In the ever-evolving world of gaming, Valve seems to be stirring the pot once again. While it’s been relatively quiet on the gaming front (yes, we’re all still waiting for that Half-Life 3 announcement), recent murmurs suggest that it is diving headfirst back into the hardware scene on the tail of the Steam Deck’s success.
According to the rumor mill that is being churned by @SadlyItsBradley over on Twitter, Valve is planning to announce a brand-new Steam Machine – remember that ill fated experiment? – tailored for wireless VR.
tl;dr Basically there is high amounts of evidence that Valve may actually be preparing to release a Steam Machine with a souped up APU and is targeting wireless PC VR performance with it. This would lower the barrier to entry for PC VR just like the steam deck for pc gaming.
The Steam Machine, which has been codenamed ‘Galileo’ (because ‘Bob’ probably wasn’t mysterious enough), is reportedly going to have a head-mounted display that will have a wireless connection to a more powerful base station, something Apple had initially intended to implement on its Vision Pro.
Currently, the VR space has been dominated by three standout headsets: the Valve Index 2, Meta Quest 3, and the PlayStation VR2. The Valve Index 2 remains a PC gamer’s dream with its unparalleled visual fidelity and precise tracking, though its premium price isn’t for the faint of heart.
On the other hand, Meta Quest 3 has revolutionized standalone VR, offering impressive visuals without the tether. Its affordability and vast game library make it a favorite among casual and hardcore gamers alike.
However, it’s the PlayStation VR2 that has bridged the gap between console and VR gaming. With the 4K quality provided by its dual 2K OLED HDR screens and the seamless integration with the PlayStation 5, no other VR headset offers value for money and quality like the PSVR2 does.
Launched in 2015, Steam Machines were supposed to bridge the PC-console gap, and were designed to run Valve’s SteamOS, providing greater access to PC games through the Steam platform. However, despite initial excitement, Steam Machines failed to take off, with most vendors choosing not to restock the Valve gaming PCs.
While there’s no official information available yet regarding the rumored Steam Machine, our anticipation is that it can also leverage the power of your existing gaming setup. Hopefully you won’t be confined to using the headset exclusively with the Steam Machine.
Regardless, it’s highly likely that you might need to invest some extra funds in acquiring an additional accessory, like a highly specific dongle or somesuch, to facilitate this integration. In a perfect world it would just run off a standard port, but we’re keeping out hopes in line.
Can Valve become a major contender in the wireless VR space, potentially challenging Meta Quest, or could this simply be an ambition too big? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
