However, Valve is secretly taking steps into the device. Steam machines haven’t really turned out anything, but I’m still a very satisfied user of the Steam console and Steam Link and with the index they just went for a PC VR experience which after a couple of years or so is still top of the line. Too expensive for me at the time but not many devices that are still best in class two years after release.

With Steamdeck, it looks like Valve is finally able to run the entire Steam stock on Linux in what’s also a good looking portable device. All reports on how they, along with AMD and other partners, are removing the latest roadblocks (anti-cheat software) and getting closer to driver improvement is very hopeful. Especially now that Valve, AMD, and developers can focus on a stable configuration instead of the previous Linux game attempts (steams).

Experiments with AMD and Proton on Steamdeck can land you in a standalone headset. However, my feeling is still that the standalone mode will be limited to things like a virtual desktop, watching movies in VR, accessing the Steam store and some minimal games whether moved from task or tailored to, say, games in the living room (Things like keep talking and no one explodes for example) or Beatsaber or something. The most important thing about having a chip on board is to help deliver the smoothest PC virtual reality experience with tracking. Previous patents also seem to suggest using the onboard chip for gimmicks to make the experience more fluid (such as the spacewarp Oculus).

I don’t think we’ll get an announcement until Steamdeck launches well and truly. Their focus in the next six months is clearly on improving that experience and getting units out the door. The first indicator is still good for those who own it at the moment, and despite the fact that Oculus sells far more units at its lower price, I get the impression that Valve’s market share in VR games is good and only benefits from good sales characters from research.

[Reactie gewijzigd door Rhaegar1 op 30 september 2021 13:14]