Valve has made good on its promise to make its next-generation Steam Frame virtual reality (VR) headset accessible to those looking to build or mod the device, releasing initial details on using its hardware expansion port along with “stripped down CAD” files.
“Information provided within this repository is for informational purposes only,” Valve warns those interested in using the design files it has released to expand their Steam Frame with mods and accessories. “The reference material is provided on an AS-IS basis. Valve Corporation reserves the right to change hardware designs in any way. Valve is not responsible for any damage to hardware that may arise from the use of mechanical or electrical interfaces to the Steam Frame that are not ‘Steam Frame Compatible.’ This includes opening or making modifications to the Steam Frame.”
Valve has released “stripped-down” CAD files for its Steam Frame VR headset, along with reference designs and interface details for its expansion port. (📷: Valve)
Valve’s Steam Frame, which recentlyopened up a lotteryto be in with a chance of being one of the first to pre-order the next-generation replacement for the company’s earlier Index VR headset, is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen. 3 processor and packs 16GB of LPDDR5X memory plus 256GB or 1TB of storage. Despite that impressive power, Valve is positioning the device as “streaming-first” — linking to a more powerful gaming PC or laptop and streaming the visuals to its dual 2,160×2,160 displays. ItsArch Linux-based operating system, however, comes with a compatibility layer that allows Android-based games written for devices like the Meta Quest family to run on-device, boosting its software ecosystem.
The company isn’t just thinking about the software side of things, though: it has telegraphed plans to build a hardware ecosystem around the headset, which it wants people to think of as more like a wearable gaming PC than a black-box commercial product — complete with the ability to mod and tinker. While the company’s legalese above may put some off, it has nevertheless published the details one would need to build hardware add-ons for the headset — following in the footsteps of Arcturus Vision, whose full-color pass-through camera system was announced as a third-party accessory for the headset.
The files are available to all, though the company notes that warranties may be void — and the license precludes commercial use. (📷: Valve)
The headset’s hardware repository includes details on using the Steam Frame’s built-in hardware expansion port, Altium design files for a simple USB 3.0 Hub accessory example, KiCad design files for a cut-down minimal version of the hub, CAD files for the controller accessories, plus “stripped-down” CAD files for the core module and its headstrap. All, the company notes, are subject to change — though with companies already designing around the expansion port, it seems unlikely to differ much between now and general availability.
The hardware files are availablein the Steam Hardware Git repositoryunder the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license, which precludes commercial use. “If you wish to pursue a commercial license,” Valve says, “please reach out to us at steamframecompatible at valvesoftware [dot] com.”
