Valve has recently announced that enthusiasts can register to purchase the Steam Frame starting this week. This virtual reality headset, which comes with a free game, is by no means cheaper than the Steam Machine.
Memory Crisis and Its Impact on Prices
Valve's plans to expand its hardware range have come at the worst possible time. The ongoing memory shortage has driven up the prices of all gaming hardware, from consoles to PCs. This situation undoubtedly includes the second version of the Steam Machine, which was launched earlier this year at a price of £879, a price that Valve considers very high.
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Valve has also announced the release date and price of the Steam Frame. While the good news is that this headset will soon be available, the bad news is that its price is as high as the Steam Machine. According to available information, two versions of the Steam Frame will be available for purchase: one with 256GB of storage priced at £889 and another with 1TB of storage priced at £1,089.
Purchase Process and Future Predictions
In addition to the headset, buyers will receive a pair of controllers and a copy of the exclusive VR game Half-Life: Alyx. Enthusiasts wishing to purchase this product must register in a lottery by Thursday, September 17, at 4 PM UK time and hope that their name is selected.
Joy Lyons, a hardware engineer, noted that Valve initially expected a lower price for the Steam Frame. She said, "We wanted to ensure that the base product had outstanding performance. However, the target price changed due to the global RAM crisis." She also expressed hope that customers would be able to access the new product amid this hardware crisis.
Meanwhile, the Steam Deck, Valve's handheld device, has also been affected by this crisis and saw a £200 price increase in May. However, the company remains interested in developing the second generation of the Steam Deck and has stated that the memory shortage has not impacted its plans. Pierre-Loup Griffais, a software developer, stated that they are still looking to make significant improvements in the performance of the next generation Steam Deck.
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