Valve May Release A Standalone VR Headset In 2025
Valve’s standalone headset, codenamed “Deckard”, has long been rumored, and speculation has continued since data miners first discovered relevant information in January 2021. Recently, the whistleblower and data miner “Gabe Follower” once again broke the news that Deckard will be released before the end of 2025 and priced at $1,200.
Gabe Follower posted on his X platform: “Multiple sources have confirmed that Valve plans to release a new standalone wireless VR headset (codenamed Deckard) by the end of 2025. The current price of the complete package is $1,200.”
Gabe Follower also revealed that Valve will release “finished” games or demos specifically for Deckard.
Notably, Gabe Follower pointed out that the $1,200 price “will be sold at a loss” and speculated that Deckard will use the same SteamOS as Steam Deck handheld, but adapted for VR.
Gabe Follower claimed that “one of the core features is to play flat games already on Steam Deck on VR big screen, without the need for a PC.” He also said that closed-door demos may begin soon.
Gabe Follower has accurately leaked multiple Valve projects in the past, including information about Counter-Strike, Half-Life and Valve’s upcoming PC shooting MOBA game Deadlock, but still recommends treating this news with caution.
Even if this leak is not inside information, Valve is clearly preparing XR-related products. Leaked 3D models hidden in the November 2024 SteamVR update appear to show a new VR motion controller called “Roy”.
Roy controller is different from the standard VR motion controller layout and seems to provide a more traditional gamepad-style button layout, which will enable a 1:1 input experience between flat games (in a virtual environment) and Steam Deck.
Persistent rumors claim that Deckard may include PC VR wireless streaming capabilities, eye tracking, and perspective AR capabilities, which may make it a competitor to Meta Quest and/or Apple Vision Pro.
This is not the first time Valve has tried gaming peripherals. Valve released the Valve Index in 2019, which was the best VR headset on the market at the time and priced at $999. The headset was bundled with Half-Life Alyx, but sales were poor. Valve’s Deckard may be able to bring new surprises to the gaming industry, but how many players will really buy it is unknown.
