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While details are extremely light, we now know Valve's VR headset is called the Valve Index and more details are coming soon.

A new page popped up on Steam and what's there is a single image giving us a teaser of the Valve Index VR headset:

This was actually leaked back in November last year which I reported on and the leaked images certainly match up to Valve's teaser of the Index above. So all we really know right now is the name and either more information or an actual release will be in May. Still, it's quite exciting!

Hopefully the Linux experience will be good, although considering all the work Valve has put in and contracted people to work on various parts of Linux by the time it releases we might see reasonable out of the box support.

The one thing I am still concerned about is price, as the HTC Vive, the only currently official SteamVR headset, is still around £500 and likely out of reach for many people (myself included). Hopefully the Valve Index will see a lower price for more to jump in and experience it.

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Valck Mar 31, 2019
Quoting: kuhpunkt
Quoting: ValckBetter, yes.
Much much better than that stuff from the 90s.

Quoting: ValckMore affordable, marginally.
Marginally? When the Vive came out it was like 800-900€/$. The WMR headsets are already being sold for 200$.

I don't deny any of it. Still, a price tag of 200 quid/bucks/euros for a gadget is definitely enthusiast, especially if you keep in mind the rest of the system that needs to go with it. A RasPi won't do (yet).

I was hyped when the Occulus was first announced (that hype died deader than dead when Facebook swallowed it), and I do still hope VR takes off (have always been since back in the early nineties), it's just I'm a little less confident it actually will too soon, until such time that it does.
I certainly am one to shell out the money - when it's available, and when there is Linux support. Not just proprietary games running on Linux, but SDKs to allow for independent, FOSS development. Especially if the manufacturer actively supports and embraces it.

After you've been waiting for a quarter century or more, another decade is not that much of a stretch...



On the other hand – if enthusiast hardware is at the price/performance point it is now, I'd love to see what the Siemenses, Mitsubishis, and Tessier-Ashpools have in their secret labs.
Nezchan Mar 31, 2019
Quoting: Sil_el_mot
Quoting: kuhpunkt
Quoting: NezchanSo is this one actually designed with people who wear glasses in mind? As far as I can tell, every VR headset on the market so far treats that as an afterthought, which is weird given the sheer number of glasses-wearers, presumably even on the engineering teams.

From what I've heard the Vive always had enough room for glasses. I'm sure Valve will do the same with the Index.

I can confirm. My wife wears glasses, i head a vive running in my work for 2 months for testing, with a lot of ppl who wear glasses, there were no problems!

How is it on the ears? I, and a lot of other glasses wearers, have problems with headphones due to that.
ryad Apr 1, 2019
In my humble opinion, the VR hype is dying just like 3D TVs a few years ago. Nobody is going to miss them once they're out of market. Moreover Valve was not really successful producing hardware recently (not to say ever?). They're a great software company and they should focus on their main competences.
axredneck Apr 1, 2019
Quoting: ryadMoreover Valve was not really successful producing hardware recently (not to say ever?).
Steam Controller?
Mohandevir Apr 1, 2019
Personnally, what I'd like to see them do is an optimized version of a SteamLink handheld with a 7" or 8" screen. Could even be Android based, making it more multi purpose.


Last edited by Mohandevir on 1 April 2019 at 1:52 pm UTC
Sil_el_mot Apr 1, 2019
Quoting: Nezchan
Quoting: Sil_el_mot
Quoting: kuhpunkt
Quoting: NezchanSo is this one actually designed with people who wear glasses in mind? As far as I can tell, every VR headset on the market so far treats that as an afterthought, which is weird given the sheer number of glasses-wearers, presumably even on the engineering teams.

From what I've heard the Vive always had enough room for glasses. I'm sure Valve will do the same with the Index.

I can confirm. My wife wears glasses, i head a vive running in my work for 2 months for testing, with a lot of ppl who wear glasses, there were no problems!

How is it on the ears? I, and a lot of other glasses wearers, have problems with headphones due to that.

Nobody complained. i used a vive with the audio strap addon, and now the vive pro. it fits, and the audio is good

But i should mention, that the vive pro doesn't work for me in linux. me and quiet a few ppl have problems with 100% on one cpu and a freeze short after start.
with the vive 1 though i had no problems at all playing a very lot games on linux (just the battleeye-stuff like onward didn't work).


Last edited by Sil_el_mot on 1 April 2019 at 6:28 pm UTC
Purple Library Guy Apr 1, 2019
Quoting: aokami
Quoting: SolitaryWell, hopefully it's gonna be cheap, with Steam they can make money later with people buying VR games. VR needs to be more common to flourish, so it wouldnt make sense to keep it expensive hobby. Price of admission will go down with every VR generation.

They are still facing a lot of publishers switching to Epic store. So money might not be so great lately. :(
(Hence so much effort to get both Linux and VR on tracks so they become leader of a new huge market.) IMHO
Are they? The other day a co-worker who has no involvement with Linux was snarking about the Epic store, saying it was a joke and had like 20 games.
a0kami Apr 2, 2019
Quoting: Purple Library GuyAre they? The other day a co-worker who has no involvement with Linux was snarking about the Epic store, saying it was a joke and had like 20 games.

Well, Metro exodus was quite the drama. I wouldn't be surprised more dev does the same. Also free game every 2 weeks en Epic store + Fortnite, they might be gaining more more market share (of course very slowly but yet).
ryad Apr 3, 2019
Quoting: axredneck
Quoting: ryadMoreover Valve was not really successful producing hardware recently (not to say ever?).
Steam Controller?

Seriously? You call the Steam Controller a successful product? Common...
Eike Apr 3, 2019
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Quoting: ryad
Quoting: axredneck
Quoting: ryadMoreover Valve was not really successful producing hardware recently (not to say ever?).
Steam Controller?

Seriously? You call the Steam Controller a successful product? Common...

How many have been sold? How many would it need in your opinion to call it successful?
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