It appears that VR gaming has been in somewhat of a holding pattern for the past year or two, particularly since the release of Half-Life: Alyx. With Facebook/Meta aggressively pushing AR to a broader consumer base and the looming threat of Apple’s Vision Pro next year, many companies seem to be using this period to strengthen their core products. Valve, for instance, has recently rolled out a substantial update for the SteamVR platform, now in its 2.0.1 beta release.
For those unfamiliar, SteamVR encompasses both the platform and the user interface for virtual reality on Steam. The update primarily focuses on the latter, receiving a significant facelift and enhanced functionality. SteamVR 2.0 introduces a fresh dashboard, a revamped store page, and an updated keyboard interface, among other improvements. Steam Chat and Voice Chat are now accessible while using a headset.
A key highlight is the overhaul of the Steam store’s presentation in VR, emphasizing VR content by placing it “front and center.” Numerous smaller tweaks enhance user convenience and operational smoothness. An intriguing detail noted in the update is that SteamVR won’t display an inter-pupillary distance (IPD) slider if a Meta-branded headset is in use, as the Meta hardware already covers that aspect.
While this remains a beta release with no clear indication of when it will transition to the full version, there are speculations that Valve might be refining its software in anticipation of a new Index headset. Although Valve has confirmed the development of new VR hardware, there’s no indication of when it might hit the market.
