Valve Might Be Working on a Wireless VR Headset

Valve

By Nat Collazo

Published 3 days ago

Thread 1

Valve

Highlights

Valve has patented a wireless VR device, potentially the next Valve Index.
The currently unannounced device focuses on wireless gameplay, aiming to provide sharp graphics without sacrificing fidelity.
It will likely be some time before the headset is announced, as the application was just submitted in December 2023.

A patent for a wireless VR device from Valve has surfaced online. The patent examines several key features of the device, including how the developer plans to incorporate wireless capabilities without losing the game's graphical fidelity. This device, which could be the next Valve Index, would be the first truly wireless VR headset solely developed by Valve.

Valve is no stranger to VR, having previously released SteamVR on the Steam platform. The software allows players to easily access and play VR games with headsets besides the Valve Index. The Valve Index gives VR fanatics a quality experience with base stations for the highest quality tracking, but the downside to the product is that it's wired, with no real way to use it without maneuvering around the cable on the back of the face gasket.

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The patent's description page details that this new device is built with a focus on wireless gameplay, ensuring that players never feel tethered to the host computer. The patent also explains how limited data rates make streaming games onto VR headsets difficult and how the developers aim to resolve that issue by combining a 2D array of pixels for each eye to make the picture sharper. Players with access to some of the best VR games on the market may want to keep an eye on this ultra-handy device.

A New Valve Index Might Be In The Works

The patent notes that graphics-intensive games are difficult to stream to VR without losing some of their fidelity. Valve aims to resolve this issue through several hardware changes, though it also notes that the host computer or laptop will still need to be in the same geographical location as the headset to function properly. The device will also work using the same network as the host computer or using an intermediary computing device, such as a gaming laptop.

Valve's wireless VR patent was published on June 27 but officially applied for in December 2023, with the recentness of the application implying that gamers won't see an official announcement from Valve for some time. Some VR fans agree that the Valve Index is a sophisticated piece of VR technology and even a benchmark for the ultimate VR experience in 2024. However, seamless immersion and wireless gameplay have become more popular in the VR genre's growing landscape, making headsets like the Meta Quest 3 and the HTC Vive Pro 2 VR popular with