Updated
Updated · Engadget · Sep 22
Steam Lets Users Access VR Free Through SteamVR as $1,000 Steam Frame Rolls Out Slowly
Updated
Updated · Engadget · Sep 22

Steam Lets Users Access VR Free Through SteamVR as $1,000 Steam Frame Rolls Out Slowly

3 articles · Updated · Engadget · Sep 22

Summary

  • SteamVR is available as a free Steam app, letting users play VR titles now even as Valve’s $1,000 Steam Frame headset reaches buyers slowly through a reservation lottery.
  • Most major headsets are supported, including Valve, HTC and Meta/Oculus devices; wireless play requires the Steam Link app on Quest 2, Quest 3, Quest Pro, Vive Focus and PICO headsets.
  • Setup starts with connecting the headset, controllers and sensors, then choosing Room-Scale or Standing Only; Room-Scale needs about 6.5 by 5 feet and can use Chaperone boundaries.
  • SteamVR Home serves as the hub for launching games, chatting with friends and opening the dashboard, where users can browse VR titles, view their desktop and adjust brightness, resolution and graphics.
  • Advanced options also include Motion Smoothing, Controller Bindings and Advanced Frame Timings, underscoring SteamVR’s role as Steam’s main bridge between PC games and third-party VR hardware.

Insights

With Steam Frame costing over a thousand dollars, can budget headsets actually deliver the ultimate SteamVR experience?
Are hidden network latency issues secretly ruining the wireless Steam Link experience for casual VR gamers?
Is Valve's reservation lottery truly stopping scalpers, or just masking low production yields for the premium Steam Frame?