Despite Years of Claims Otherwise, PC VR is Thriving and Expanding

Over the past five years, the XR scene has seen dramatic transformations, notably with the emergence of standalone headsets and major players like Apple stepping into the arena, with Google on the horizon. Yet, despite all these changes, the PC VR platform has experienced a steady, albeit slow, advancement.

If someone had painted a picture for me back in early 2020 of what VR would look like today, I probably wouldn’t have bought it. Consider this: Facebook isn’t Facebook anymore. They abandoned the iconic ‘Oculus’ brand, a staple for both VR enthusiasts and laymen. Yet, in a fascinating twist, Meta’s standalone Quest headset has risen to become the prime spot for VR.

And just when you think you’re caught up, imagine I tell you that Apple is diving into the market with their own headset priced at a whopping $3,500. Oh, and Google isn’t far behind, ready to launch a flagship headset powered by a full-fledged Android XR system, courtesy of Samsung. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s stepping back, ditching its Windows MR platform and HoloLens—though that on its own might have been believable.

Amidst all this evolution, the original gangsta of VR platforms, PC VR, is not just surviving but thriving.

### Monthly-connected Headsets on Steam Over the Last Five Years

Every month, Valve taps into its vast Steam user base to gather data on the hardware and software being used by its audience. This includes VR headsets. This monthly survey results in what we refer to as ‘monthly-connected headsets’—a practical gauge of VR headset activity on Steam. This measure, however, tells us only how many headsets are hooked up—not necessarily how many are in active use.

While Valve’s numbers shine a light on which VR headsets dominate Steam, the trend of monthly-connected users can appear murky because these figures are only shared as percentages of Steam’s ever-changing user base.

If you dropped in with only a percentage-based view, you might believe VR users on Steam are dwindling.

That’s just part of the narrative. The total population of Steam has practically doubled during these years. To paint a clearer picture, Road to VR has developed a model relying on historical survey information combined with official data directly from Valve and Steam. This model attempts to give us a reality check by estimating the raw count—not just the percentage—of headsets on Steam.

So, to summarize, even though Steam’s overall population is growing faster in comparison to its VR users, these VR numbers have been climbing upwards continuously. Developers are finding a larger pool of potential VR customers—despite the percentage of overall Steam users dabbling with VR headsets decreasing.

One might wonder how SteamVR remains so vibrant. It owes its grandeur partly to being an open-ended platform, allowing any headset manufacturer to engage. At any given time, you can come across 24 diverse headsets on the platform, making SteamVR a unique and extensive PC VR ecosystem.

Meta has also played a significant role in nourishing PC VR’s growth over the years. Their affordable Quest headsets have drawn a significant crowd to VR, with many users eventually exploring the connectivity option with PC VR. To highlight this impact, Meta headsets make up a remarkable 70% of the monthly-connected headsets on Steam today.

As we look forward, what does the future hold for PC VR over the next half-decade? Join me again in 2030, and we’ll unravel the mysteries as they unfold.