TL;DR
Valve has quietly lowered the requirements for the ‘Steam Frame Verified’ badge, now accepting 72 fps instead of 90 fps for native VR games, with new resolution standards. This change could impact how developers certify their titles for Steam’s new headset.
Valve has quietly lowered the performance requirements for the ‘Steam Frame Verified’ badge on its upcoming standalone VR headset, Steam Frame. The change reduces the minimum frame rate from 90 fps to 72 fps for VR titles aiming for certification, while introducing new resolution benchmarks. This adjustment, made without a formal announcement, could influence how developers approach native VR game development for Steam Frame, impacting content availability and quality standards.
Valve initially announced at GDC earlier this year that to earn the ‘Steam Frame Verified’ badge, games needed to run at a minimum of 90 fps with a resolution of 1,280 x 720 for flatscreen titles. You can learn more about the Steam Frame Verified badge here. However, VR-specific requirements have now been quietly revised, as noted by VR.org earlier this week. The new guidelines allow VR games to be certified at a minimum of 72 fps, provided they maintain a per-eye resolution of at least 1,728 x 1,728 during normal gameplay, according to official Valve documentation.
Valve emphasizes the importance of resolution and reprojection techniques, encouraging developers to submit motion-vector and depth data to support higher refresh rates through improved reprojection methods. Titles incapable of reaching 1,440 x 1,440 per eye will display an ‘Unsupported’ badge but can still be played on Steam Frame, leaving the decision to users.
This change appears to be part of Valve’s effort to balance performance and visual fidelity, especially considering the hardware capabilities of Steam Frame, which features a more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and built-in eye-tracking for foveated rendering. The modifications could ease the development process for porting Quest titles and expand the content library for Steam Frame VR games.
Implications for VR Content Certification Standards
This adjustment in certification standards could significantly influence the volume and quality of VR content available on Steam Frame. Lowering the frame rate requirement from 90 fps to 72 fps may make it easier for developers to certify their games, potentially increasing the number of native titles. However, it also raises questions about whether visual fidelity might be compromised or if the new resolution and reprojection standards will maintain a consistent user experience. Overall, this move suggests Valve is seeking a more flexible certification process to encourage broader adoption of Steam Frame.
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Background on Steam Frame and Certification Criteria
Valve announced Steam Frame earlier this year as a standalone VR headset capable of streaming and natively running Steam games. The initial certification criteria for native VR titles focused on achieving 90 fps to ensure smooth gameplay, aligning with Valve’s emphasis on high-quality VR experiences. The ‘Steam Frame Verified’ badge serves as a mark of quality and compatibility, guiding consumers and developers alike. Prior to this change, developers faced a significant hurdle in reaching 90 fps, especially when porting Quest titles, which typically run at 72 fps. The headset’s hardware, powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, offers improved performance over previous VR devices, but the certification standards have now been adjusted to reflect the hardware’s capabilities and development realities.
Valve’s approach to certification has historically balanced performance metrics with user experience, but the recent change indicates a possible shift toward more developer-friendly standards, perhaps to accelerate content creation and device adoption.
“Valve’s quiet revision of the ‘Steam Frame Verified’ badge requirements suggests a strategic move to lower barriers for developers, potentially increasing the content ecosystem.”
— an anonymous researcher
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Unclear Impact on Content Quality and Developer Adoption
It is not yet clear how these lowered performance thresholds will affect the overall quality of VR games on Steam Frame or whether developers will fully embrace the new standards. The long-term effects on user experience, especially regarding motion smoothness and visual fidelity, remain to be seen. Additionally, Valve has not issued a formal announcement, so the full scope and rationale of the change are still emerging.
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Next Steps for Developers and Valve’s Certification Process
Developers will likely begin adjusting their VR titles to meet the new resolution and frame rate requirements. Valve may update or clarify certification procedures in the coming weeks, and further data on how these changes influence content availability and quality are expected to surface. Monitoring developer feedback and user reviews will be key to understanding the real-world impact of this policy shift.
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Key Questions
Why did Valve lower the ‘Steam Frame Verified’ badge requirements?
Valve has not officially explained the reason, but industry observers suggest it aims to make certification easier for developers, encouraging more native VR titles on Steam Frame and boosting content diversity.
Will lowering the frame rate requirement affect VR experience quality?
It could, depending on implementation. Valve emphasizes resolution and reprojection techniques to maintain quality, but lower frame rates may impact motion smoothness for some users.
Are unsupported titles still playable on Steam Frame?
Yes, titles that do not meet the new resolution standards will display an ‘Unsupported’ badge but can still be downloaded and played, leaving the decision to the user.
When will developers and consumers see the full impact of this change?
As developers adapt to the new standards, and Valve updates certification procedures, the effects on content quality and availability will become clearer over the next few months.
Does this mean Valve is changing its overall VR certification approach?
It suggests a possible shift toward more flexible standards, but Valve has not announced a comprehensive change to its certification philosophy.
Source: Road to VR
