Valve has announced the pre-order availability for its upcoming Steam Frame VR headset, priced at £889 in the UK and $1,059 in the US. This marks a significant development for the company as it navigates challenges such as a global memory and storage crisis that has affected both availability and pricing of its products.
Impact on Future Steam Decks
In a recent discussion, Valve developer Pierre-Loup Griffais stated that the current memory and storage crisis has not substantially impacted plans for the next iteration of the Steam Deck. Griffais reiterated Valve’s commitment to ensuring that any successor will provide a notable performance enhancement over the existing model, a philosophy Valve has maintained for some time.
The company had initially identified in 2023 that the technology required for a substantial upgrade to the Steam Deck was not yet available. However, by April, Valve confirmed it was actively working on the Steam Deck 2, aiming to incorporate lessons learned from past hardware experiences. Griffais noted that the company’s objectives regarding user experience and the overall product design for the new Steam Deck remain consistent despite the looming shortages.
Challenges with the Steam Frame VR
The launch of the Steam Frame follows the earlier releases of the Steam Controller and Steam Machine, completing the trio of products announced last year. However, the rising costs associated with these technologies pose difficulties, especially for niche offerings like the Steam Frame VR headset. Increasing hardware expenses have made it challenging for the Steam Frame to compete with more affordable alternatives like the Quest 3, which, according to Eurogamer’s Matt Wales, offers a similar user experience at a lower cost.
Reporting based on coverage first published by eurogamer.net.