Summary
- Valve has quietly added experimental Arm support to SteamOS in a new Runtime update.
- A surprise SteamVR driver update hints at potential VR hardware testing, possibly linked to the long-rumored Deckard headset.
- Leaker SadlyItsBradley and Reddit users speculate that these moves signal an imminent Deckard reveal.
What’s going on with Valve and SteamOS?
Valve recently pushed a new Runtime update to SteamOS, which includes experimental support for Arm architecture. This is a notable shift since SteamOS traditionally supports x86-based systems like the Steam Deck. The addition of Arm support has caught the attention of the gaming community, especially VR enthusiasts.
While the update doesn’t confirm any new hardware outright, the presence of Arm support suggests Valve might be preparing for devices running on a different chip architecture—something like a standalone VR headset that doesn’t need a PC or traditional CPU.
SteamVR driver update sparks further speculation
Alongside the SteamOS changes, users on r/GamingLeaksAndRumours noticed a strange update to SteamVR drivers. A specific file titled “deckard_openxr_driver_win64.dll” showed up briefly before being pulled back. The appearance of “Deckard” in the file name strongly hints at Valve’s long-rumored standalone VR headset.
This surprise update wasn’t announced officially and was likely pushed by mistake, but it was enough to send the VR community into detective mode.
Is the Deckard headset finally launching?
Leaker SadlyItsBradley, known for covering VR tech developments, shared the updates on X (formerly Twitter). He believes these developments are connected and that Valve may be finalizing software and hardware pieces ahead of an official Deckard reveal.
Rumors about Deckard have been floating around since 2021, but this is one of the clearest signs yet that something is in active development—and may be approaching release.
Conclusion
While Valve hasn’t made any announcements yet, the combination of Arm support in SteamOS and SteamVR driver updates referencing “Deckard” has definitely reignited the VR hype. If these leaks are accurate, we might be seeing Valve’s standalone VR headset a lot sooner than expected.
