Valve have a new trademark filed for Steam Frame, with it appearing to be multiple new types of hardware that's on the way.
To paraphrase Jeff Grubb, there’s been more smoke lately indicating a console than VR, but “frame” implies glasses implies VR headset. It could go either way or both, where the console and VR are complementary. Or neither! But I think smart money is on Valve announcing new hardware imminently, and personally, I think it’s a console like a Steam Machine but with the library problem now solved.
There were leaked specs for hardware that Valve was testing that could theoretically retail between $500 and $700, but that is analysis and inference only, not an announcement. Separately, there were leaked designs of a new Steam controller that was supposedly on its way to the production line for mass production. Valve also has ties to Keighley and the Game Awards, where Alyx was announced back in 2019 before a March release in 2020, so there could be something like that again. Another reminder that the next Half-Life game is also rumored to be imminent, so it would make sense to pair these things together like Alyx and the Index.
A supposed insider on Reddit mentioned that this will be their new hardware ecosystem which will allow combining multiple devices for improved performance. The example they gave was having a desktop, a Steam Deck, and a new Deckard VR headset then using 2 or all 3 of these devices in tandem for better gaming performance.
They also mentioned the new Half-Life game is likely to be announced in the first half of September for release in November, however in could be delayed until next year if they aren’t perfectly happy with the state of the game.
This person said this is all part of the “Steam Next” era which will be introduced to the world with an Orange Box kind of release.
Given the problems SLI and crossfire had with more than one gpu, but in the same system, I doubt even valve would be able to combine different devices in a very meaningful way. The best I can imagine would be a pc rendering a game which is streamed to a steam deck, which in turn throws all its resources on FSR-like upscaling. Or, in case of a VR device that it handles interframe generation and reprojection locally on a stream rendered by a different device.
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A supposed insider on Reddit mentioned that this will be their new hardware ecosystem which will allow combining multiple devices for improved performance. The example they gave was having a desktop, a Steam Deck, and a new Deckard VR headset then using 2 or all 3 of these devices in tandem for better gaming performance.
They also mentioned the new Half-Life game is likely to be announced in the first half of September for release in November, however in could be delayed until next year if they aren’t perfectly happy with the state of the game.
This person said this is all part of the “Steam Next” era which will be introduced to the world with an Orange Box kind of release.
HALF LIFE 3!!! RIGHT AFTER SILKSONG!!!
Can we please stop talking about Hollow Knight? Really tired of it getting shoved in my face
A new Orange Box sounds so much less appealing in an era where Valve’s games are mostly live services now.
Given the problems SLI and crossfire had with more than one gpu, but in the same system, I doubt even valve would be able to combine different devices in a very meaningful way. The best I can imagine would be a pc rendering a game which is streamed to a steam deck, which in turn throws all its resources on FSR-like upscaling. Or, in case of a VR device that it handles interframe generation and reprojection locally on a stream rendered by a different device.
Of course I would like to be proven wrong.
I think you can already do this
I know absolutely nothing about what I’m about to say.
But I wonder if VR having 2 actual physical displays makes handoff between devices less complicated.
This sounds like the latency would be insane though.