From failed '80s tech to a new revolution, virtual reality has come a long way, thanks to companies like Oculus VR, Sony, Samsung, and now Valve.
Valve has remained mum about its VR plans, but last week it entered the game with the debut of its Dota 2 headset at the Boston VR Bender.
Images of the device surfaced Tuesday on Reddit, alongside a user account of the product.
"I participated in the Boston VR jam this past weekend … and had my mind completely melted by the Valve hardware and demos," Redditor jonomf wrote in a post.
The user described Valve's head-mounted display, dubbed Dota 2, as "amazing," boasting low persistence, perfect tracking, and high frame rate, but did complain of feeling disoriented after removing the device.
Judging by the images published by jonomf, Valve's Dota 2 VR headset takes some design cues from the Oculus Rift, though the prototype looks bigger and more geometrically inclined than the Rift.
Hidden behind its polka-dotted exterior are dual vertical 2,160-by-1,280 OLED screens—a higher resolution than the Rift's 1,920-by-1,080. And don't be fooled by the headset's unusual design: those dots, according to jonomf, are IR reflectors for more in-depth movement tracking.
There are no further details regarding the VR device, when it may be available to consumers, or how it will compete with Oculus VR and other rivals. Additional Boston VR Bender photos are also available on Reddit.
"To be clear, the Dota 2 VR modes were mentioned as demos/experiments, not as confirmed things that [Valve will] release," jonomf said. "Awesome as it would be, taking it with a grain of salt please!"
Valve did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment.
The game maker is playing nice with challenger Oculus: In January, Valve updated its Steam Client Beta with a new experimental virtual mode open to those with a Rift dev kit. The move came a month after Valve installed a new "VR Support" search filter on Steam.
For more, check out My Disappointing Past and Hopeful Future With Virtual Reality. Also see 12 VR Headsets That Predate Oculus in the slideshow above.