VIVEPORT Arcade Adds Bestselling VR Apps

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- HTC Corporation ("HTC"), a pioneer in innovative, smart mobile and virtual reality (VR) technologies, today announced two of the most popular VR apps, Phosphor Games' The Brookhaven Experiment and Sólfar Studios' Everest VR, are coming to Viveport™ Arcade, the location-based entertainment platform for virtual reality. Viveport Arcade is HTC's proprietary content management and distribution platform giving VR developers an efficient end-to-end solution for monetizing their content at physical locations such as arcades, internet cafes, theaters and shopping malls. The program is set to launch initially in China and Taiwan and will roll out into thousands of locations by the end of 2017, creating a significant revenue opportunity for VR developers and a powerful new driver for consumer adoption.

"Viveport Arcade will represent a more than $100 million market opportunity for VR developers in the next two years," said Rikard Steiber, President of Viveport and SVP of Virtual Reality at HTC. "From the largest amusement centers to arcade installations at family entertainment locations, virtual reality is clearly becoming the next big draw for entertainment. We believe this will be a cornerstone in democratizing access to high-end virtual reality and turning curious consumers into longtime fans."

At the Virtual Reality Developers Conference (VRDC), Steiber will be presenting a keynote session followed by a panel with Phosphor Games and Sólfar Studios on the potential of arcade distribution and other monetization opportunities for VR developers. The sessions take place back-to-back beginning today at 1:45 p.m. at VRDC 2016 in San Francisco (www.vrdconf.com).

Phosphor's The Brookhaven Experiment, a fast-paced zombie survival game, is the perfect VR experience for arcades. The intense shooter for the HTC Vive is a critically-acclaimed bestseller, showcasing the powerfully immersive experience that VR can deliver. While games are an important part of the VR arcade market, Viveport Arcade will also offer a broad range of experiences. Sólfar's Everest VR delivers the ultimate in VR exploration, capturing the beauty and danger of one of earth's most remote locations.

"Arcade distribution is going to prove very important for VR and we're thrilled to be partnered with HTC to lead the charge on Viveport Arcade," said Justin Corcoran, CEO of Phosphor Games Studio. "As developers, getting our content in the right consumer friendly locations gives us the chance to reach bigger and broader audiences globally, empowering us to continue creating great VR experiences."

"The Viveport Arcade program allows our team to focus on being creative and innovating on great experiences for consumers," said Kjartan Pierre Emilsson, co-founder and CEO Sólfar Studios. "It is great to have a trusted partner in HTC who can manage secure distribution of our content into entertainment centers around the world."

Viveport Arcade enables VR developers to distribute content that can monetize well in arcades, including providing expert guidance and potentially investing in partnerships to develop unique experiences. The program works directly with arcade operators to legally acquire content, manage billing and track accurate sales and reporting, providing a turnkey solution for both developers and operators. There are more than 120 apps from developers around the world currently on the platform.

In addition to working with third-party operators, HTC recently unveiled VIVELAND™, the first Vive theme park in the world. Located in Taipei, VIVELAND is the ideal showcase for a dedicated VR amusement center, featuring immersive VR stations where consumers can experience more than 20 popular game, exploration and simulation apps.

HTC's visionary approach to virtual reality extends beyond driving consumer adoption, with investment in research and development to create the infrastructure necessary to sustain this fast-growing medium. In addition to Viveport Arcade, the HTC Vive ecosystem for VR developers includes:

• Viveport is the app store dedicated to VR content that delivers a broad range of non-gaming experiences, showcasing apps across entertainment, art, design, education, fashion, music, sports, travel, and more. Discover an unprecedented range of VR experiences at www.viveport.com.
• Viveport M is the mobile VR app store compatible with most Android phones. Viveport M beta is currently available for registered Vive developers. The Viveport M app for consumers is set to launch later this month in China. A mobile PC-companion app is currently available on the Google Play store.
• VIVE X is HTC's $100 million USD fund and accelerator program for promising VR startups with nearly three dozen companies already in its portfolio. VIVE X is accepting new submissions for consideration now through December 1, 2016 at www.htcvive.com/us/vivex/

HTC invites developers all over the world to register as a Viveport developer and unleash the unlimited possibilities of VR. For developers, please visit developer.viveport.com. For operators of location-based entertainment centers, please visit viveportvrarcade.com. 

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About HTC VIVE

VIVE is a first-of-its-kind virtual reality platform developed by HTC and Valve for total immersion in virtual worlds. Designed from the ground up for room-scale VR and true-to-life interactions, VIVE delivers on the promise of VR with game-changing technology and best-in-class content. VIVE has been recognized with over 65 awards and wide critical acclaim since its unveiling in 2015. For more information, visit www.VIVE.com.

About Phosphor Games Studio

Based in Chicago, Phosphor Games Studio is a premier development studio comprised of experienced video game designers with a track record of producing financially successful and critically acclaimed titles across a variety of genres – from hardcore first-person shooters and MMOs to sports and casual games.  The studio has received back-to-back Mobile Game of the Year nominations from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences for Horn (2012) and The Dark Meadow (2011), and created the Survival Horror title Nether (2013) which has over 700,000 downloads, and is soon to release the hit VR title The Brookhaven Experiment (2016).  More information can be found online at www.phosphorgames.com, on Facebook or via Twitter @phosphorgames.

About Sólfar Studios

Founded in Reykjavík, Iceland in October 2014 by game industry veterans, Sólfar Studios' mission is to create and publish pure virtual reality games that thrill players, define the medium, and establish Sólfar as the category leader in virtual reality entertainment. Sólfar Studios is currently developing multiple projects across all major VR platforms, including PlayStation VR, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.

SOURCE HTC Corporation