Over the last several years, the VR ecosystem has grown and diversified in ways that we could have scarcely imagined. We’re living through a technological Cambrian explosion where each new device and API takes us another inch closer to the Metaverse. But this incredible pace of development has resulted in serious fragmentation, with challenges for users, developers, and platforms alike. For early adopters, every new hardware purchase feels like a gamble, supported by only a fraction of available experiences. For developers, time is wasted on hardware support when it could be spent on game design. This is why we’re pleased to announce a Leap Motion plugin for Open Source Virtual Reality (OSVR) – a new open framework that brings input devices, games, and output devices together.

Founded by Razer, OSVR’s goal is to provide an easy and standardized way to discover and operate hundreds of devices – including VR headsets, position trackers, game controllers, and cameras. Now available under the Apache 2.0 license, it also includes support for multiple operating systems and several leading game engines.

By providing a standardized interface between various APIs, OSVR is designed so that game developers can build experiences that will work on all kinds of hardware. Even new devices that become available after the game is released. For users, OSVR represents access to a broader variety of experiences that aren’t tethered to particular devices.

We’re excited to support cross-platform efforts like OSVR because they plant the seeds for a future where developers and users have the freedom to create, play, and experiment with all sorts of hardware – bringing VR that much closer to the mainstream.