Yesterday, 25th of September, an e-mail from valve to the Verge was posted on the internet, talking about the new 2.0 beta version of steam that just got released. With this e-mail, a bunch of new information dropped, which includes UI changes, overlay windows, improved compatibility with Linux, Virtual keyboard updates(finally), and other new features!
The E-mail
The e-mail read as follows, including bolded text:
-The SteamVR TeamGreetings! Today we are shipping SteamVR 2.0 in beta. We see this is as the first major step toward our goal of bringing all of what’s new on the Steam platform into VR.
Users who opt into this beta will notice a new UI with lots of added features:
·Most of the current features of Steam and Steam Deck are now part of SteamVR
·Updated keyboard with support for new languages, emojis, and themes
·Integration of Steam Chat and Voice Chat
· Improved Store that puts new and popular VR releases front and center
This is just the beginning of SteamVR 2.0’s journey, and we’ll have more to share in the coming weeks and months as we collect feedback and work on the features mentioned above. This beta will give us a chance to iron out the kinks as more and more people try it out. As with all betas, this means SteamVR 2.0 will get better and better as we prepare it for its eventual full public launch.
To try out the new UI, opt in to both SteamVR Beta and the Steam Client Beta.
Instructions for Steam Client Beta:
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/276C-85A0-C531-AFA3
Instructions for SteamVR Beta:
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/4F5E-AD22-7402-2EAD
Thanks!
Pictures of the new interface taken by valve, shared by TheVerge
You may read the full changelog at https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/250820?emclan=103582791435040972&emgid=3666547477701338587
New headset
Valve has been said to be developing a standalone headset back in 2021, but a strange Valve device has been observed moving through South Korea’s National Radio Research Agency, potentially indicating an upcoming launch. It was nicknamed “RC-V1V-1030”. The agency has certified it as a “low power wireless device” as originally spotted by users on Arca.live and shared by Brad Lynch on twitter:
The Valve device has not surfaced in the United States’ FCC database or the Bluetooth SIG so far, and there’s a possibility it might never show up in either registry. Valve successfully avoided early detection for the Steam Deck before by getting its Wi-Fi/Bluetooth supplier, Realtek, to re-certify the wireless module instead of certifying the Steam Deck directly. The only thing known so far is that it has 5Ghz Wi-Fi.
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