Skip to main content

Decorate your personal VR space with new SteamVR collectibles

steamvr collectibles decoration steamvrcollectibles
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Valve partnered up with a number of developers to allow virtual reality gamers to unlock various collectibles for the SteamVR home space. Whether you’re shooting drone bots in Space Pirate Trainer, completing robotic tasks in Job Simulator or punching glowing orbs in Audioshield, you can now unlock various items for your personal VR space.

One of the biggest additions to Valve’s SteamVR platform in recent months was the creation of customizable home spaces. Borrowing ideas from Oculus Home and adding a new layer of customization, SteamVR Home opened up many options for users who wanted their own personal space within the virtual realm. Now they can decorate it with objects from their favorite games too.

Recommended Videos

To get you started, Valve unlocked accessories for gamers who have spent a few hours in a variety of games. The full list includes the aforementioned titles, as well as Fantastic Contraption, The Gallery — Episode 1, Arizona Sunshine, Onward, AirMech Command, Serious Sam: The Last Hope, Hover Junkers, The Lab, and Dota 2.

Collectibles we can see in the promotional image Valve released include an office mug, a pin cat model, a robotic figure and more. The early response from commentators appears to be overwhelmingly positive, so if developers are keen to see their games represented in gamers’ VR personal spaces, this is likely to be a feature that is expanded in the months to come.

Valve says there are more trinkets in the works.

“We think Collectibles will be a fun way for players to show their love for a game — whether it be by decorating their place or by modifying their avatar,” Valve said in its announcement post. “This first wave is just the beginning and we’re excited to see where this will lead.”

It is, however, looking for feedback on the feature, so feel free to let it know what you think in the SteamVR discussion boards.

If you’re already busy augmenting your virtual world and playspace, consider that it is well worth improving your real world VR hardware, too. No you cannot buy a second-generation HTC Vive just yet, but you can improve your current one with the Deluxe Audio Strap. We consider it a must-buy upgrade for Vive owners.

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
HTC’s new Vive VR Wrist Tracker tracks hands accurately — even when out of sight
hand with HTC Vive VR Wrist Tracker

There is nothing new about technology companies jumping on bandwagons just to claim a spot in an ongoing trend. This is exactly what we are seeing with the furor around virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse. But there are a handful of companies actually making a noticeable difference to the ecosystem, and HTC's Vive division is one of them.

Vive offers some of the most popular VR headsets, including the Vive Focus 3 and the more recent and peculiar Vive Flow. At CES 2022, the company announced a new Wrist Tracker that helps track hand gestures and movements accurately without solely relying on time-of-flight cameras in the VR headset.

Read more
As others hype up VR and the metaverse, Valve may be backing away
Valve Index HMD release date store page leak june 2019 controller base station

As interest in the metaverse heats up, many companies are pouring more resources into virtual and augmented reality -- except one. Valve may be shifting its focus from VR to its already sold-out Steam Deck, according to recent rumors.

Valve insider Tyler McVicker put out a YouTube video detailing Valve's plans (or lack there of) for virtual reality. McVicker points out that most of the company has lost interest in VR completely. This is mostly due to the massive success of Meta (formerly Facebook) putting out relatively low-cost headsets under the former Oculus brand and buying out many big VR developers. Instead, Valve is focusing its efforts on showcasing the versatility and power of its upcoming Steam Deck portable gaming PC.

Read more
The future of immersive VR? ‘Chemical haptics’ applied to your skin
A woman in a VR headset holding her hands out.

VR headsets are currently able to simulate realistic environments to trick your brain into thinking it's actually there. But researchers at the University of Chicago are going a step further by simulating physical sensations using chemicals applied to your skin.

The implementation seems basic, but the results are fascinating and could provide a way to make VR even more immersive.

Read more