PC VR Defies Predictions and Continues to Flourish

The past five years have been nothing short of transformative for the XR field, marked by the rise of standalone headsets and the entry of new players, including Apple and soon, Google. Yet, amid all these changes, the PC VR platform has been quietly but steadily forging ahead.

Reflecting on the whirlwind developments in VR since 2018, it’s hard to believe what has transpired. Imagine if someone had told me back in early 2020 that Facebook would no longer be Facebook but rather rebranded as Meta. The iconic ‘Oculus’ brand, once synonymous with VR for many enthusiasts and even laypeople, would be phased out. Despite these shifts, Meta somehow managed to propel its Quest headset to the forefront of the VR market.

What’s equally surprising is Apple’s bold leap into the VR arena, launching its own headset at a jaw-dropping $3,500. And hot on its heels, Google, with its complete Android XR operating system, encouragingly backed by a flagship headset from Samsung, has entered the fray. Microsoft, on the other hand, made the not-so-surprising move to discontinue its Windows Mixed Reality platform and shelve its HoloLens project.

Even with all this upheaval, the original VR platform, PC VR, remains robust and continues its growth trajectory.

Tracking Headset Connectivity on Steam Over the Years

Valve maintains a monthly survey of Steam users to gather basic statistics on the hardware and software actively used. This includes monitoring the prevalence of VR headsets among its user base. The shared figures indicate the count of headsets connected to Steam during a month, which we refer to as ‘monthly-connected headsets.’ This measure is the nearest we have to ‘monthly active VR users’ on Steam, although it only captures connection, not usage.

While Valve’s survey provides insight into which headsets dominate Steam, interpreting the trend of monthly-connected headsets can be tricky since the information is expressed as percentages relative to Steam’s fluctuating user base. Judging by mere percentages, it might seem as if the VR segment is shrinking.

However, this paints only half the picture. Steam’s user base has seen significant enlargement over the past five years, nearly doubling in size. To truly grasp the situation, Road to VR has concocted a model based on historical survey data and direct inputs from Valve and Steam. This model adjusts for Steam’s dynamic population to provide an estimate of the actual number—not just the percentage—of headsets interacting with Steam.

An examination of the data suggests that the absolute number of VR headsets in use on Steam has gradually increased. While Steam’s growth outpaces the proportional rise of SteamVR users, the sheer count of VR users is on the upswing. So, although the percentage of Steam users with VR headsets might be dipping, from a developer’s point of view, there’s a burgeoning pool of potential VR customers.

This scenario likely owes much to Valve’s foresight in establishing SteamVR as an open platform welcoming all headset creators. Currently, at least 24 distinct headsets contribute to SteamVR, making it the most extensive and varied PC VR ecosystem available.

Meta’s influence cannot be overlooked in PC VR’s sustained growth despite the industry’s evolving landscape. The accessible price point and widespread availability of Quest headsets have introduced numerous newcomers to VR, many of whom venture into PC VR territory. Today, Meta headsets account for a colossal 70% of the monthly-connected headsets on Steam.

Looking ahead, what does the decade hold for PC VR by 2030? Only time will tell—see you in the future!