Earlier this week, a outstanding Valve leaker promised we would lastly see Valve’s wi-fi VR successor to the Index, codenamed Deckard, in 2025. With Meta totally focusing on the low finish with finances {hardware} and free-to-play video games, I am relieved that not less than three XR firms are swooping in to maintain VR energy customers joyful in 2025.
In keeping with Gabe Follower, a number of folks “have confirmed” Deckard will arrive “by the tip of 2025,” working the identical SteamOS as Steam Deck and priced at a whopping $1,200 for the total bundle with “in-house video games” — and it will nonetheless “be offered at a loss” regardless of that worth.
A number of folks have confirmed that Valve is aiming to launch new standalone, wi-fi VR headset (codename Deckard) by the tip of 2025. The present worth for the total bundle is ready to be $1200. Together with some “in-house” video games (or demos) which are already accomplished. Valve need to give… pic.twitter.com/alHzQuwNvcFebruary 26, 2025
Not like Valve Index, its long-awaited successor can be wi-fi and will not require a separate PC to play video games. Valve clearly acknowledged the mass attraction of wi-fi, standalone Quest headsets and the current reputation of moveable PCs like Steam Deck when designing Deckard.
The important thing distinction from Quest is that Meta makes strategic design cutbacks to focus on the bottom doable worth level for mass attraction, whereas Deckard is not holding something again, with a worth that displays that philosophy. Does that make Deckard irrelevant?
Former Meta CTO John Carmack just lately trivialized PC VR as a “boutique area of interest” and downplayed the critically acclaimed Half-Life: Alyx as much less “necessary” than Beat Saber. Proper now, mainstream VR followers are flocking to the Meta Quest 3S and spending all their time enjoying Gorilla Tag and Horizon Worlds. Meta itself pivoted to prioritize free-to-play content material as a result of microtransactions earn more money than high-quality Quest video games.
Each time I submit one thing essential of Meta’s dealing with of VR, there are at all times some outdated timers that pile on with “Yeah! Extra AAA PC VR Video games is the best way to win!”. To be clear — standalone VR was the most important win that VR ever had, by an enormous margin, and Beat Saber was way more…February 6, 2025
So, in that context, you may assume that the ultra-powerful Deckard can be nothing however a PC VR novelty for a tiny ecosystem of vocal followers with an excessive amount of cash. However I would argue it represents far more than that.
For starters, even when PC VR gross sales are a lot decrease than Quest’s, that was at all times partially due to the hassle required to get Steam Hyperlink working and the additional PC value. An all-in-one gadget with native Steam Hyperlink — as a substitute of Meta’s often-irritating and buggy wi-fi workaround — will give PC VR the identical mainstream attraction because the Meta retailer. And we might see extra VR-2D crossplay with Steam video games like Amongst Us 3D bridging the hole.
Extra importantly, with PSVR 2 flopping and Apple’s unclear XR future after the exorbitant Imaginative and prescient Professional, we want extra competitors within the VR gaming house. Particularly, I believe we want a AAA different to Quest to remind avid gamers that VR is not totally turning into a kiddie metaverse. The “boutique area of interest” issues, not less than to maintain builders invested within the house.
Valve, Samsung, or Asus? Take your choose!
Valve Deckard is simply one potential Quest “rival” that’ll present a much-needed breath of recent air for shoppers and builders, even when its uncooked gross sales cannot compete with the eventual Quest 4.
One other competitor is Undertaking Moohan, Samsung’s premium headset powered by Google’s Android XR platform, which might value much more than Deckard. Google and Samsung have assured devs that they need to help VR video games on Moohan; even when it is extra of a Quest Professional or Imaginative and prescient Professional analog, Samsung’s headset ought to attraction to individuals who need a greater steadiness of video games and apps, in addition to a high-res digital desktop house.
In some methods, I am most intrigued by the third-party Meta Horizon OS headsets, just like the upcoming ASUS ROG VR headset. Meta is sharing its software program and gaming library with firms like Lenovo and ASUS, and the latter is particularly making a “efficiency gaming headset.”
Outstanding VR leaker Lunayian claims this headset is codenamed Tarius and that it “will possible be one of many first 3P Horizon OS HMDs to ship.” Tarius allegedly has eye and face monitoring, in addition to superior shows with both “QD-LCD with native dimming or μOLED.”
NEW: Particulars on the upcoming ASUS ROG VR headset working Meta Horizon OS.It’s codenamed Tarius, and can possible be one of many first 3P Horizon OS HMDs to ship.It’s deliberate to incorporate Eye Monitoring and Face Monitoring. The shows can be QD-LCD with native dimming or µOLED. pic.twitter.com/K5pYxcBK4hJanuary 12, 2025
Whether or not we get micro-OLED on par with the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional or just get native dimming like the unique Quest Professional supplied, it’s going to be a step up on most Quest headsets, to not point out eye monitoring for improved efficiency by way of foveated rendering and higher avatars for social VR with face monitoring.
I would not be stunned if this model finally ends up costing twice as a lot because the Quest 3, but it surely’ll really feel like a model of Quest that is not holding again by way of efficiency and cameras. Meta’s idea artwork above appears to counsel the ASUS ROG headset may have an Elite-style strap in-built, which any premium headset ought to have by default. Better of all, your Quest library will carry over to this headset due to Meta Horizon OS.
We do not know if this headset will arrive in 2025 like Moohan and Deckard, however we have now a robust motive to hope!
Our greatest VR headsets record has been too brief and Quest-dominated for a very long time. It isn’t that I dislike Quest, however I consider that competitors is desperately wanted to maintain the VR house recent and thrilling.
I am more and more hopeful that 2025 would be the 12 months that the VR world is shaken up. Other than Valve Deckard, Samsung Undertaking Moohan, and ASUS ROG Tarius, we have now Sony’s productiveness headset working Android XR and Lenovo’s productiveness headset working Meta Horizon OS. The latter two aren’t particularly thrilling to me personally, however I do know they’re going to attraction to of us who could not afford the Imaginative and prescient Professional.
Personally, based mostly on the leaked data above, I’ll take a protracted, arduous have a look at my finances to see if I will be capable to afford Deckard later this 12 months.
