Valve offers new VR beta mode in preparation for Steam Dev Days

By Adam Rosenberg Published January 14, 2014

valve launches steamvr beta preparation steam dev days — Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s already limited support for virtual reality headsets with certain Steam games, but this week Valve launched the beta for SteamVR, which lets users explore Big Picture Mode from the inside of a VR headset like the Oculus Rift. Setup is simple enough, though let’s take a moment to emphasize the beta-ness of the release. A quick scan through the comments on Valve’s setup page suggests that lots of users are having trouble getting this to work right. The Valve link above contains only partial setup instructions; you can find a more thorough step-by-step at Road To VR (via Joystiq).

It’s probably not a coincidence that the SteamVR beta launched immediately before Steam Dev Days, a Valve developer conference set to happen in Seattle on January 15-16. The Steam gatekeeper is expected to reveal a prototype of its own VR hardware at the event. There are also a number of VR-related talks on the schedule, including one in which Oculus Rift inventor Palmer Luckey will look at the challenges of porting games into virtual reality. We’ll surely have more to share about the perceived future of virtual reality in gaming once Steam Dev Days kicks off tomorrow.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Gaming

Valve reveals which games are verified for the Steam Deck

Factorio running on a Steam Deck.

With Steam Deck expected to reach the hands of customers sometime next month, Valve is publicly labeling which games will and won't work on the mobile PC.

Valve currently has four game classifications on the Steam Deck, with "verified" meaning that players will be able to play a game seamlessly, while "playable" games will require the user to make some changes. A decent number of Steam's games will also be unsupported on the Steam Deck, namely all VR titles listed on the online games marketplace.

Gaming

The Steam Deck won’t have any exclusive games, says Valve

Steam's new handheld console, the Steam Deck.

When it launches next year, Valve's Steam Deck will be able to run a suite of PC games, none of which will be exclusive to it. The mobile console, which is really more of a handheld Steam machine, won't have any exclusive games according to Valve.

In a beefy FAQ section for developers, Valve says it won't support exclusive games on its upcoming console. "No, that doesn't make much sense to us," reads an FAQ answer. "It's a PC and it should just play games like a PC." In short, don't expect a "killer app" that's only available on the device.

Gaming

Valve delays Steam Deck to next year, cites component shortages

Someone playing the Steam Deck.

Valve's Steam Deck has been delayed until February 2022, according to an email sent to people who placed a reservation on the handheld device. In the email, Valve apologizes for the delay and cites the global supply chain issues and material shortages that have been plaguing both consoles and GPUs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Due to material shortages, components aren't reaching our manufacturing facilities in time for us to meet our initial launch dates," states the email sent to those with a reservation. The email did not provide information for those who want to purchase a Steam Deck but don't want to place a reservation. The current backups in the global supply chain and issues with part sourcing and manufacturing will likely also push back the date of widespread availability for the handheld.