Meta and Steam drive developments in VR hardware and gaming

The virtual reality landscape is seeing significant activity in late 2026, marked by new hardware developments and software releases. Following Valve's presentation of the Steam Frame, Meta is preparing for its Meta Connect 2026 keynote. Industry speculation suggests Meta may focus on its XR ‘Phoenix’ headset, which is rumored to prioritize passive entertainment over gaming, alongside potential new smart glasses and a heavy emphasis on artificial intelligence.

On the software side, several highly-rated VR titles have emerged on Steam. Notable releases include the sandbox game ‘Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades’, the large-scale tactical shooter ‘Forefront’, and the atmospheric extraction shooter ‘CONVRGENCE’. Other well-received titles include the survival roguelike ‘Bootstrap Island’ and ‘GERONIMO’.