🆕 A new Valve backend update for Steam Frame sheds more light on the headset’s game verification system
👍 It’s been updated so 2D games aren’t tested for the headset’s native display resolution requirement
👏 This has seen Portal 2 go from being “Playable” to fully “Verified” in the backend
📅 This all forms part of Valve’s extensive backend prep ahead of the headset’s launch
A brand new backend update to the Steam Frame appears to have shed more light on how Valve’s verification system is going to work for compatible games for the system.
As per insider Brad Lynch on X, Valve has updated its game verification system for the Steam Frame so that 2D games are no longer tested for the native display resolution requirement meant for VR games.
Previously, the headset got its first compatible game – Portal 2 – where a caveat of its compatibility rating was that it “doesn’t support Steam Frame’s native display resolution and may experience degraded performance as a result”.
With this new change, Portal 2 now shows as “Verified” rather than “Playable”, as it isn’t designed as a VR title, but is instead 2D.
For reference, Portal 2 hasn’t ever been natively available in VR, and it had been floated that we may be getting a proper VR port of the classic title.
However, with this new revelation, it seems like it’ll just mean you can play the game in 2D mode natively on the Steam Frame, which is an appealing aspect of Valve’s upcoming headset.
There has been an unofficial port of Portal 2 in VR floating around for years, plus the Aperture Hand Lab title released in 2019 is one of the few first-party Valve VR endeavors to take place in the Portal universe.
We’re still counting down the days until the Steam Frame’s release, with several signs pointing to an imminent announcement. We’ve had a first look at the headset’s first virtual environment and localization of the headset’s Welcome Tour tutorial has been spotted.
There has also been a steady stream of shipments of the device in recent weeks alongside a range of new details popping up from backend updates, including new photos of the device appearing.
The Steam Frame is still anticipated to launch in a few short weeks, according to insider Lynch, who noted a similar launch timeline to the Steam Machine. Many believe an announcement could happen after the Steam Summer sale ends tomorrow.
Up next: Steam Frame pre-order guide: how to reserve Valve’s VR headset when the time comes
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.