Valve starts selling the Steam Frame VR headset to reservation holders

Valve began sending purchase emails for its Steam Frame virtual reality headset on September 18, 2026, according to Engadget and VR.org. The first buyers were chosen through a randomized draw among people who had reserved the headset.

How the sale works

Valve announced the Steam Frame and opened reservations on September 14, 2026, with a post headlined 'Steam Frame is here!', VR.org reports. The reservation window closed on September 17 at 10 a.m. Pacific time, and Valve ran a randomized draw the same day.

Purchase emails began going out on September 18, VR.org reports, with each buyer given a 72-hour window to check out. Engadget reports that people not picked in the draw join a waitlist.

To reserve, buyers needed a Steam account in good standing with a purchase made before April 27, 2026, and only one account per household was allowed, according to VR.org.

Price and what's included

In the US, the 256GB kit costs $1,059 and the 1TB kit costs $1,299, both outlets report. Each kit includes controllers, a wireless adapter for streaming from a PC and a copy of Half-Life: Alyx, according to VR.org. The power supply is sold separately for $29.

Engadget reports that Valve also sells an Accessory Replacement Kit for $49 and an Ergonomic Accessories Kit for $59. According to Engadget, Valve said the rebuilt version of Half-Life: Alyx will not be ready for the Frame's launch and is intended to ship to customers soon.

Where it is sold

Valve sells the headset directly through Steam in the US, Canada, the UK, the European Union and Australia, VR.org reports. In Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong it is sold through the distributor KOMODO, with separate reservation lists by region.

Software at launch

Engadget reports that the Steam Frame launches with 130 standalone verified titles and a gamepad mode for playing 2D games. The launch also brings improvements to streaming, input focus, depth projection and visual sharpness, and Engadget reports that eye tracking and foveated rendering allowed the rebuilt Half-Life: Alyx to run without changes to its assets.

Why it matters

The Steam Frame is Valve's new VR headset, sold directly through Steam to buyers in several major markets. Its price, at more than $1,000 for the base kit, and the use of a reservation draw rather than open ordering shape how quickly the device can reach Steam users at launch.

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.