Key Highlights:
- Valve might be in talks to unveil its Steam Frame VR headset this week.
- Leaks point to the headset being compatible with PC games, and is dubbed as a premium product.
- Here’s what we know so far.
Despite having a background in video games, Valve has often dabbled in the technological aspect of the medium quite often, and with varying success. The initial few pieces of hardware, including the likes of the Steam Controller and Valve Index were massive failures, until Valve finally hit the jackpot with the Steam Deck.
Now, it would appear that the Steam Frame VR headset is the next ‘surprise’ announcement, slated to be released this Wednesday – as per multiple leakers online.
Steam Frame Expected to Be Officially Unveiled Very Soon
As per leaker SadlyItsBradley, Valve’s upcoming Steam VR headset (that is, the Steam Frame) might have a release date, along with an official reveal very soon.
SadlyItsBradley: Steam Frame information likely this wednesday
byu/Dotaproffessional inGamingLeaksAndRumours
The information comes courtesy of multiple screenshots on Discord. The poster also goes on to say that there might be ‘something’ planned for Wednesday, which so happens to coincide with a previous rumor that also hinted at Valve preparing for something big.
SadlyItsBradley has also mentioned that while they don’t really know the status of pre orders just yet, it is possible that Valve might hold off potential buyers for a week or two just so they can finalize the entire dispatching process.
The timing is suspect, and this might be the perfect opportunity for Valve to sneak in some specialized hardware, right ahead of the festive season.
Furthermore, SadlyItsBradley has previously held a clean track record of being a reliable source of information (especially when it comes to unreleased Valve hardware), so their word can be taken as is.
However, leaks are leaks. As such, be prepared for eventual, mild disappointment when the reveal (and subsequent pre orders) are inevitably delayed.
Everything We Know About the Steam Frame So Far
Often known as the Valve Deckard, the Steam Frame is a VR headset that’s been in development for quite some time. This was also confirmed by a statement from CEO Gabe Newell, who hinted at multiple hardware focused releases ‘coming soon’.
As far as the hardware is concerned, expect this to be a premium product – priced at around $1000-$1200 USD. This also happens to be the second VR headset to be made by Valve, with the 2019 Valve Index being released prior.
Specs wise, there really isn’t much we know about the headset just yet. It’s expected to be a high end product, so it will likely compete with Meta’s Quest series of VR headsets. As this is a Valve product, expect a heavy focus on gaming, with full motion support and specialized controllers that adapt to any input.
Also Read: New Valve VR, controller debut rumored; supports Android, Windows Games
It’s also been suggested that the Steam Frame will run a version of SteamOS (much like the Steam Deck), and might very likely be based on an ARM architecture. In other words, this means that Valve is preparing for a Proton layer that’s compatible with ARM based devices, which could change a lot of things (given that AAA gaming is mostly x86 based).
While not explicitly confirmed just yet, it’s expected that the Steam Frame will have some form of PC connectivity bundled with it – be it through a direct wired connection or simply by plugging in a wireless dongle.
This would make the headset easy to pair with a PC, and use it for PC based VR games, which is a massive selling point.
