Valve has announced the pricing and availability for the last of its three new major hardware products: the Steam Frame. The new virtual reality device will cost $1,059 for a basic 256GB model, while a 1TB model will cost $1,200.
Those costs are likely to be bumped further upward by additional accessories like a $29 power supply for standalone use (the Steam Frame can either act as an independent headset running SteamOS or as a device working off a separate computer). An “ergonomic accessories kit” will cost $59.
This price is much higher than that of the Meta Quest, which is currently the most mainstream VR device on the market. A 512GB Meta Quest currently costs $349.
Both Valve and Meta have both been forced to adjust their hardware pricing in the face of a sudden shortage of computer memory driven by exclusive deals struck by AI firms with major memory manufacturers like Samsung and SK Hynix. Valve’s pricing also reflects its refusal to “subsidize” hardware like the Steam Machine in order to drive software sales.
Developers seeking to make games targeting the Steam Frame will also be able to acquire developer kits through their Steam Partner dashboard.
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Senior Editor, GameDeveloper.com
Bryant Francis is a writer, journalist, and narrative designer based in Boston, MA. He currently writes for Game Developer, a leading B2B publication for the video game industry. His credits include Proxy Studios’ 4X strategy game Zephon, Iron Anchor Studios’ Down With The Ship, and Amplitude Studio’s 2017 game Endless Space 2.
