Introduction: The VR marketplace has been relatively quiet since Apple decided to get into it with its Vision Pro headset. Now, many months after that, the Valve Corporation seems to be building its next generation of gaming VR headsets and the software needed for its operation. While much of the same news remains on the level of credible industry rumors, the info that is presently known points strongly to the possibility of the new headset, named Deckard VR, coming to virtual reality gamers in 2025.
Article: It is no breaking news that the Valve Corporation does everything in its own unique way. During the nearly 30 years of its existence, this business organization defined the trends but also stayed away from many other happenings in the industry. The same applies to the way Valve is developing games as much as it does to its methods of running the organization itself. But, the sheer number of successes of their approach is also a fact of the modern video game industry. From individual video game titles like the Half-Life series to its juggernauts Steam marketplace and all the way to niche products like Steam Deck, Valve keeps charting its own course and achieving huge accomplishments along the way. Because of this, few were surprised to hear rumors about Valve developing a new generation of its VR gaming headsets. Arguably, such a move would be the biggest upheaval in the VR market after Apple launched its Vision Pro headset more than a year ago. At the same time, the reaction to Vision Pro is also a cautionary tale for many VR developers, especially those working in the high-end part of the market. If the rumors are true, Valve is doing the exact opposite of the common wisdom, and its new VR headset, called Deckard VR, is not going to be an accessible, market-entry device. Instead, it will be a premium VR gaming gear that will cost over one thousand USD and could very well end up in the hands of consumers before the end of the year.
Proven Base of Valve Index
The latest VR headset from Valve, if the rumors turn out to be true, would not be its first outing into this gaming niche. Six years ago, the same corporation launched Valve Index, its virtual reality headset that was built primarily for gaming purposes. Its creation began in 2015 and Valve took the second part of that decade to have it finished. Its introductory price was 999 USD and Valve managed to sell nearly 150,000 units before the end of the year. The key killer app game for the device was Half-Life: Alyx, made by the same business, which remains one of the best games in the VR genre ever made. However, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent supply chain issues, Valve slowed down its Index production. However, the corporation’s VR presence never went away, being that even today, around 13 percent of all VR units that are linked to Steam are Valve Index headsets. This was a signal to keep thinking about ways to reenter the market and rejuvenate the same line of products.
Deckard VR Rumors
Valve was always open about its VR aspirations. Greg Coomer, the product designer for the corporation, said that his team had a lot of faith both in the VR medium and its tailor-made games. For many, this was a clear signal that there was a new headset in the works, or at least on some drawing board. Then, not long ago, rumors on the social network X began pointing out a device that Valve could launch at the end of 2025. That device is the Deckard VR and further details began to emerge. First of all, the headset will be a fully autonomous, stand-alone device that involves no physical wiring or the need to have a processing PC or console to run it. Supposedly, it will include the SteamOS, just like the Steam Deck device, along with the ability to run flatscreen games from Steam Deck, but in a virtual environment. Here, these games would be presented on a virtual flat screen, similar to the ways Apple Vision Pro presents its mixed reality overlay content. Judging from the success of Valve Index being in a bundle with Half-Life: Alyx, this device would likely try to establish itself with some big-brand games, but there are so far no details on that front.
New Headset Price
It is interesting to note that Deckard VR headset rumors also come with a pretty precise price range. According to the latest info, the device should cost precisely 1,200 USD for its entire bundle. It would come with a purpose-built controller called Roy, but also some in-house demos or full games. Compared to the Valve Index launch of 999 USD, the new headset would be just a bit cheaper. Today, if the Index would appear on the market in the same manner, its price that is adjusted for inflation would be 1,240 USD. This means that Valve is willing to sell each of its new headsets with a loss on every shipped unit. It is possible that the price will be modified depending on the bundle – Half-Life: Alyx is still sold for 59 USD, meaning that its presence could drive the price further up.
Market Positioning
In the past couple of years, the apparent direction for VR gaming was to go cheaper. Budget VR headsets do modestly well during the holiday season when families and individuals decide to invest in entry sets like PlayStation VR2, which now includes a permanent discount. Valve Deckard VR would be nothing like a budget-friendly virtual reality platform, focusing on its high-end functionality and the direct connection to both Valve games and its Steam marketplace. Despite Valve Index’s turbulent launch window and a lack of strong marketing follow-up, it is clearly still a force in the VR domain. Deckard VR, wherever it comes out, will also likely not end up as a bestselling device overnight, especially due to its steep price. But, Valve is willing to invest both time and money in their presence in the VR market, where the new headset will be only another important pawn on the same chess board. As it seems now, the global VR match itself will last well into the early 2030s, so a pawn like that will only show its effect and usefulness in the years to come after its launch.
Author: Ivica Milaric, game designer and assistant professor of game design at the Novi Sada Academy of Arts, Republic of Serbia