Is Valve Making a New Index?

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By Eric Wilson

Valve Corporation, a renowned video game developer, and publisher, has been in the news lately for its potential launch of a new virtual reality headset. The rumor mill is churning with speculation about the company’s next move in the VR space. Many enthusiasts are eagerly waiting to know if Valve is making a new Index.

What is Valve Index?

Valve Index is a virtual reality headset that was launched by Valve Corporation in June 2019. It has been praised for its high resolution, comfortable fit, and immersive experience. The headset comes with two controllers and can be used with Valve’s tracking system or with SteamVR base stations.

Why do people think Valve is making a new Index?

The rumors about Valve making a new Index started circulating when the company filed a trademark application for the name “Valve Index” in November 2020. This sparked speculations that they might be working on an updated version of their existing VR headset.

Then, earlier this year, an anonymous source claimed that Valve was working on a “Proton” prototype that would have features like eye-tracking and facial expressions recognition. This fueled further speculation that Valve might indeed be developing a new VR headset.

What has Valve said about this?

Valve has not confirmed or denied any of these rumors yet. However, the company’s co-founder Gabe Newell hinted at their involvement in the VR space during an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on Reddit last year.

When asked about Valve’s future plans for VR, Newell replied: “We’re continuing to work on improving VR technologies across the board.” He also mentioned that they were working on multiple projects related to VR but did not give any specifics.

Conclusion

While it remains unclear whether or not Valve is indeed making a new Index, the rumors and speculations suggest that the company is actively involved in developing new VR technologies. With the success of their previous VR headset, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Valve launch a new and improved version of it. However, until there is an official announcement from the company, we can only wait and watch what Valve has in store for us in the future.