Valve has officially unveiled Steam Frame, a next-generation wireless VR headset featuring native support for Android games, allowing players to enjoy their favorite mobile titles in VR without the need for porting or code conversion.
In an interview with The Verge, Valve’s development team emphasized that players shouldn’t have to worry about a game’s source. Whether a game comes from Steam or Android, users can simply download and play, streamlining the VR gaming experience significantly.
The Steam Frame achieves this capability through a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip based on ARM architecture, enabling it to run Android APK files directly. This approach, similar to Meta Quest devices, eliminates the need for code conversion or system emulation, making it easier to bring VR or mobile games to the platform.
Jeremy Selan, lead engineer at Valve, explained that developers who previously made games for Meta Quest or Android can now use their existing APKs without adjustments, allowing a large number of mobile and VR games to migrate to Steam Frame efficiently.
Alongside Steam Frame, Valve also revealed a new Steam controller and the next-generation Steam Machine. All devices are planned for release in regions where the Steam Deck is available, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia such as Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, managed by Komodo.
Steam Frame represents a major step for Valve in bridging PC and mobile gaming ecosystems. If successful, this could usher in a new era where Android games are playable both on mobile devices and in VR, creating new opportunities for both players and developers.
THIS IS OUR SAY: Steam Frame could redefine VR by merging mobile and PC gaming, offering seamless access to Android titles in a wireless VR world.
Origin: Gamesindustry
