New Patent Application Suggests Valve Could Cut The Cord on Virtual Reality Consoles

Valve, a video game developer and digital distribution company, may be planning a standalone virtual reality (VR) headset, according to PC Gamer.  

VR fans were excited to learn that Valve filed a patent application in the U.S. in December 2021 that focused on various elements of an untethered VR headset, including securing mechanisms for its wires and headband.  

The application features design details to “rear-hous[e]” the console’s batteries, antennas, processors, printed circuit boards, and other hardware. This design suggests the VR headset would stand alone from a wired console, like Meta’s OculusQuest 2 VR system.  

Analysts estimate that Meta has sold over 15 million OculusQuest 2 units in the 20 months since its launch in September 2020.