Valve developed Steam Frame VR headset before Index release

Valve began developing its Steam Frame VR headset even before the Index was released in 2019. Core aspects of the Steam Frame, including its pancake optics, were in development concurrently with the Index, with a focus on iterative design and user experience. The company's "release it when it's done" philosophy, similar to its software development, contributed to the six-year development cycle for the Steam Frame, which is set to ship in early 2026.