If you have any interest in virtual reality, you’ve probably already heard about the Steam Frame, Valve’s latest VR headset. And with its unveiling, we now have confirmation that the Valve Index has ceased production. Index launched back in June 2019 as a high-end headset, which Valve later chased with Half-Life: Alyx in March 2020, and it’s still one of the best VR games to date.

Steam Frame represents a leap towards a more streaming-focused experience, as well as a standalone one, and steps away from the previous wired design of the Valve Index. As such, Valve has made it clear that the Steam Frame really shouldn’t be considered a sequel.

Valve Index has been discontinued

According to designer Lawrence Yang, via The Verge, we now know that Valve is “no longer manufacturing” the Valve Index. The headset is currently priced at $499.00 on the Steam store in the U.S., which is way down from its original $999 price tag. Speaking of price, Valve is yet to reveal how much the Steam Frame will cost – all we do know is that it will be cheaper than the Index, as confirmed in an interview with Road to VR.

Steam Frame can connect to your gaming PC wirelessly, or work standalone, thanks to its onboard Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 16GB of RAM. The two controllers are also designed to work with non-VR games, thanks to including the usual amount of buttons you’ll find on a gamepad (between them), as well as a D-Pad and two thumbsticks. Or if you prefer, you can pick up Valve’s new Steam Controller, which was also announced with the Steam Frame… and the Steam Machine.

The three new Steam-branded products are set for release in “early 2026”. Valve is yet to announce exact release dates or prices.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.