = Marc | last = DeAngelis | date = May 1, 2020 | access-date = May 1, 2020 | work = [[Engadget]] }}</ref>

 

There were over 2.93 million monthly connected headsets on Steam.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Ben |date=2022-03-10 |title=New Data from Valve Reveals the Growth of VR Users on Steam in 2021 |url=https://www.roadtovr.com/valve-steam-vr-headset-stats-2021-monthly-active-users/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Road to VR |language=en-US}}</ref>

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== Hardware ==

== Hardware ==

The first device to support SteamVR was the [[Oculus Rift]] headset. Valve issued an update to the Steam client in 2014 supporting an experimental VR mode for the first time, with the Oculus Rift being the only supported headset at the time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Souppouris |first=Aaron |date=2014-01-14 |title=Valve's Oculus Rift interface is a giant floating screen |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/1/14/5307056/valve-steamvr-beta-oculus-rift-support |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>

The first gadget to support SteamVR was the [[Oculus Rift]] headset. Valve issued an update to the Steam client in 2014 supporting an experimental VR mode for the first time, with the Oculus Rift being the only supported headset at the time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Souppouris |first=Aaron |date=2014-01-14 |title=Valve's Oculus Rift interface is a giant floating screen |url=https://www.theverge.com/2014/1/14/5307056/valve-steamvr-beta-oculus-rift-support |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref>

The first device to support room-scale tracking in SteamVR was the [[HTC Vive]], designed in collaboration between Valve and HTC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Valve is making a VR headset and its own Steam Machine |url=https://www.engadget.com/2015-02-23-steamvr-valve-virtual-reality-gdc.html |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref>

The first gadget to support room-scale tracking in SteamVR was the [[HTC Vive]], designed in collaboration between Valve and HTC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Valve is making a VR headset and its own Steam Machine |url=https://www.engadget.com/2015-02-23-steamvr-valve-virtual-reality-gdc.html |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref>

Multiple types of controllers and accessories are compatible with SteamVR.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-06 |title=Virtual Reality Controllers: The Way of Interacting in the Metaverse {{!}} Circuit Stream |url=https://circuitstream.com/blog/vr-controllers-the-way-of-interacting-with-the-virtual-worlds/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=3D Development Bootcamp & XR Courses {{!}} Circuit Stream |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-14 |title=SteamVR - Controllers Controllers Controllers: Introducing SteamVR Input - Steam News |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/250820/view/2898585530113864598 |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=store.steampowered.com |language=en}}</ref>

Multiple types of controllers and accessories are compatible with SteamVR.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-06 |title=Virtual Reality Controllers: The Way of Interacting in the Metaverse {{!}} Circuit Stream |url=https://circuitstream.com/blog/vr-controllers-the-way-of-interacting-with-the-virtual-worlds/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=3D Development Bootcamp & XR Courses {{!}} Circuit Stream |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-14 |title=SteamVR - Controllers Controllers Controllers: Introducing SteamVR Input - Steam News |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/250820/view/2898585530113864598 |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=store.steampowered.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Software ==

== Software ==

[[OpenVR]] was the original software development kit (SDK) and application programming interface (API) developed by Valve for supporting SteamVR. SteamVR has supported OpenXR alongside OpenVR since 2020, encouraging developers to transition from OpenVR to OpenXR.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-11 |title=SteamVR - OpenXR Developer Preview - Steam News |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/250820/view/2396425843528787269 |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=store.steampowered.com |language=en}}</ref> The [[Unity Engine]] has supported SteamVR via OpenXR since one of its 2020 releases.<ref>{{Cite web |title=OpenXR Plugin {{!}} OpenXR Plugin {{!}} 1.5.3 |url=https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/com.unity.xr.openxr@1.5/manual/index.html |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=docs.unity3d.com}}</ref>

[[OpenVR]] was the original software development kit (SDK) and application programming interface (API) developed by Valve for supporting SteamVR. SteamVR has supported [[OpenXR]] alongside OpenVR since 2020, encouraging developers to transition from OpenVR to OpenXR.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-11 |title=SteamVR - OpenXR Developer Preview - Steam News |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/250820/view/2396425843528787269 |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=store.steampowered.com |language=en}}</ref> The [[Unity Engine]] has supported SteamVR via OpenXR since one of its 2020 releases.<ref>{{Cite web |title=OpenXR Plugin {{!}} OpenXR Plugin {{!}} 1.5.3 |url=https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/com.unity.xr.openxr@1.5/manual/index.html |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=docs.unity3d.com}}</ref>

The SteamVR APIs and runtimes provide support for VR [[head mounted displays]] and accessories to a standard desktop computer.

The SteamVR APIs and runtimes provide support for VR [[head mounted displays]] and accessories to a standard desktop computer.

SteamVR typically operates from within [[Steam (service)]], but it does not require the service to work at a basic level. Video games can be developed and played with SteamVR without having to access the steam store.

SteamVR typically operates from within [[Steam (service)]], but it does not require the service to work at a basic level. Video games can be developed and played with SteamVR without having to access the steam store.

== Room Scale VR ==

== Room Scale VR ==

{{Reflist}}

{{Reflist}}