Crytek aims to open 'VR First' dev labs in schools around the world

German game company Crytek is making a show of providing student developers with VR hardware and software -- including its own CryEngine tech -- in partnership with academic institutions around the world via its new VR First initiative.

While Crytek has long sold CryEngine educational licenses to schools, this new program is different -- it asks academic institutions to create on-campus VR labs (with support from Crytek and unnamed hardware partners) that will afford students access to VR development-grade PCs and unnamed VR headsets, as well as full CryEngine source code access.

It furthers Crytek's work showcasing CryEngine as a VR-ready engine, and sounds much akin to competitor Epic's 2014 partnership with Staffordshire University to provide the university's game design students with a dedicated workspace (the Epic Games Centre) stocked with game design equipment.

The first, err, VR First lab has opened in Istanbul's Bahçeşehir University, and developers interested in taking part in the program can find further details over on Crytek's VR First hub.