Valve Explains the High Price of Steam Frame

Valve has attributed the high price of the Steam Frame to its combination of game streaming and local execution, noting that abandoning advanced components late in development was no longer possible.

Valve explained the high price of the Steam Frame by stating that the headset combines game streaming with local running, and abandoning advanced components late in development was already impossible.

Following the launch of preorders, some players suggested that Valve could have simplified the device to lower the price. Pierre-Loup Griffais of Valve stated that at a certain stage of development, completely redesigning the Steam Frame and using less advanced components was difficult.

Initially, running games directly on the headset was considered a less important feature, but internal testing showed that this mode is used quite often. Valve believes that it has great potential for development.

Jeff Leinbaugh notes that over time, the role of the two modes may change. Valve is only beginning to test game compatibility, much like it once did with the Steam Deck. As the number of compatible projects grows, the Steam Frame could be perceived not only as a streaming device, but also as a VR headset for running games locally.