Valve Open to Expanding SteamOS to Other VR Headsets After Steam Frame Launch
Valve announced today that it is open to licensing its SteamOS operating system to other virtual reality headset manufacturers, following the unveiling of its own Steam Frame VR headset – the first to run the Linux-based OS.
A Valve spokesperson indicated the company believes “SteamOS would be great for other devices,” but emphasized their current focus is on shipping the Steam Frame. The company is willing to “chat with other companies about shipping it on their VR headsets” in the future. This move signals a potential shift in the VR landscape, as wider SteamOS adoption could streamline compatibility and expand the ecosystem beyond Valve’s own hardware.
Valve’s strategy mirrors its approach with handheld gaming devices like the Lenovo Legion Go S, demonstrating a willingness to prioritize software sales – through the Steam platform – over exclusive hardware control. The company’s hardware ventures are often described as “Big Picture” bets on the future of gaming. Potential candidates for future SteamOS integration include devices like the Samsung Galaxy XR, which features an unlocked bootloader, and the Pico 4 Ultra, though compatibility will depend on Valve releasing a Frame-specific ISO of SteamOS. For more on the technical aspects of VR, see Road to VR.
While users can currently install SteamOS on unsupported hardware, doing so with VR headsets presents greater challenges. Valve also announced a new Steam Frame developer kit to help optimize PC VR games for the new headset. Valve officials stated they will evaluate potential partnerships on a case-by-case basis, prioritizing compatibility and performance.
Valve’s newly announced Steam Frame VR headset will be the first running SteamOS, the company’s Linux-based operating system. But it may not be the last.
In the same way that Valve is open to other companies building traditional devices that run SteamOS—handhelds like Lenovo Legion Go S—the company says it’s also open to other companies building VR headsets based on SteamOS.
A Valve spokesperson told Road to VR that they think “SteamOS would be great for other devices,” noting however that the company is currently focused on shipping Steam Frame at the moment.
But, in the future, Valve says it’s “happy to chat with other companies about shipping it on their VR headsets.”
This makes a good deal of sense, considering Valve’s bottom line largely depends on Steam software sales, and not hardware. Like Steam Deck, Valve’s hardware ambitions typically are ‘Big Picture’ bets on the future of gaming, which has consequently spawned a whole subgenre of gaming devices based on Deck’s lead.
While users can generally download and install SteamOS on unsupported hardware, possibly requiring some troubleshooting, it may be a significantly more tricky when it comes to VR headsets though.
A prime candidate for future tinkering could be Samsung Galaxy XR, which has a powerful Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 and a conveniently unlocked bootloader, which means you can technically install an alternative OS.
Pico 4 Ultra owners could also give it a go, which is similarly unlocked, but runs the older Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2. Then, in last place, is Quest 3/3S, which not only has the same SoC as Pico 4 Ultra, but features a notoriously locked bootloader.
Of course, this depends on a lot of factors, chief of which is whether Valve actually releases the Frame-specific ISO of SteamOS, which likely contains the necessary compatibility layers. That may only be done on a case-by-case basis with OEMs, since VR headsets are significantly more complicated than handhelds or PCs.
Whatever the case, we’re anxious to find out. Because at least from our hands-on with Frame, it’s apparent that Valve is swinging for the fences with its modernized vision for VR. The only question: will anyone else follow?
More Steam Frame Announcement Coverage
Valve Unveils Steam Frame VR headset to Make Your Entire Steam Library Portable: Valve shows off Steam Frame, the standalone headset that can stream and natively play your entire Steam library—with only a few caveats right now.
Hands-on: Steam Frame Reveals Valve’s Modern Vision for VR and Growing Hardware Ambitions: We go hands-on with Valve’s latest and greatest VR headset yet.
Steam Frame’s Price Hasn’t Been Locked in, But Valve Expects it to be ‘cheaper than Index’: No price or release date yet, but Valve implies Steam Frame will be cheaper than $1,000 for the full Index kit.
Valve Says No New First-party VR Game is in Development: Valve launched Half-Life: Alyx (2020) a few months after releasing Index, but no such luck for first-party content on Steam Frame.
Valve Plans to Offer Steam Frame Dev Kits to VR Developers: Steam Frame isn’t here yet; Valve says it needs more time with developers first so they can optimize their PC VR games.
Valve Announces SteamOS Console and New Steam Controller, Designed with Steam Frame Headset in Mind: Find out why Valve’s new SteamOS-running Console and controller will work seamlessly with Steam Frame.
Steam Frame vs. Quest 3 Specs: Better Streaming, Power & Hackability: Quest 3 can do a lot, but can it go toe-to-toe with Steam Frame?
Steam Frame vs. Valve Index Specs: Wireless VR Gameplay That’s Generations Ahead : Valve Index used to be the go-to PC VR headset, but the times have changed.
