Valve’s first VR app for Meta Quest simplifies access to SteamVR. Meta’s Andrew Bosworth is excited about the collaboration.
Steam Link for Meta Quest was released a week ago and has been well received by PC VR users.
The free VR app makes it a bit easier to stream PC VR games to Quest headsets. Unlike similar solutions like Meta’s own Air Link and Virtual Desktop, it requires no PC software other than Steam and SteamVR itself.
The announcement came as a surprise, as Valve has paid little attention to its own PC VR platform in recent years. Nowadays, almost every second headset used on a PC is a Meta Quest. So it makes sense for Valve to simplify access to SteamVR with a dedicated app.
Meta’s CTO: A win for everyone
Steam Link for Meta Quest is the first VR app Valve has released in the Meta Quest store, which requires Meta’s help and blessing. Getting that was apparently no problem.
In his latest AMA on Instagram, Meta’s CTO Andrew Bosworth tells his side of the story behind this collaboration:
Former rivals, now partners?
The rivalry between Meta and Valve dates back to 2014, when Facebook acquired Oculus and key Valve employees like Atman Binstock and Michael Abrash switched camps. For years, a headset and platform war raged over PC VR.
In 2019, Facebook turned away from PC VR and went all in on standalone VR with Meta Quest. The Oculus Rift product line was discontinued. Lone Echo II, the last major PC VR game funded by Facebook, was released in 2021.
Meta’s Rift platform has been dormant ever since, and it is currently completely unclear what will become of it in the long run. At the moment, it looks like Meta wants to pass the PC VR baton to Valve entirely, so Steam Link is indeed a win-win for both parties, but most importantly for consumers.
Source: Mixed News
