To paraphrase Jeff Grubb, there’s been more smoke lately indicating a console than VR, but “frame” implies glasses implies VR headset. It could go either way or both, where the console and VR are complementary. Or neither! But I think smart money is on Valve announcing new hardware imminently, and personally, I think it’s a console like a Steam Machine but with the library problem now solved.
There were leaked specs for hardware that Valve was testing that could theoretically retail between $500 and $700, but that is analysis and inference only, not an announcement. Separately, there were leaked designs of a new Steam controller that was supposedly on its way to the production line for mass production. Valve also has ties to Keighley and the Game Awards, where Alyx was announced back in 2019 before a March release in 2020, so there could be something like that again. Another reminder that the next Half-Life game is also rumored to be imminent, so it would make sense to pair these things together like Alyx and the Index.
I really hope not, that feels like crypto all over again, with inconsistent payouts and varying electricity prices… And on top of that probably awful service since people tend to have the weirdest internet connections.
Though if you remove the part where it’s used to stream games to other players, that sounds too niche to be viable, but could be cool. If going in that direction, I’d imagine it more likely to be gaming servers for businesses, like VR gaming spots, where they have multiple gaming computers hooked up to headsets.