Valve launching virtual reality theatre mode for 2D Steam games

Valve has revealed the existence of a Desktop Theatre Mode for its Steam VR platform, which will allow gamers to play all the titles in its Steam library through a virtual reality headset.

Similar to Netflix's VR app, SteamVR Destkop Theatre Mode will place users inside a virtual reality home theatre with a large simulated display they can play games on. While it won't convert traditional 2D games into VR, it will mean that users can play all Steam games inside a VR environment.

According to reports, the new mode is in early beta phase and will be shown off by Valve during 2016's Game Developer Conference, which runs from 14-18 March in San Francisco. The game studio said that Desktop Theatre Mode would be supported by its HTC Vive VR headset "and others" which, we presume, to mean the Oculus Rift, currently the only other virtual reality headset in production confirmed to have SteamVR support.

Valve is readying a number of VR experiments for the HTC Vive – which ships in April – as part of an initiative it is calling The Lab. Whether Desktop Theatre Mode is one of them is yet to be revealed, however, the company is expected to provide more details at GDC 2016.