You are welcome in the changing and emerging world of Virtual Reality, where VR experiences like the Valve Index and Meta Quest, one platform Steam have made the hub for VR fans and a go-to platform for a wide range of VR games.
This Brief guide on What is needed to play VR on Steam and I will walk you through everything you need to know to get your VR hardware fully set up with Steam and start enjoying.
We’ll cover key topics for What is Needed to Play VR on Steam. The Requirement for gaming is simple and listed below:
- We need VR headsets compatible with Steam
- We need System requirements for smooth performance
- Installing and configuring
- We need Browsing, purchasing, and launching games/apps
- For quality, we need to Customize your experience with comfort settings
- We also look for Multiplayer/social features
- And more!
So put on your headset, boot up Steam, and let’s dive into this immersive new Steam gaming world!
| Category | Spec |
| Processor | Intel i5/Ryzen 5 or greater |
| Graphics Card | Nvidia GTX 1080 or Radeon Vega 56 |
| RAM | 16GB |
Step Into the World: Headsets 101
Alright, time for a quick crash course on Steam-compatible hardware before we dive into the Steam ocean! I’ll keep it simple like we’re buddies chatting over beers. 🍻
Playing immersive VR titles from your Steam library requires more than just a solid gaming PC and reliable WiFi. You need an awesome virtual reality headset to slap on and transport yourself straight into those action-packed intergalactic battles or magical fantasy lands! ⚔️🧙♂️
There are a bunch of slick headsets on the market now that play nice with Steam thanks to OpenVR integration. While the older HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets still work, I’d go for one of the newer options:
- 🥇Valve Index – The crown jewel made by Steam overlords Valve themselves. Killer specs and Steam integration.
- Meta Quest 2 – Standalone wireless power meets PCVR. Just link with a cable to play SteamVR!
- HTC Vive Pro 2 – Successor to the OG Vive. Cutting-edge display and tracking.
- Pimax Crystal – Extra wide 200 ĚŠ field of view takes immersion up a notch.
Those are the most popular, but HP, Varjo, and others also have sick Steam-compatible models if you fancy a deeper dive.
What About Controllers and Base Stations?
For full immersion in your Virtual reality worlds, you need intuitive controllers for grabbing, aiming, gestures, and haptic feedback. Most headsets bundle their specialized controllers, but you can mix and match brands too. Common options:
- Valve Knuckles – With force sensors, pressure sensitivity, and finger tracking – peak performance!
- Oculus Touch – Ergonomic grip controllers with good hand presence.
- Vive Wands – Versatile all-rounders, now with tracker dongles. Upgrade to Index controllers later!
You also need base stations installed high up in your play space for precise headset and controller tracking.
Newer headsets mostly use inside-out tracking cameras instead, but classic external stations are still recommended for maximum accuracy with titles needing large movements like shooter and sword games.
| Base Station Models |
| SteamVR 1.0 and 2.0 |
| HTC Vive 1.0 and 2.0 |
| Varjo Base Stations |
I could nerd out for days on the tech specs, but don’t sweat the small stuff for now! Once we get SteamVR rolling on your machine, you can obsess over refresh rates, field of view, modular audio straps, and fancy face gaskets to optimize your virtual adventures. 🤓
Onwards my friend – grab any solid virtual reality headset that titillates your tech senses! As long as Steam supports it, you are good to go and ready to explore new worlds…
Get Your Steam Engines Primed for VR Adventure
We got our shiny new virtual reality headset, space cleared out in the living room, and juices flowing – so let’s set sail my hearties! ⚓️ At this point, you likely have Steam installed already…but we need to get that beefy platform prepped for virtual reality.
Full steam ahead to SteamVR land! It won’t take much; I’ll be your captain guiding you through the steps smooth as butter.
Installing SteamVR: What is Needed to Play VR on Steam
The Steam app is your gateway to, well, virtual reality on Steam! Just head to the Steam store page and click that seductive “Install Game” button to install it free of charge.
Once installed (it’s around 2GB), Steam will automatically handle the installation. Grab a drink from the fridge whilst you wait matey – even with a high-speed broadband cannon it takes a few minutes.
If you want the bleeding edge virtual reality updates, you can also opt into the Steam beta. I tend to stick to the public release build for stability, but it’s there if you fancy bragging about new features to your scurvy comrades!
Linking Your Headset
So Steam is locked and loaded. Time to connect your shiny new virtual reality headset!
This step varies per headset, but generally, it’s as simple as:
- Plug your headset into your PC via USB and DisplayPort or HDMI.
- Some headsets like Meta/Oculus use their app to handle connections. If unsure, check your headset manual!
- For wireless wizardry, connect using a middleware app like Virtual Desktop instead. Sorcery!
Once connected, Steam should automatically detect your headset and install any special drivers. Let it work its magic!
Setting Up Your Play Area
Phew, we have virtual reality visuals and can see Steam! High five! Oh wait…you can’t see my hand can you? 😆
Let’s define your IRL play area so you don’t accidentally smack a controller into your TV during intense battles!
- Using your headset and controllers, trace the outline of your space.
- SteamVR’s “Chaperone” system will then display virtual walls when you’re nearing room bounds.
- For seated play only, you can skip room setup.
I also highly recommend setting your headset display to begin showing the outside camera view if someone tries to enter your sacred play area. Nothing kills the fantasy of casting magic spells quicker than accidentally poking Grandma! Consider yourself warned. ⚠️ 🧓⚔️🧙♂️
Wonderbar – with Steam installed and your swanky headset linked up, you’re primed to start sailing the high seas of virtual reality! Now let’s go find some buried treasure in the Steam Store aye? 🏴☠️
What is Needed to Play VR on Steam: Finding VR Booty on the Steam Store
Avast me hearties! Now with SteamVR installed and your virtual reality headset connected, it’s time to dive into that deep steamy pool of virtual reality titles! 🤿
The Steam Store holds hundreds of the best virtual reality games and apps outside of only the tech demos. Beyond just games too – you can find stunning virtual worlds, artistic experiences, tools, and more.
Not sure where to start swabbing the deck? Let me help steer you towards the peak treasures!
Browsing the Steam Store for Games
The Steam Store can feel overwhelming like a vast endless sea at first… 😵💫
Thankfully you can easily filter it down to just content:
- Click the “VR” button on the top navigation bar
- Alternatively use the sidebar menu: Categories > Virtual Reality
- Choose your VR headset or input type to further filter
From there you’ll see featured titles along with some handy sorting tools on the left sidebar like customer review ratings, price brackets, early access status, etc.
I’d start with the “Top Selling” and “What’s Being Experienced” pages showcasing the most popular games people are actively sailing right now!
Launching Games
Once you spy a virtual reality game that tickles your fancy on the Steam Store, grab that bad boy and sail it back to port into your Steam library!
With your headset on, you can then launch virtual reality games from:
- Your Steam desktop library
- The SteamVR universal menu by pressing the virtual reality dashboard button on your controllers
- Directly within the SteamVR Home space
I prefer to browse and queue up my virtual reality sessions on the desktop first, then flick the magic “Play” switch once wearing the headset.
When firing up room-scale games requiring space to move around, clear out any obstacles in your defined play area. Safety first! 🏥
Alright, my hard-working deckhand! With those Steam library discovery tools in your utility belt, take some time to explore the many worlds of virtual reality now accessible thanks to Steam integration. Hoist the sails! ⛵️
Customizing Your VR Game Settings
You found some prized virtual reality games in the Steam treasure trove and are sailing the virtual seas, my friend! Excellent progress…but before you dive in too deep, let’s tweak the settings to ensure smooth virtual reality sailing.
Nobody wants to battle seasickness whilst fighting goblin pirates. 🤢🤮 These customizations will boost performance and maximize immersive comfort!
Adjusting Graphics and Resolution
Depending on your rig’s specs, you may need to adjust in-game graphics down from “virtual reality Ultra” to maintain silky smooth frame rates without sacrificing too much detail:
- Start with the default balanced preset
- Lower environment textures and model details if needed
- Scale render resolution to find the sweet spot between image sharpness and performance
Motion Smoothing
If visual stutters persist causing nausea, enable “motion smoothing” to stabilize framerates. This uses some rendering magic to generate synthetic frames when native game performance falters. Sneaky!
There are pros and cons to smoothing though, causing minor artifacts… I’d only use sparingly when needed.
Controlling Comfort
Beyond raw performance, tweaking options for visual and physical comfort in SteamVR can prevent “getting your virtual reality legs”:
- Increase snap turn degrees in increments vs. smooth rotation
- Toggle on vignette tunnels for locomotion movement
- Adjust playspace height/scale to match real-world setup
Don’t be afraid to play with all the wacky toggles matey! That’s what they’re there for.
Roomscale or Seated?
Depending on your available space, switch between room-scale and seated modes on Steam games when needed:
- For active room-scale movement, clear obstacles and define boundaries with chaperone walls
- For cockpit/racing/flight sims, get comfy in your captain’s chair
No rules here buck-o, whatever matches your adventure! Now full steam ahead to the horizons my hearty… 🚢
The Future Looks Bright! Where SteamVR Sails Next
We’ve covered a lot of ground on getting primed with Steam to sail the virtual seas today my virtual reality buddy! I feel we earned our sea legs. 🦵
But like any self-respecting pirate knows…there are always new adventures and treasures on the horizon! Let’s gaze into the future spyglass for a moment at where the wizards at Valve plan to steer Steam next.
Exciting innovations ahead for gaming! ☠️
New Hardware and Platforms
Valve is hard at work on new virtual reality hardware and input systems behind their secret cursed treasure vault doors. We may one day see:
- A new Valve Index headset with upgraded resolution, wireless, and optics
- Natural hand input devices for fully intuitive controls
- Wearable computing integration with Valve’s Steam Deck handheld device
- More partnerships with hardware makers to expand the Steam ecosystem
We also may see SteamVR escape the shackles of the PC eventually. I can see mobile app versions being released to let standalone virtual reality headsets access Steam games without wires!
Freedom on the high virtual seas! 🏴☠️
Social and Shared Experiences
Expect more refinement of Steam Home too – our customizable virtual “home base” hangout space before launching into games. With virtual reality trending social, Valve could add functionality like:
- Multiplayer Home spaces to hang with friends
- Minigames and new interactions
- Avatar customization options
- In-headset friends chat so we can high-five and taunt each other!
I’d also bet on significant updates continuing for the universal Steam dashboard we use to hop between experiences. Smoother sailing ahead!
More Games and Apps Than We Can Handle
And even though the Steam Store already overflows with outstanding virtual reality games and apps to keep us busy for multiple lifetimes…the floodgates will continue bursting open with new virtual worlds as virtual reality technology matures!
Our adventure has only just begun folks. Valve will continue pushing boundaries so hang onto your sailor hats! Who knows where our journey will take us? For now, I’ll see you mateys in the metaverse! ⚓️🚀
That is all for the guide What is Needed to Play virtual reality on Steam and if you have any queries so do let me know in the comment section regarding this topic “What is Needed to Play VR on Steam”.
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