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SuperNikoPower

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  1. SuperNikoPower
    The Curse of Palm Oil

    This immersive film chronicles the lives of the indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia and their connection to their forests. Alarming deforestation rates threaten their very way of life, as they rely on it as their source of food, medicine and other vital materials. Experience the sounds and sights of the clash between the natural world of the rainforest with the machines involved with deforestation as this experience hammers home the tragic conflict between the indigenous people and logging companies.
     
    theBlu

    An essential and critically acclaimed VR experience, theBlu brings the vibrant world of our oceans to life in the most immersive way possible. Get up close and personal with the denizens of the deep, and interact with them using your Vive wands. This awe inspiring undersea journey will give you a whole new appreciation of our complex and beautiful ecosystem and why we must do everything in our power to preserve it.
     
    Tree

    In this award-winning VR experience, you’re transformed into a majestic rainforest tree. Live the life of a vital part of the forest ecosystem from seedling to full growth and feel the impact this important flora has on the environment. Utilizing the immersiveness of virtual reality, Tree helps illustrate the importance of preserving our natural world. Viveport passionately believes in this cause, and funds from paid purchases of Tree are donated to the Rainforest Alliance, an organization dedicated to preserving our forests.
     
    Oil in our Creeks

    Oil in our Creeks is a powerful cinematic VR experience that shows the effect of a devastating oil spill in Bodo City, Nigeria. Hand-painted animation fuses with 360 video to show the community’s past and how they’ve been impacted by such a terrible calamity. Having premiered on the Vancouver Film Festival to rave reviews, this immersive VR film will touch your heart and stir you to get involved to help make a difference.
     
    The Disappearing Oasis

    Climate change is one of the main causes of many risks to our environment. In The Disappearing Oasis, see first hand its impact in the form of desertification’s effect on the 2 million people living in the fertile regions of Morocco. Follow Halim Sbai as he works tirelessly to inform the world of what is happening, and the local efforts to push back against desertification (including the yearly planting of new palm trees).
  2. SuperNikoPower
    BSOD/Freezing issues may be encountered when the PCIe card is installed and setup. We have partnered with Intel and AMD to develop and test a hotfix for this issue that will be deployed to the VIVE Wireless Adapter Connection Utility on April 25.
     
    To ensure you have the latest 1.20190410.0 update, click on the “Update now” button in your VIVE Wireless Adapter Connection Utility. This will walk through updating the software, including the hotfix for this issue.
  3. SuperNikoPower
    Oculus Rift S and Oculus Rift users to receive two free months of unlimited VR gaming starting in June
     
    To celebrate the addition of the Oculus Rift S to the greater VR ecosystem, VIVEPORTTM is gifting two months* of Viveport Infinity, Viveport’s subscription service, to all Oculus Rift S and Oculus Rift consumers. For the month of June, new and existing Infinity members with these new headsets can redeem two free months by signing into the service. With two free months of Viveport Infinity, users will gain unlimited access to hundreds of top VR titles in the subscription service in addition to all membership perks and benefits such as purchase discounts and access to Viveport Video.
     
    “We’re building Viveport to be the best destination for discovery and value for the entire VR industry,” said Rikard Steiber, President of Viveport. “Through Viveport, VR users on a PC-based headset, including the new Rift S can discover great VR content and save thousands of dollars with an unlimited VR library.”
     
    The first unlimited and platform agnostic subscription service for virtual reality, Viveport Infinity is the place to start discovering all that VR has to offer. At $12.99 a month, or less with a prepaid annual subscription, Viveport Infinity offers the opportunity to try VR’s popular and indie titles at an accessible price. With hundreds of popular and indie titles compatible with the Oculus Rift and Oculus Rift S, Viveport Infinity offers thousands of dollars in savings.
     
     
    From timeless favorites that illustrate the potential of VR, like Google’s Tilt Brush, to hidden gems that keep you coming back for more, such as Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs, Apex Construct, Witching Tower VR and I Expect You to Die, Infinity users have a vast and unrestricted library to discover. New content is added frequently and with 64% of all titles in the subscription service launching in Viveport Infinity on day one of their Viveport launch, members have optimal choice when it comes to playing the newest VR content.
     
    In addition, all Viveport Infinity members also gain access to exclusive membership benefits. With a Viveport Infinity account, members are entitled to perks such as premium content on Viveport Video, monthly coupons, weekend deals and free title giveaways. This week, from May 2 through May 5, current members can redeem their benefit for a copy of Rockstar Games’ L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files, a $30 value.
     
    Oculus Rift S and Oculus Rift owners can redeem their two-month Viveport Infinity membership through June 30 on https://www.viveport.com/. Through May 5, current Oculus Rift owners can also sign up for a Viveport sweepstakes to win up to $1,000 in Viveport credit here: https://vprt.co/sweepstakes
     
    Developer Benefits
    As Viveport continues to welcome new audiences and devices onto its platform, Viveport Infinity developers experience greater reach and potential profits. To further support Viveport Infinity developers, Viveport increased the developer’s share of revenue earned to 80/20 up from 70/30. Running from April 1st through the end of 2019, this increase in profits applies to all titles in Viveport Infinity. In addition, with a consumer’s unlimited access to content, more developers can monetize a single member with Viveport Infinity, increasing potential revenue for a developer.
     
    *This promotional offer is available to all current and new Viveport Infinity subscribers using Oculus Rift and  Rift S hardware. VIVEPORT registration required.
  4. SuperNikoPower
    A first-party VIVE Studios title developed by Fantahorn Studio, Front Defense: Heroes has been designed specifically for VR. Offering intuitive controls, sprawling battle maps, realistic World War II era weapons and the opportunity to engage in 5v5 strategic military operations with friends, Front Defense: Heroes has built a dedicated community of players in Early Access.
     

     
    Since entering Early Access in December 2017 the Fantahorn has made significant gameplay updates based on player feedback. From adding new locomotion methods, combat modes, bots, to new maps, weapons and much more, Front Defense: Heroes has become a highly polished and robust experience. A full list of all updates made from Early Access through Full Release can be found below:

     
    Available today, the newest update adds yet another layer to the immersive WWII experience. Players can now earn points through battle and redeem these points to purchases new weapons, weapon skins and avatars. With a cap on points resetting at 12:00AM PST every night, players can participate in four multipliers sessions per day to increase their amount of points by 50%. Multipliers sessions run at the following times per day:
    1:00AM PT 5:00AM PT 1:00PM PT 6:00PM PT  
    In addition, today’s update also brought five new avatar skins, five new weapons, four new maps and a firing range for training.

    The full launch version of Front Defense: Heroes can be played today with a Viveport Infinity membership or can be purchased for $7.99. All Viveport users can download the title free from May 23 at 12AM PT through May 30 at 12AM PT. Front Defense: Heroes is compatible with the HTC VIVE, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
  5. SuperNikoPower
    Featuring the largest Arizona Sunshine mission to date, The Damned DLC is a new stand-alone story in the Arizona Sunshine universe that ties into the events of the previous Dead Man DLC, which had you scrambling to launch a nuclear missile to stop the advance of the undead.

    In a story about the drastic measures taken and sacrifices made to try and contain the spread of the undead, you play as Liam, a survivor who not that long ago happened upon the military base at the refinery. As the pressure of the undead rises, drastic measures are being prepared and access to the base is now strictly monitored and only allowed for people that can make themselves useful. Liam strikes a deal with Emily, the base commander, to assist in a mission to restore the function of a nearby hydroelectric dam.

    With Arizona Sunshine – The Damned DLC, our aim was to find inspiring location that you’ll want to explore. We wanted to create a level that let us play around with unprecedented scale and verticality, and a big dam gave us a lot of opportunities for that – both inside the massive structure and out. We hope you’re not afraid of heights…

    See you in The Damned on August 27th!
    -Vertigo Games
     
     
     
  6. SuperNikoPower
    Score the deal of the summer with 45% off Viveport Infinity
     
    Viveport Infinity offers the best value in VR content with unlimited access to hundreds of titles for one low monthly fee. But the deal just got hotter. From today through June 23, you can purchase a 12-month Viveport Infinity membership for $6.99 a month, a 45% savings on the monthly plan.
     
    A Viveport Infinity membership allows HTC VIVE, Oculus Rift* and Windows Mixed Reality owners to experience unlimited VR gaming with unrestricted access to hundreds of popular and indie VR titles. VR standouts like I Expect You To Die and Shooty Fruity, hidden gems like The Great C and new titles like Game of Thrones’ Beyond the Wall are all available to play through a Viveport Infinity membership. Infinity members are also entitled to exclusive benefits like weekend deals, free title giveaways, and premium content through Viveport Video.
     
    *Remember –  all new and current Oculus Rift and Rift S owners can receive two free months of Viveport Infinity for during the month of June!
     
    Over 200 games and apps on sale with up to 95% in savings
     
     Viveport’s Summer Sale is also bringing the heat to all Viveport customers with over 200 titles on sale. Hit titles like Mercenary2: Silicon Rising, I Expect you to Die, Arizona Sunshine, Witching Tower VR, and Transpose are all half off while Blasters of the Universe and The Gallery – Episode 2: Heart of the Emberstone are on sale for 60% off. Even new titles like Eleven Eleven can be purchased at a discount!
    The sale takes place through June 23 so head over to Viveport and take advantage of these discounts today: https://www.viveport.com/special-offers/summer-sale-discounts
  7. SuperNikoPower
    Mindbenders is an all-new immersive VR 360 video series on Viveport Video, allowing viewers to get up close and personal with the principles of science. We sat down to chat with creators Tory Belleci, Kari Byron, and Grant Imahara to hear what inspired them to create this immersive new way to learn about the world around us.
     
    Why is a video based learning experience like Mindbenders so effective? 
    Kari Byron: When I was a kid, learning science in school was always more fun when we got to get our hands dirty. We had projects where you’d drop the egg off the top of the building. I never really liked it when you sat there and just memorized the components of a cell. My favorites were always when we had some sort of video. We didn’t have a lot of those when I was a kid, so this is a pretty exciting project for me.
     
    How will the Mindbenders series work in the classroom?
    Kari: We live in a digital age now. Everything, and I mean everything, is on screens, and that’s how kids see the world. Screens are everywhere. So, if we want them to engage in learning, why not put it on a screen? Make a video. That’s how they’re going to learn.
     

     
    Do kids actually learn from videos like this?
    Kari: I’ve been involved in science-based reality television for over a decade now, and a really cool byproduct of it has been that kids started learning science from the shows I’ve been on. It’s like broccoli in the cheese sauce. They didn’t know that they were learning anything. They had so much fun watching, that all of a sudden, they found out they were learning. They’re like, “What? Cool.”
    We live in a digital world. There’s screens everywhere, and that’s how kids engage with learning now. So, the Mindbenders learning series is really just playing on their field.
     
    How important to you is getting girls involved with STEM?
    Kari: Getting girls involved or interested in STEM, which is science, technology, engineering, mathematics, has become a personal passion project for me. I lost interest in science when I was a little girl, and I’ve really wanted to figure out why. For me, I just needed to see role models that looked like me. So, I feel like when little girls see me interested and excited about science, they’re going to, as well.
     
    How effective is video learning ?
    Kari: When I was a kid, I learned out of a textbook. I mean, it was learn the components of a cell. Now, kids have screens everywhere, so it’s really cool to be able to put learning on a screen for them because that’s how they engage.
    I’m a mom, and I have watched my five-year-old repeat back infomercials to me. Now, I would really like to harness this for the power of good. I would really like to stick education on to a screen for them. So, the Mindbenders learning series is really… It’s a really selfish project. I want to see my kid learning good things, like STEM, instead of 1(800) numbers.
     
    Why do you think the Mindbenders will be an effective tool in today’s classroom?
    Tory Belleci: 02:44 I believe that the Mindbenders learning series is going to be a huge tool in the classroom. I mean, as we know, visual teaching is much stronger than, say, lectures. Because this is all video, it’s going to allow the students to retain that information.
    When I was growing up, a lot of it was textbooks or overhead projectors and lectures, and I always found it very hard, because I’m dyslexic, to kind of retain the information. But with the video series, I feel like it’s going to be a lot easier for the kids to understand it and hold on to it.
     

     
    Why do you think it’s important to include a challenge to the kids after they watch the videos?
    Tory: It’s so important that we’re including a challenge in each of these videos because it’s not just washing over them. It’s actually having them engaged in what they’ve just learned, and that is the best way to teach, is tell them and then have them do it, and then they’ll be able to hold on to that information.
     
    Do you think this video series is a motivating tool ?
    Tory: I think this video series is so motivating because it’s not just telling about the science. It’s actually showing and doing, and that gets the students involved.
     
    What’s the value of showing, both, a small scale and then a big scale experiment?
    Tory: I think it’s a really smart idea having the small scale and the large scale in this video series. That way, the students can do the small scale in their classroom, but I mean, they’re not going to be allowed to play with the giant Van de Graaff in their classroom. They could easily hurt themselves.
     
    How important for you is being involved in Mindbenders? 
    Tory: To be a part of this series, it’s just very gratifying because I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had teachers come up to me and tell me, “It’s because of your show that we are excited about science and our students are excited about science.”
     
    Do you think you’ll be able to turn on kids who traditionally don’t like science to science?…
    Tory: When I was a kid in school, I didn’t really focus too much on science because I didn’t think I was going to need it. I’m hoping through these video series that I can get these students excited about science because they’re going to need it when they graduate.
     
    What are your hopes for this series?
    Tory: I’ve been on a science show for 10 years, but it never started out that way. We wanted it to be entertaining, and by default, people learn. So, I’m hoping that we’ll have that same effect with this video series, that we get excited about science, therefore, getting the students excited about science.
    Grant Imahara: I think the Mindbenders learning series is going to be really effective because the classrooms are evolving. Kids are different these days. They’re in an on-demand culture. They expect things to come to them that speak to them in a language that they can understand. Traditional methods of teaching just aren’t appropriate these days, and that’s why coming at them with a video series that is cool and fun and neat, that’s something that’s going to get through.
     

     
    Do you think a video series has more impact on todays students than a conventional textbook?
    Grant: Look, when you compare a traditional textbook to a video-based learning series, there’s no comparison for kids these days. The kids are looking for something that is fast-paced, something that’s excited, something like this. They’re not looking into books. Half the kids don’t even know the traditional books. They’re looking for something to swipe and move around, and that’s what we’re giving them.
     
    Why do you think Mindbenders will be effective?
    Grant: The thing that’s great about the Mindbenders is that it’s talking to kids in a language that they want to accept, that they understand. The classroom has evolved. The kids have evolved. The traditional methods of teaching no longer apply. If you want to get through to kids, you need to get them something that’s cool, and fun, and exciting, that speaks to them in a way that they’re willing to listen to.
    In my experience, over the past 10 years, teachers have been incorporating television shows as media in their classrooms because teaching science in a way that’s exciting is something that they’re looking for, and this gives them that sort of material, that sort of content.
     
    Do you think parents will also be interested in this series ?
    Grant: This is the sort of program that parents could also participate in with their kids. I mean, it’s not someone in a lab coat teaching science in a very stoic, boring way. I mean, this is something that’s neat, that everybody can enjoy together.
     
    Why are hands on challenges important?
    Grant: The hands-on and thinking-type challenges are important because what we want to do is show the students something cool and fun, and then engage them and bring them into the content by challenging them. There’s nothing that gets someone more motivated than saying, “Look, I’ve done this, but what can you do? What can you do, and how can you make this better?”
     
    How does Mindbenders compare to how you were taught science? 
    Grant: I have been a science student, too. I’ve been through these classes. I’ve suffered through really boring textbooks, and it’s exciting to see something like this that is a new approach to teaching. You know what? I can’t wait to see how it goes.
     
    What do you hope your contribution to Mindbenders will be?
    Grant: As a host of this show, it’s great because a lot of kids are familiar with other things that I’ve worked on, and so it’s a familiar face, teaching them things in a familiar way. And so, automatically, I’ve already got the advantage of, “Oh, yeah, I know that guy. Oh, yeah, that guy is cool. Okay, cool. I’ll listen to what he has to say.”
     
    How was your experience of science education as a kid different to Mindbenders?
    Grant: When I was a kid, science was taught with textbooks in a very controlled way in the classroom, and you know what? I learned and eventually went into sciences, but the interesting thing is that the most learning that I got was when I tried things on my own, and I’m not going to say that all those things were necessarily safe, but it’s that hands-on experience, I think, that is so important to learning. That’s what we’re offering here, a chance for kids to challenge themselves, to get involved with each of these episodes, and try something, and hopefully do it in a very safe way.
     

     
    How can a passive experience of watching a video become motivational to children?
    Grant: I think a lot of people view watching something on television, for example, as a passive experience, but I like to think of it as more of an active one in the sense that they can watch something and be inspired by it and say, “That’s really cool. I think I’d like to try that. I can do that.” That’s part of what we want to do here.
    This show can be a motivational hook. It can show something to kids, something that they could do, that’s not super hard, that you don’t need all this crazy equipment for, stuff they can do at home, that they can get involved with science, get their hands dirty, try things out and learn something.
     
    Thanks so much for sharing. We can’t wait to see what else you have to teach us in the future! 
    You can find the first four episodes of Mindbenders now available via Viveport Video, with more episodes on the way.
  8. SuperNikoPower
    In our Developer Blog Series, we sit down with many of our VIVE colleagues who work with developers daily to highlight our way of thinking and help developers best take advantage of all the opportunities available at VIVE and VIVEPORT. This month, we’re chatting with Thomas Gratz in our San Francisco Office.

    Please introduce yourself. What do you do for Viveport?
    My name is Thomas Gratz and I’m a Senior Manager here at HTC, leading Developer Marketing for Viveport, which is HTC’s content distribution platform and storefront for virtual reality. When I describe my role, I always split Developer Marketing into two sides. First, we try to reach as many VR developers as possible and bring their titles onto Viveport. We work hard to earn developer trust and participation in our programs like Infinity or Viveport Arcade. Second, we aim to provide the best marketing support in the VR industry by helping titles get discovered by VR users. We line up promotions and amplification of announcements, releases and sustainment after launch.
    And you’ve been at Viveport practically longer than anyone else in the San Francisco office, right?
    That’s true and a bit crazy to think about when you put it that way. I’m celebrating my 3-year anniversary at Viveport this month. When I joined, there was essentially Rikard Steiber who is our President and a few VPs. The VP of Marketing had been hired two weeks earlier and he quickly brought me on board as we needed to launch Viveport globally in just a few months. I was the first marketing hire at Viveport and it has been quite an experience watching the team and product evolve since.
    What made you want to join the Viveport team?
    I was at Microsoft prior to joining HTC. At Microsoft, I had my first experience with XR using the HoloLens. I got to take a device home for a few weekends for testing prior to the developer kit releasing. As soon as I had hands-on time, I knew I wanted to work in this emerging industry. I had my first experience with a VIVE when a buddy of mine gave me a demo of “theBlu” when he went to go work for a VR startup in downtown Bellevue. My experience at Microsoft also pushed me toward creator communities and empowering others. This role on the Viveport team checked all the boxes and it was an opportunity to get on the ground floor of a brand-new business unit at HTC. The Vive had just been released and developers were just starting to dig into VR content creation.
    What does a typical day at the office look like for you?
    It changes all the time and is hard to predict even 3 years in. I just came back from a trip to Europe where we filmed 3 different developers telling their story of VR development. My team has this Viveport Developer Story program where we produce a 3-to-4 minute video asset which can be used to market both the developer and Viveport. Our goal is to inspire other creators, provide interesting insights and recognize a growing community of VR developers across the world of different cultures, backgrounds and motivations. It’s one of my favorite parts of the job.
    In a normal day, I’m speaking with a lot of developers – coordinating their release dates, collecting assets needed for marketing, etc. I’m working with our Customer Marketing team on store
    programming, newsletter placements, making sure we’re highlighting great titles and talented developers. I work with our Content team so they everything they need to talk with developers 1-1. I decide which developer events we choose to sponsor and decide our messaging, logistics and outreach at events we do participate in.
    And in quiet moments (not often), I work on our strategy as a team, sit on the greenlight committee for Viveport funding opportunities and share input on the Viveport leadership team on the direction we’re taking and goals we have.
    How do you work with developers to promote their content?
    Most of the time, developers are referred to the Developer Marketing team by our Content Operations or Content Acquisition teams. They either have submitted their title to the Viveport Developer Console and are expecting to release in a few weeks or are having conversations about coming to the platform. With the introduction, we’re usually called upon to look at the title and evaluate how much marketing support we may be able to provide, depending on the title, distribution plan and release date. After a call and some emails back and forth, we usually have a game plan in place – general timing and what each side needs to execute effectively. We outline all the opportunities to promote across Viveport channels and provide a list of needs from developers (most of the time, information and assets). Once we receive what we need, we turn it around as fast as possible and prepare internal teams to execute.
    Post release, we remain in contact with all developers on the platform and let them know about future promotion opportunities we think their titles are well suited for. Of course, developers also reach out directly about their latest updates and plans and we do our best to support.
    There’s no shortage of titles on Viveport from all the good work our content team is doing (check out last month’s blog with Kris Severson, Director of Content Partnerships). How can developers prioritize themselves and make your job easier?
    Ha, it didn’t used to be that way. We launched Viveport with roughly 75 VR titles. The service has grown so much since then. We’re over 2000+ titles now including high quality games and apps across all territories that Viveport supports. You are correct that we can’t support everyone now in the way that we used to and there are things developers can do to be prioritized and get our attention.
    First and foremost, developers who can consistently lock in their release dates and hold to them are a rare unicorn in my experience. A lot of marketing must be planned prior to builds getting submitted or finalized and developers who can deliver on their initial plans that we work towards are easily prioritized. If dates slip, our bandwidth and inventory changes and it could mean the marketing scope of our campaigns are impacted. The importance of quality marketing assets can’t be overstated. A quality asset has art that is both unique and conveys immediately what the VR experience is like. It catches the eye and is easy to digest at a glance. It is often a user’s first and only impression of a title and bad assets will ruin a good game’s chance to be discovered. Titles that distribute to all available territories make our lives a lot easier as we can plan for universal messaging across all our channels without worrying about some customers not having access. Compatibility across all the headsets that Viveport supports is also very helpful as we’re pushing to audiences with any VR device, not just VIVE.
    Finally, titles that opt-in for Viveport Infinity are always prioritized over non-Infinity titles. Most Viveport customers today come to Viveport as subscribers and we want to highlight the titles relevant to them. Infinity is our key differentiator as a content platform and titles that opt-in to the subscription service are guaranteed increased marketing support.
    For those developers considering submitting to Viveport, what is the best way to get connected and work with the marketing team?
    As mentioned, most developers get in contact with marketing through our Content Acquisition and Content Operations teams. Of course, I’m always happy to hear from developers coming or considering coming to Viveport and you can shoot me a message over LinkedIn. I can also be found at a decent number of industry events (I’m kind of short so you’ll need to keep a good look out).
    We have several program opt-ins / business models for developers to participate in like Viveport Infinity and Viveport Arcade? If they participate, does this change how you go about marketing their title?
    Definitely. Viveport Infinity can be used as a dedicated marketing channel. We’ve seen Infinity give a second life to titles as they get rediscovered by those who may have missed these titles when they first came out. Our Infinity members aren’t worried if a title is brand new or 3 years old, just as long as it is an enjoyable experience. They are an engaged audience looking to discover and sample new titles every month. And as I said, we prioritize our titles in our Infinity catalog for marketing opportunities.
    For Viveport Arcade, our position is to market the title to operators so they choose to feature the best titles fitting their venue. We focus on custom-built arcade titles that have thought out the flow for a user such as 1) easier, quick tutorial 2) high-action/fun 3) 10-15 minute session lengths with replayability 4) fun to watch with a social element.
    One program that we work on together is the Viveport Developer Awards or VDAs. For developers who don’t know, what is it?
    The Viveport Developer Awards is our annual program to recognize and reward some of the best developers on the Viveport platform. Winners and finalists can earn prize money, VIVE hardware, trophies, tickets to GDC, and a Viveport Developer Story video. It’s one of the coolest things I get to work on.
    Why do we have Viveport Developer Awards?
    We know we’re asking a lot for developers to build for VR and for our platform. It’s an emerging market and they could be spending their effort on traditional or mobile gaming platforms with a much larger audience. They are taking a risk on us, with us. We want to encourage developers to build for categories that don’t often translate to the highest sales but show off some of the greatest potential of VR. As one of the leading platforms, it’s our responsibility to give back to this community of developers. Our recognition through the VDAs can really highlight some of the amazing things developers are doing and also legitimize their work.
    Do you have a favorite experience working with developers so far?
    Personally, I had a great experience earlier this year at GDC 2019. We sponsored really late but the show somehow came together in the end. It takes an excellent team to pull something off at the scale we did and I’m fortunate to work with such talented folks. We had our first ever Developer Day with 6 different speaking sessions for developers running back-to-back. We also featured 13 of our own invited developers & internal teams at the VR Play area in the Expo, the highest number of featured developers I’ve ever had at an event I’ve ran. It all came together to be a great platform to connect with existing developers on Viveport and meet new developers who are VR or Viveport curious. For me, we kick off GDC with one of the best developer mixers for VR, open bar and all. We invite all our Viveport Developer Award winners and the wider developer community. It’s honestly a blast and I just love connecting with everyone over a drink (or two) and delicious food.
    And finally, if you could tell all VR developers out there one thing, what would you tell them?
    Right now is a great time to be developing for VR. This is still early days. The most important thing developers should be focused on as a studio is building an internal skillset for VR and iterating on that skillset with each project, slowly increasing the scope of projects over time. At the same time, build a brand around your studio and titles. New brands/IP are difficult to establish in mature markets so now is a great opportunity to accomplish that. The studios that create a reputation of quality with a focus on VR today will ride the incoming wave of mass VR adoption at the highest point in the future.
     
    Thanks for taking the time to chat, Thomas! And thanks developers for reading! You can connect with Thomas Gratz at LinkedIn here and if you want to get started with Viveport, head off to the Developer Console. Next month, we’ll chat with another member of our developer-facing team
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