Vive, the virtual reality (VR) platform developed by HTC and Valve, gained an app store, which is available in more than 30 countries.

Viveport’s mission is to “democratise access to the world’s most diverse selection of immersive experiences by empowering all content creators to reach and engage the fast-growing global VR audience,” a statement said.

It will offer VR experiences across categories such as art, education, fashion and music.

Rikard Steiber, president of Viveport, said users will “experience amazing VR apps published by the best content creators in the industry”.

The store will offer “Viveport Premieres”, which includes new and updated content, and users can also join a Viveport community and connect with other VR fans, “influencers”, and enthusiasts.

Last month, HTC stepped up its VR push after announcing a strategic partnership with Chinese giant Alibaba’s cloud unit to “explore high scalable and price competitive VR solutions”.

Earlier in the year, it launched a consortium that pulls together 28 of the world’s largest investment firms, with a focus on virtual reality (VR), setting aside $10 billion of capital, arguing that VR will replace the smartphone within four years.