In December, HTC announced the first annual Viveport Developer Awards (VDAs), which put big money on the table for the best VR games and apps across five categories. Today, HTC revealed the lucky winners.
HTC set up the Viveport Developer Awards (VDAs) to encourage developers to embrace virtual reality. The company wanted to create a platform to show developers that their efforts are appreciated. HTC set up a panel of eight judges that included a combination of gaming industry figures and celebrity critics. The panelists were asked to choose their favorite VR applications in four different categories, including Explore, Create, Connect, and Experience. The fifth category was left for the Viveport community to choose.
HTC put up $500,000 for the VDA prize pool, which it split into three cash prizes for the four primary categories. First place winners received $50,000, second place winners got $30,000, and third place winners took home $15,000. HTC also gave a Vive system to each winner and two runners-up for each category. The community choice award took home a $10,000 award.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Explore | Create | Connect | Experience | Community |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Place | Apollo 11 VR, by Immersive VR Education Ltd. | Fantastic Contraption, by Northway Games | Cloudlands: VR Minigolf, by Futuretown | Allumette, by Penrose Studios | A Chair in a Room: Greenwater, by Wolf & Wood Interactive Ltd. |
| Second Place | Realities, by Realities.io | Soundstage, by Hard Light Labs | AltspaceVR, by AltSpaceVR | Pearl, by Google Spotlight Stories | Row 1 - Cell 5 |
| Thrid Place | The Body VR, by The Body VR | Paintlab, by LAB4242 | Engage, by Immersive VR Education Ltd. | Firebird – La Péri, by InnerspaceVR | Row 2 - Cell 5 |
| Runner Up | A Chair in a Room: Greenwater, by Wolf & Wood Interactive | Kodon, TenkLabs | World of Diving, Vertigo Games | TheBlu, Wevr | Row 3 - Cell 5 |
| Runner Up | Mars Odyssey, by Steel Wool Studios | Arcade Artist, Groove Jones | SurrealVR, SurrealVR | The Night Café: A VR Tribute to Van Gogh, Borrowed Light Studios | Row 4 - Cell 5 |
HTC didn’t say what happened to the remaining $100,000+, but the company may be using it to subsidize the VDA winners sale. The four first place apps are on sale with a 40% discount until March 2, 2017.
Three recipients of Viveport Developer Awards will join HTC on stage for a discussion panel at GDC on March 3. Penrose Studios, Futuretown, and Northway Games will discuss what helped them achieve their success.