Graphics engineer Alex Vlachos, who has worked on numerous Valve classics and developed VR technology for Valve, is now working on mixed reality devices for Meta.
FACTS
Vlachos writes on Twitter:
“I joined Meta’s AR/VR team yesterday. Can’t wait to get my hands on some new prototypes! Super excited about our product roadmap!”
I joined Meta’s AR/VR team yesterday. Can’t wait to get my hands on some new prototypes! Super excited about our product roadmap!
– Alex Vlachos (@AlexVlachos) January 10, 2024
His updated Linked-In profile states that Vlachos is working on mixed reality devices as a “Software Architect” at Meta since January 2024.
CONTEXT
Vlachos has more than 25 years of experience as a technical leader in games and mixed reality, according to his Linked-In profile.
The graphics engineer was employed by Valve from 2006 to 2019. During these 13 years, he was involved in the development of titles such as Half-Life 2: Episode Two, Team Fortress 2, Portal 1 & 2, Left 4 Dead 1 & 2, Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Vlachos was also a core member of the VR team that developed and shipped the technologies in the HTC Vive, Valve Index, SteamVR run-time software suite, and The Lab. His CV states that he worked on VR features such as fixed foveated rendering, supersample filtering and motion smoothing.
In early 2020, he moved to Microsoft to work on the company’s mixed reality plans, including Hololens 2 and the HP Reverb G2 WMR device.
Microsoft has been pulling out of the XR hardware business in recent years, most recently scrapping its own PC VR platform, Windows Mixed Reality. These changes may have prompted Vlachos to switch camps.
Meta is planning three generations of hardware for the future and spending billions on VR and AR research. Under these conditions, Vlachos’ talents are likely to flourish.
Maria Malik is your guide to the immersive world of Virtual Reality (VR). With a passion for VR technology, she explores the latest VR headsets, applications, and experiences, providing readers with in-depth reviews, industry insights, and a glimpse into the future of virtual experiences.
