Valve’s subsequent VR headset could also be simply across the nook, as provide chain leaks recommend the system has now entered mass manufacturing.
The Information
The ‘XR Analysis Institute’, a Chinese language analysis group accountable for earlier leaks surrounding Ray-Ban Meta, claims that Valve is now ramping manufacturing of its subsequent VR headset.
As first reported by UploadVR, the group claims Valve is aiming for a manufacturing quantity of 400,000 – 600,000 items this 12 months.
Chinese language language WeChat person ‘BlackHairSheriff008’ says in a now-deleted WeChat submit that the system is concentrating on launching in This autumn 2025 to capitalize on the Vacation purchasing season.
From BlackHairSheriff’s article, it’s not clear exactly what kind of VR headset Valve is supposedly manufacturing proper now, no less than in response to the XR Analysis Institute leak. The poster suggests Valve could identify the system “Index 2”.
What’s extra, the now-deleted article acknowledged that Valve was manufacturing the system in Shandong, China, nevertheless the submit was taken down following the revelation it could truly be a Taiwan-based firm.
There may be mounting proof nevertheless that Valve is certainly producing a VR headset of some type. Known as ‘Deckard’ or ‘Steam Body’, rumors recommend Valve is making a standalone headset that may additionally wirelessly stream PC VR video games.
Moreover, XR information analyst Brad Lynch (aka ‘SadlyItsBradley‘) now suggests Valve could also be finalizing developer variations of the {hardware}, indicated by ‘DV1’ and ‘DV2’ present in code inside the newest SteamVR beta.
Deckard DV1 and DV2 fashions appeared in tonight’s SteamVR beta
For Valve {hardware}: DV items are the ultimate phases earlier than the mannequin (PV) that buyers will purchase pic.twitter.com/xO4PJop1Wq
— SadlyItsDadley (@SadlyItsBradley) October 9, 2025
My Take
I discover it fairly unlikely Valve would ever make investments the time to launch a purely PC VR follow-up to the 2019 Valve Index, which depends on SteamVR base stations and compulsory PC tether. Even in 2025, it’s an awesome headset, however more and more cumbersome compared to its newer skinny and light-weight rivals, like Bigscreen Past 2 and the soon-to-launch Pimax Dream Air.
Let’s suppose Valve slims down Index, removes the necessity for each base stations and tether, and replaces them with inside-out monitoring and a neat wi-fi dongle for low-latency PC-to-VR streaming. Even with the supposed inclusion of eye-tracking, it doesn’t really feel like that hypothetical ‘next-gen’ goes far sufficient. Valve is normally centered on transferring the needle, and that alone doesn’t do it.
To me, Valve is trying to transfer the needle by providing (for the dearth of a greater time period) a Steam Deck on your face.
Whereas I’m not suggesting Deckard will certainly be able to natively driving all PC VR video games, it could be sufficient for a lot of prosumers to have a tool able to downloading flatscreen video games on-device and enjoying on an enormous private theater display. We’ve seen leaks of Valve controllers late final 12 months, codenamed ‘Roy’, that appear to incorporate a gamepad-style button format, which might make it simpler for customers to play flatscreen video games.
Grain of salt right here: it might additionally stream PC video games wirelessly at ‘excellent’ high quality and latency, and play some PC VR video games natively too—possibly even an optimized model of Half-Life: Alyx (2020). In accordance with a rumor by ‘Gabe Follower’ from earlier this 12 months, Valve can be reportedly making ready “video games or demos” that work natively for the system.
Regardless of the case, all indicators level to Valve unveiling one thing quickly, so we’re hoping to be taught extra within the subsequent few months.
