The stage seems set for the Steam Frame's arrival as VR headset shipments are sitting in warehouses, but Valve is apparently still working on its "gamepad mode"

We seem to be on the verge of Valve finally launching the final piece of its 2026 hardware puzzle, the Steam Frame. We're still awaiting word on the launch date and price, but judging by the patterns followed by the Steam Controller and Steam Machine, it seems like Valve is maybe a week or two away from launching its new VR headset.

In the last two weeks, we've had an update to SteamVR, the arrival of a new "great on Frame" tag on the Steam Store, and familiar rumors of shipping manifests hitting the US that detail crates full of VR headsets.

We reported almost the exact same sequence of events in the lead-up to the Steam Controller and the Steam Machine hitting the virtual shelves. A week or two later was then when initial reviews came out, and the products were available to buy.

The latest rumor from data miner and VR leaker Brad Lynch says that a final delay may be due to Valve putting finishing touches on the headset's gamepad mode, which will let you use one of the best PC controllers with the headset to play non-VR games. As per the details we have about the Steam Frame's controllers, you should also be able to play non-VR games with these as well - a bit like a traditional gamepad that's been sawed in half.

The whispers about Valve shipments hitting the ground have been trickling in throughout July, with "Virtual Reality Devices" being the name on the manifests. I don't know about you, but I don't know of any VR devices being made by Valve at the moment, or indeed by any other brand that's ready to launch them under Valve's name.

Arguably, the Steam Frame is the most niche of the three new bits of gaming hardware Valve has launched this year, and it may be the one in the most volatile market. We've seen Sony, Meta, Pico, HTC, and Valve all previously entering the VR space, all of whom saw mixed results. Especially this year, with Meta laying off a massive portion of its VR workforce despite claims it's still investing in the VR gaming market, things seem unpredictable.

While the Steam Controller and Steam Machine faced backlash for high pricing, I think a misstep in VR headset pricing could actually determine the success of the headset. It doesn't take much for the gaming community at large to scream "VR ded" these days, and if Valve wants to avoid that becoming the Frame's narrative, pricing is going to be paramount.

Then again, cost and manufacturing issues due to the global RAM shortages are what's caused the headset's release to be delayed from "early 2026" to now. Again, we've had no confirmation from Valve on this, but it seems as though there will be two SKUs of the Steam Frame, one with a more affordable price and less storage, and a higher-capacity variant. Mixed reports land the headset anywhere between $700 and $1,000.

Prepping for the Steam Frame launch? Take a look at the best gaming PCs, the best graphics cards, and the best RAM for gaming.