Steam Frame release date nears as Valve’s new VR headset secures key certification
We should have FCC-een that coming
🙌 The Steam Frame has received a very important piece of certification, paving the way for an impending release
👍 The headset has received FCC certification, which is a very big deal and usually one of the last hurdles a product clears before it can reach the market
⚒️ Valve has been constantly updating its own backend for the Steam Frame to get everything ready
📦 It has also received a huge number of devices into its US warehouse as it readies stock for an inevitable pre-order
We’re edging ever closer to the Steam Frame’s release date, and the device has just cleared a big hurdle by securing some key certification.
As per Steam Hardware Updates on X, the Steam Frame has secured FCC certification, which the account describes as being “a big deal” and probably “the biggest thing that needs to happen for launch and is a great sign”.
The certification covers 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, 5 GHz Wi-Fi, 6 GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other low-power wireless transmissions, with multiple grants issued for the device’s various radios. It also confirms the headset uses a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna system.
While FCC certification doesn’t guarantee the Steam Frame is going to launch any time this week, it’s usually one of the last regulatory hurdles a product clears before it reaches the market.
For reference, the Steam Machine received FCC certification in December, and then was released the following June, although with all of what’s going on with the Frame, waiting a further six months for release doesn’t seem like it’s on the agenda.
With this in mind, Valve has been relentlessly working on backend updates for the device, signalling an announcement for a price and the long-awaited Steam Frame pre-order could come at virtually any moment.
Valve recently deployed one of its biggest backend updates yet, which could signal it’s readying review samples for the Steam Deck, meaning an actual announcement on pre-orders and availability could be very close.
Lots of Steam Frame accessories have also been showing up on Amazon in recent weeks, suggesting that brands are getting ready for when the device eventually launches. Some of Valve’s more recent shipments have also included an adapter for the Steam Frame and ergonomics kit.
We’ve also surpassed 25 verified games for the new ‘Great on Frame’ category Valve recently launched on Steam, plus the headset has now received Steamworks support, which all point to a release potentially coming very soon.
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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.