Valve announces Steam Frame, Steam Machine, Steam Controller

[Aurel Guthrie]

Today Valve has announced three new pieces of hardware. The Steam Frame is a new VR Headset capable of playing non-VR games, compatible with your whole steam library. The Steam Machine is a computer optimized for PC Gaming running SteamOS. The new Steam Controller is capable of playing your whole steam library and is able to be used with PC, the Steam Machine, the Steam Frame, and more.

Coming early 2026

Steam Hardware

The Steam Hardware family officially expands in early 2026.

store.steampowered.com

 

[Morrus]

What’s the advantage of playing a non-VR game with a VR headset?

 

[Dire Bare]

What’s the advantage of playing a non-VR game with a VR headset?

You look really, really cool while playing!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

What’s the advantage of playing a non-VR game with a VR headset?

A sweatier head.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

What’s the advantage of playing a non-VR game with a VR headset?

No need for a monitor, apparent screen size is set by the headset. So, if all you have is a 20-inch screen with the headset it would look like and have similar screen real-estate as a 40, 50, 60-inch screen.
Virtual home cinema, VTT games, whatever. I suppose a keyboard and mouse can also be hooked up to this thing.

 

[Sossij]

What’s the advantage of playing a non-VR game with a VR headset?

You can't see the miserable hovel you live in.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

You can't see the miserable hovel you live in.

That too.

 

[Parmandur]

What’s the advantage of playing a non-VR game with a VR headset?

Not an advantage for playing the game, but more an advantage for this as a VR headset that there is actually software for it: the big issue with a lot of VR systems has been the lack of things to do on them, now at least one's whole Steam library would be available.

 

[Morrus]

Not an advantage for playing the game, but more an advantage for this as a VR headset that there is actually software for it: the big issue with a lot of VR systems has been the lack of things to do on them, now at least one's whole Steam library would be available.

Well that sounds a bit like saying one of the uses of my new hat is you can wash the dishes while wearing it.

 

[Parmandur]

Well that sounds a bit like saying one of the uses of my new hat is you can wash the dishes while wearing it.

I'm not saying it is a particularly compelling reason (personally I don't think VR will ever become mainstream, it's a niche idea), but it is an attempt to assuage one of the major complaints VR systems get: the lack of anything to do with them. So the analogy is maybe a flying car advertising that yoy can drive it on normal roads without a hassle.