It has been nearly six years since Valve released its Index VR headset. A leak now suggests that the company is getting ready to release its next headset, codenamed “Deckard,” which will have significant upgrades aimed at enticing the enthusiast crowd. If these rumors are true, it seems that Valve will be taking a different tack to Meta’s more affordable VR offerings.
The details regarding Deckard come courtesy of user @gabefollower on the X social media platform. This new headset is designed to work as a standalone, wireless device. However, unlike Meta, it appears as if Valve doesn’t want to make any compromises in the performance Deckard can deliver. As the company seeks “to give the user the best possible experience without cutting any costs.” This approach means a rather hefty price tag, with a “full bundle” set for a price of roughly $1,200.
The incoming changes to Valve’s VR experience extends beyond the headset. The accompanying controllers, codenamed “Roy,” will be ditching the ringed design currently found on those that work with the Index. Instead, the company is opting for something more compact, hewing closer to what Meta makes available with the Quest 3’s Touch Plus Controllers.
However, what feels like a potential game changer comes by way of software. It’s rumored that the new headset will be making use of the same version of SteamOS that currently powers the Steam Deck. Moreover, it will come with a feature that will enable Deckard owners to play Steam Deck compatible games on their headsets in a “big screen” type of mode.
It seems as if VR fans won’t have to wait for too long to get their hands on this new device. As it’s expected to be released by the end of this year, with developers getting information sometime “soon.”