Valve once thought it would be impossible to squeeze "Half-Life: Alyx" onto a standalone VR headset. The 2020 PC VR title comes packed with massive game assets that originally required a computer to run. But according to Valve, foveated rendering combined with eye tracking turned out to be the "solution," letting the team port the entire game to the new Steam Frame headset without altering any game assets or sacrificing the gameplay experience. The tradeoff was over a year of additional software development, all poured into Vulkan drivers and SteamVR—engineering work Valve says will benefit other games running on Steam Frame down the line.
Pricing for Steam Frame has now been revealed alongside the announcement. The 256GB version costs $1,059, while the 1TB version runs $1,299, with both versions including the controllers. After purchasing the headset, players can log into Steam Frame, head to the settings menu, and redeem a code for the remastered "Half-Life: Alyx."
Accessories were also unveiled alongside the headset. The charging power supply unit (PSU) costs $29 and is used to charge the built-in 21.6Wh battery—though if you already own a high-wattage USB-C charger, you can skip this purchase. The Accessory Replacement Kit costs $49 and includes a facial interface gasket, a head cushion, and a light blocker. The Ergonomic Accessories Kit costs $59 and includes two controller wrist straps, two controller strap battery covers, a top head strap, and an extended light blocker. Separately, Zenni Optical will offer customizable prescription lenses down the road, and Arcturus plans to release an RGB camera accessory—pricing for both has yet to be announced.
