Despite Years of Skepticism, PC VR is Thriving and Expanding

Over the past five years, the XR landscape has evolved dramatically. We’ve witnessed the rise of standalone headsets and the arrival of heavy hitters like Apple—and soon, Google—venturing into the arena. Yet, even amidst this whirlwind of activity, PC VR has been quietly but steadily making strides forward.

Looking back, the changes that have swept through the VR world are astonishing, almost unbelievable if we were to imagine them from early 2020. Consider this: Facebook is no longer Facebook. It rebranded itself as Meta, shutting down the iconic Oculus brand that was once synonymous with VR for both enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Despite all this upheaval, Meta managed to position its standalone Quest headset as the leading VR platform.

Then, there’s Apple. They’ve boldly plunged into the VR market with their own headset, carrying a whopping price tag of $3,500. And don’t forget Google, quickly stepping in with a full-fledged Android XR operating system to support a top-tier Samsung-made headset. Microsoft’s decision to halt its Windows MR platform and shelve HoloLens seems almost expected in comparison.

Amidst all these disruptions, the original VR pioneer—PC VR—remains resilient, its user base continuing to expand.

### Tracking Steam’s Monthly-Connected Headsets

Every month, Valve taps into data from Steam users, compiling baseline stats to gauge the hardware and software trends across its user base, including VR headset usage. This analysis provides a metric known as ‘monthly-connected headsets,’ effectively reflecting the number of headsets linked to Steam each month. While it doesn’t directly equate to active usage, it’s the closest we get to official data on the platform’s VR community.

However, interpreting this data isn’t straightforward. Valve only shares percentages relative to the entire Steam population, which is unstated and ever-changing. If you merely glance at VR user percentages, it might seem like the segment is shrinking.

But hold on—there’s more to consider. The Steam user base has swelled considerably over the past five years, nearly doubling in size. To make sense of the numbers, Road to VR developed a model combining historical survey data and official figures from Valve and Steam. This model aims to estimate the actual count—not just the percentage—of headsets being used on Steam.

By doing so, we can see a continuous rise in the raw number of VR headsets in use on Steam. While Steam itself expands at a faster pace compared to SteamVR users, the truth is that the number of VR users is steadily on the rise. For developers, this means a growing audience for potential VR customers, even if a smaller percentage of the overall Steam community.

This growth wouldn’t be possible without Valve’s foundational decision to make SteamVR an open platform that any headset maker could join. At least 24 different headsets are active on the platform each month, making SteamVR the largest and most varied PC VR ecosystem.

Meta has also played a significant role in this endurance, thanks to its affordable Quest headsets broadening VR’s reach. Many new VR users find themselves using these headsets for PC VR as well, with Meta devices now comprising 70% of monthly-connected headsets on Steam.

### Looking Ahead

What does the future hold for PC VR in the next five years? Only time will tell, and we’ll be here in 2030 to see how it all unfolds!