The Steam Frame: VR’s Future or the Beginning of the End?
I’ve always loved VR. I bought my current headset – a Pico 4 – three years ago, for around £300/$400. While that particular model isn’t available in America for very questionable reasons , if I wanted an alternative and was willing to enter Zuckerberg’s walled garden (I am not), a Quest 3S is even cheaper. With good wireless support, color pass-through cameras and a robust native library of games…
The Steam Frame, a new lightweight wireless VR headset from Valve, was recently announced with a price tag of £889/$1,059 for the cheapest model, sparking concern among VR enthusiasts. While this price is triple that of what the author would be willing to pay for a headset, the Steam Frame's inclusion of a native port of Half-Life: Alyx, a game released in 2020, may not be enough to reignite interest in the VR medium.
With a library of VR games gradually dwindling and no new software to accompany the Steam Frame, many wonder if VR has reached its peak or if it will continue to evolve. Despite the promising features of the Steam Frame, such as good wireless support, color pass-through cameras, and a robust native library of games, some fear that VR may become the domain of enthusiast tech nerds with disposable income, leaving out the broader audience it once aimed to attract.
Valve's lack of investment in developers and the slow trickle of new AAA releases further contribute to the uncertainty surrounding VR's future. As the author continues to enjoy their inexpensive and versatile headset and the occasional VR mod, they hope for a breakthrough that will bring more excitement and innovation to the VR world.
Written by urgent.news from IGN's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
