Happy Steam Frame Day!
ICYMI: The Steam Frame was released on September 14th. It may not be an official holiday or anything, but it’s still an exciting announcement whether you’re a developer in the VR space, or a customer who’s been on the waitlist since day one.
Over here at Cloudhead Games, we have our own thoughts and feelings about the Steam Frame. However, our CEO, Denny, says it best. If you’re interested in hearing what he has to say about the Steam Frame release, along with some other industry insights, give the video below a watch! But if you’d prefer to read some abbreviated thoughts, or simply can’t watch a video right now, you can continue on below.
Cloudhead and Industry Hot Takes
Cloudhead Games has been working with various iterations of the Steam Frame since last year, so we wanted to provide a brief developer perspective on the hardware.
But first, let’s address the elephant in the room. One of the great frustrations for developers in the VR space is there has always been an addressable market for virtual reality. It’s a medium like no other, and it can deliver experiences like no other device. None of that has changed. It’s much like the console market in that there is a user base that loves it and if you can play within those margins, it’s a fantastic medium to stay in.
The downside to that is there are very few hardware makers that are actually staying involved to the degree that Meta or Valve and a lot of studios, including Cloudhead, have been impacted deeply by some of the decisions made. The industry remains a wild west for VR developers. You have to have grit to be in this industry. But with that said, there is an industry there.
Steam Frame: Developer Perspective
Valve is doing something at a time where releasing new hardware into the market is a practical impossibility with rising hardware costs and premium price points of headsets. However, it’s these kinds of premium devices that suit this medium in a specific way.
Big kudos to Valve for pushing this out the door against the industry odds. It’s something that needed to be done as it enters the market as a competitor to Meta’s Quest 3 as it’s a standalone device with streaming capabilities, and a light-weight form factor and fantastic optics. The controllers are also adapted from the Steam Deck, which makes the Steam Frame an equally couchable device. If you’re picking up the Steam Frame, it’s a great device that won’t disappoint. It is a next iteration on where VR is headed as a medium and as a piece of hardware, and it represents the next step in immersive medium.
What’s next for Cloudhead Games?
We just wrapped up a special Pistol Whip standalone version for the Steam Frame. We’re excited for those who are picking up the Steam Frame to have access to that right away, and we’d love to hear your thoughts on the experience!
Aside from that, Cloudhead is also in the midst of production of a 2D/VR cross platform game. Finding ways to bridge the gap between 2D players and VR players has never been more important.
We look forward to sharing more about our new project, and we’ll have more details about that to come.
Until next time!
Cloudhead Games 💖
