Blade & Sorcery, a popular PC VR game, has sparked debate in the gaming community with its developer's stance on running the game on the Steam Frame. The developer, Wully, has confirmed that the PC VR version of the game will be marked as 'unsupported' for standalone play on Steam Frame due to performance limitations. This decision has raised questions about the purpose and capabilities of the Steam Frame, a standalone VR headset developed by Valve.
Wully's statement highlights the performance constraints of the Steam Frame, which is designed for streaming games from a more powerful computer rather than running them directly. The headset's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 16GB of RAM, while impressive, may not be sufficient to handle demanding PC VR games like Blade & Sorcery without streaming. This realization is not surprising to industry insiders, who have been closely monitoring the specifications of the Steam Frame.
The announcement has caused a stir on social media, with many expressing surprise. However, it is essential to understand that the Steam Frame's primary use case is streaming games, as explicitly stated by Valve. The headset is not intended to run games directly, but rather to provide a seamless and low-latency connection between the headset and a PC or other devices.
Blade & Sorcery's developer, Wully, suggests that the game's PC VR version is too demanding for the Steam Frame to run standalone. However, the solution lies in streaming the game from a PC. This approach allows the PC to handle the heavy lifting, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable gaming experience on the Steam Frame. The developer also mentions that a lower-spec port of Blade & Sorcery, called Blade & Sorcery Nomad, is available for Quest and Pico 4, which may eventually be brought to Steam as a 'Great on Frame' game.
The debate surrounding Blade & Sorcery and the Steam Frame highlights the evolving landscape of VR gaming. As the industry continues to innovate, it is crucial to understand the capabilities and limitations of each device. While the Steam Frame may not be suitable for running all PC VR games directly, it excels in streaming, providing a unique and immersive gaming experience. The developer's transparency about the game's performance on the Steam Frame is commendable, ensuring that players have a clear understanding of the game's requirements and the device's capabilities.
