In an exciting development for virtual reality enthusiasts, Valve is reportedly gearing up to release its new standalone, wireless VR headset, codenamed Deckard, by the end of 2025.
Priced at $1,200 for the full bundle, the Valve Deckard VR headset promises to deliver an unparalleled VR experience, even if it means selling at a loss. The news comes from reputable sources, including Gabe Follower, a well-known Valve insider, who shared detailed insights on the upcoming product.
Valve’s commitment to quality is evident in the Deckard VR headset’s design and features. The device will include in-house games or demos that are already completed, ensuring users have content to explore right out of the box. The company aims to provide the best possible experience without cutting any corners, which is reflected in the premium price point.
One of the standout features of the Valve Deckard VR headset is its ability to play flat-screen games from the Steam Deck in VR mode on a large virtual screen, without needing a PC. This feature is expected to bridge the gap between traditional gaming and virtual reality, offering a versatile experience for gamers.
The Deckard will run on a modified version of SteamOS, specifically optimized for virtual reality. This integration suggests a seamless experience for users already familiar with Valve’s ecosystem.
The information about the Deckard VR headset’s release and features comes from multiple confirmed sources, including Gabe Follower, who has a track record of accurate Valve-related leaks.
In a recent post, Gabe Follower detailed the expected release timeline, price, and key features of the Deckard. Additionally, leaked models of the controllers were discovered in a SteamVR update, further corroborating the development of this new VR headset.
Yes please, at this point they can have all my money if they give me a wireless VR headset that runs Linux and is powerful enough to run Half-Life Alyx.
This will be an amazing year for VR!
year of the linux
PCVRDamn this will be amazing!
I’ll probably go for it, but my worry with standalone headsets is always the comfort. I can’t wear something like a Quest 3 for longer than an hour or so because it puts too much weight on my face, while I could wear my Valve Index all day. I hope they’ve found a good solution for that issue on the Deckard.
I find the Quest 3 to be about the same as the index comfort wise, maybe a little better.
I guess everyone’s head is different. The Quest headsets never worked for me, comfort-wise.
Can’t come soon enough, meta needs more competition. Glad to see they’ve abandoned the knuckles controllers, Touch V2 was peak design IMHO.
I love the knuckles, by far the only good vr controller. I say this as a vr dev.
They worked ok in valve made demos and Alyx, but otherwise my experience was broadly a shit show of trying to remap, and dealing with ghost touches/glitching. I also had to RMA twice. Cool concept but badly implemented IMHO.
I was the worst use case with my sweaty hands and my only RMA was a result of the controller just being dirty. But after wearing gloves the knuckles work great, are intuitive, comfortable, easy to use and have hand tracking ontop of that.
Considering the price point, this will not compete with meta quest. Valve seems to be targeting a high end experience like they did with index. This will be highly likely a PC only experience, targeted at gamers. The quest is targeting a broader audience.
Did they just take Gabe follower’s tweet and pad it out into an article? I don’t see any actual reporting here.
To finally be free of Meta is going to be such a joy.
I think I’m willing to pay this price IF: they commit to updates and expand on features to keep up with headsets like Metas or the vision pro in terms of capabilities (movies, virtual monitor, meetings etc). And second if: the specs are very good, especially the FOV and resolution
VR hardware is still expensive and a relatively niche market, so high prices are to be expected. Especially if the headset isn’t subsidized by user data.
Valve does not bring out headset rapidly. If that is what you are looking for you will not find it from them.
I meant software updates
I that case they update steam software all the time so it should be the same.
And they have a good track record with the deck
I have serious doubts about it coming this year, but I’d definitely happily pay the price if it’s good enough.
I still believe this is misleading and the quoted $1200 is likely including a mini-pc running SteamOS, which makes the price much more reasonable. But lets see.
Yeah this will be a VR focused gaming PC you can strap to your face. This price is expected
I’d like the same, connected to my pc instead and cheaper.
No, I think it will be a seperate (optional) box that can stream to the headset wirelessly.
Shit so actual wireless PCVR will be essentially Steam Link?
I am just speculating, but I think yes.
They also might go with a compute puck. That would allow them to offer a cheaper option which streams from your PC and a more expensive one that works by itself.
Yes that would be another option, but then they can’t sell the box as a stand-alone steam machine for 2D games and to people that already have a Meta Quest headset, which makes the compute puck option unlikely IMHO.
I’m excited for this! My Vive Pro 2 got me into VR and it’s shortcomings got me out of VR. I’d like to get back in with a really great headset and no Meta
The index is still very solid but sadly still 1k.
At only 90hz I decided to go with the Viva Pro 2 since it could do 120hz. It’s buggy (far too buggy for the price) and the lenses are terrible.
I haven’t tried an Index but 90hz just feels bad on normal displays, I can’t imagine I’ll like it in VR.
The index has selectable refresh rates of 90, 120, and 144.
Well crap…
I just hope it will be possible to connect it to a PC (wired or wireless), and that we won’t have SteamOS-exclusive titles. I don’t know if I will upgrade directly, but I won’t be against upgrading from my Valve Index (especially if I can only change the headset first, and then the controllers at a later, just as I did from my HTC Vive).
SteamOS is just Linux. There can’t be any SteamOS exclusive titles, at most there might be a requirement to dualboot Linux, but that is very unlikely as well.
It would be weird if they offered steam link for Quest but not for their own hardware. Stranger things have happened though.
It will be possible to connect it to the pc. That is what steam link is for.
that has compression though
There are already many steam-exclusive VR games, people just don’t call them that because steam is the default anyways and no one even notices. It’s not enforced like other exclusives are, but it doesn’t need to be.
As long as you buy it through the steam store I’m sure valve doesn’t care if it’s on their new headset or not
Nice if the hardware will be “the best” … but “not require a PC” can potentially allow for a lot of shitty manoeuvering space. What I’m saying is I don’t want an Android os between me/my screens and my PC.
They have their own os: steam os.
Sure, but why say it runs Linux just to connect two or three things?
I just winced at that bcs why even say it like that if they don’t plan for third parties to get on it too. And for that Android is the more logical choice - for non-Steam non-PC use.
I’m not saying I believe this, just “why would you state it like that”, just say it supports PC and Steam Link (regardless on what OS is that).
@Evil_Shrubbery @MyOpinion having android on hmd not so bad if this android is not locked. But people keeps buying deadly locked devices from meta/bd, that dies if you don’t give it internet access
Yes, I agree, the counterparty here is much less probable to be this level of shitty. But an HDMI cable is one simplicity.
I’m def not predicting anything horrible, just why not say more on the topic.
@Evil_Shrubbery note that HDMI is even more proprietary than android. IIRC some new HDCP version is impossible to implement in FOSS drivers
Yes, that is true.
The licence & terms situation with ports we use is disguising.
I really hope those controllers aren’t close to final - having a springy grip button that you have to hold with your finger the whole time you are holding an object in VR is gonna get real tiring compared to just having your hand gently closed around the touch sensitive surface on the index controllers. And if they don’t add a back of the hand strap that lets you use the controllers with an open palm, my hands are gonna be cramping within a minute of playing beatsaber. With the index controllers, I frequently open my palms completely during songs to keep them from fatiguing.
Maybe you will be able to get the knuckles working somehow. Mine are still operational albeit there’s some wear and tear.
Probably one may want to try to repair them if they break, it has to be doable right
Pretty sure they are close to final. It’s disappointing, as they look like a big step down from the Index controllers, but it seems like seamlessly emulating a gamepad is important to them.
If they don’t include the strap I am sure they will be available by a 3rd party. Toggle grip is also a thing on these types of controllers.
I guess it depends on what kind of strap it is, because a wiimote type strap is entirely different than a knuckles strap. I basically can’t play beatsaber on a quest because the “strap” is more of a tether and doesn’t allow you to relax your hand during play without dropping the controller. Imo a knuckles style strap should just be standard on all VR controllers.
I also find toggle grip to be super unintuitive, nothing quite beats closing your hand to grab objects and opening your hand to drop them. Hopefully there’s a way to use the knuckles with this headset, because otherwise I’m probably gonna stick to the index for a little longer. Ergonomics needs to be good for something I spend many hours using, and I really think the knuckles controllers knocked it out of the park
So will Valve succeed where everyone has failed? I don’t think so. The technological limitations are what they are. I think it’s dumb that they don’t bring out a Steam Deck 2 and a new Steam Machine. Those would be surefire hits and make them a fuckton of money. VR is just a way to burn endless amounts of money.
It will provide me with an excellent VR headset that does not involve Meta or Google. That is a win for me. Nothing is keeping them from bringing out a Steam Deck 2 as well. No consumer loses by Valve bringing out a great VR headset.
Yeah, I’ve been itching to play Beat Saber without giving these other assholes money. I miss that game so much.
I’ve been waiting for a valve branded one too.
Finally a bright spot in the VR world again.
Valve isn’t a very large company. It’s unlikely they’ll work on several major hardware projects at once.
Can’t you literally just use a Steam Deck as a Steam Machine and also it’s portable? Is that not better?
The Deck just isn’t powerful enough to play anything at 4k. A modern console needs to be able to do that because that’s what people have in their living rooms.
