Valve’s long-rumored, next-generation VR headset, known for years by its project codename “Deckard,” may finally have an official name: the “Steam Frame.” The discovery comes from a newly surfaced trademark filing, which is further supported by evidence datamined from Steam’s own software files.
The trademark filing for “Steam Frame” was recently located. While the description is broad, as is standard, it covers the exact categories one would expect: “computer hardware; computer networking hardware; computer peripherals; computer hardware and computer software for the reproduction, processing, and streaming of audio, video, data, text, and multimedia content.”
Corroborating this finding, dataminer “Lifeismana” dug into the latest SteamVR update and found multiple code strings that specifically mention the “Steam Frame” device.
More Than Just a Device Name
Image: Steam Deck
The name may have a clever double meaning that signals a larger strategic shift for Valve. According to prominent Valve insider Brad Lynch, the name “Frame” isn’t just about the hardware.
Lynch reports that Valve is also planning to rebrand its SteamVR “overlays”—the application windows and menus you see inside VR—to “Frames.”
This ties in perfectly with expectations that the device’s major selling point will be “spatial gaming.” Rather than just being a headset for traditional VR games, the “Steam Frame” could be the name of Valve’s new spatial computing platform, competing directly with Apple’s “spatial computer” approach. The headset would be the frame through which you view the spatial frames (apps).
While Valve has made no official announcement, the combination of a legal trademark, internal software code, and reliable insider reports provides the strongest evidence yet that the “Deckard” project is nearing launch with an ambitious new brand.
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