Valve officially released a feature to the SteamVR stable branch that adds basic hand-tracking to Steam Link for Quest users.

Previously only available in the Beta test branch released back in August, the new SteamVR 2.8 update doesn’t actually bring full hand-tracking support to SteamVR’s UI, but rather allows Quest users to DIY their setup for each game by experimenting with input bindings.

To enable hand-tracking through Steam Link, make sure both SteamVR and the Steam Link app for Quest is updated and head into the Binding UI in SteamVR’s Controller Settings to toggle on hand-tracking. From there, simply tap your controllers together and you’ll be able to start experimenting.

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Valve says in the SteamVR 2.8 release notes (seen below) that the update also comes along with a number of bug fixes and quality of life improvements across SteamVR, Valve’s OpenXR API, and Steam Link for Quest, such as improvements to overall 2D and 3D streaming stability via Steam Link.

“We continue to focus on OpenXR as our preferred API for new games and applications,” Valve says. “SteamVR’s official OpenXR subforum is here and we’d love to hear your feedback, as well as suggestions for new features.”

Valve hasn’t said as much, however Steam Link probably won’t service just Quest. While Steam’s latest hardware survey indicates that over half of connected VR headsets are some flavor of Quest, its continued work on Steam Link may be a key to the rollout of its own rumored standalone headset, codenamed ‘Deckard’, which has been a hot topic of conversation since 2021 following a series of code leaks.

Continued references to Deckard in SteamVR and various patent filings have fueled further speculation that Valve is indeed exploring a standalone headset to compete with devices like Meta’s Quest lineup, which would make Steam Link an important utility.

Check out the full SteamVR 2.8 release notes below:

SteamVR

  • Dashboard Grab Handles have a new movement model that includes accelerated movement towards and away from the user. The acceleration factor can currently be adjusted in the dashboard settings tab. The dashboard settings tab is hidden by default; select Show Advanced Settings in the lower left to unhide.
  • The controls for desktop windows have been restyled.
  • Allow Tundra trackers to bind to left and right ankle roles.
  • Fixed the SteamVR settings page crashing if drivers attempt to show settings on the page before an HMD connects.
  • Curl data from GetSkeletalSummaryData will now report 0.0 (rather than 1.0) if fingers are hyperextended.
  • Improved behavior with very low FPS scene apps on non-native headsets (Quest, Steam Link, Virtual Desktop, etc)
  • Fixed workshop bindings not displaying for popular titles that had changed input systems.
  • Fix black screen bug for Pico users using Virtual Desktop on some games.

OpenXR

  • Fix inconsistencies in xrLocateViews when switching between stage and local space.
  • Fix bindings for left_ankle and right_ankle in XR_HTCX_vive_tracker_interaction.
  • Fix non-base projection layers displaying in the wrong space.

Steam Link

  • Enable hand-tracking pass through for SteamVR Input and XR_EXT_hand_tracking.
  • Eye gaze information may be passed through OpenXR via XR_EXT_eye_gaze_interaction if enabled in the Steam Link settings. Note: Any users who previously had the “Share eye tracking data to other apps on this PC via OSC” option enabled, they will need to enable “Share eye tracking data to other apps on this PC” in Steam Link settings, and it will enable eye tracking data sharing both for OpenXR and OSC (if enabled).
  • Improved 2D/3D VR Steam Link behavior.
  • Fix image binding locations in binding UI for hand tracking controllers.
  • Updates to SteamVR for Steam Link use with Quest 3S, fixing AMD users and improving experience for NVIDIA users.
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Scott Hayden
Well before the first modern XR products hit the market, Scott recognized the potential of the technology and set out to understand and document its growth. He has been professionally reporting on the space for nearly a decade as Editor at Road to VR, authoring more than 4,000 articles on the topic. Scott brings that seasoned insight to his reporting from major industry events across the globe.
  • ViRGiN

    Jesus this article is such a valve worshipping.

    you didn't even mention once that virtual desktop had this feature for ages. You even credit valve for making quest an even better pcvr headset. And then you're still jerking off at the thought of deckard when time has proven again and again that valve doesn't care about vr, never did and never will. This barbones effort at updating outdated steamvr is done by a single guy sitting in valve basement. They still haven't changed room calibration for guardian since 2016. Pcvr remains an ancient experience.

    • kakek

      Jesus, your answer is such a hater reaction.

      Not every argument has to be a retrospective of all that is good or bad about the company, and a comparison with every alternatives.
      There's nothing emphatic overly praising Valve. Even the mention of deckhard is factual.

      You got to chill out dude.

      • ViRGiN

        There is nothing factual about imaginary "Deckard".
        Even the original source for these years-long hysteria, a YouTuber & Tech Analyst SadlyItsBradley, has been quiet about it for ages, coming to realization that Valve isn't pursuing VR after all, and his own needs has been nearly fully satisfied with AVP.

        What is factual, is 2017 Gayben claim that "wireless is a solved problem", and it took another 6+ years to see fruits of that, and it all came down in form of a Quest app. What is factual is that Valve even shilled Nofio on their store page, which as many of you might be unaware, it turned out to be complete shit, despite bieng shilled by Bradley as well.

        • Bat Man

          Touch grass

          • ViRGiN

            cope-ard

        • Star Centurion

          It's a miracle that RtVR still lets you just post whatever you want even when you go out of your way to lie about things.

          As far as I remember, Brad actively told people to not fund Nofio on kickstarter, but that goes against your narrative.

          • ViRGiN

            He never said that.

        • Teku

          As someone who works in the VR industry, I can confirm with 100% certainty that Valve has worked on another headset over the years. Whether or not they will complete and ship another headset is anyone's guess, however. Valve has worked on and abandoned many, many things.

          • ViRGiN

            He said she said. Work behind such closed doors is meaningless, especially that it's not them entering the vr market for the first time. Nintendo also works on VR. And outside of new headset, there are tons of ways to show actual commitment to the medium. The last thing VR needs right now is yet another headset.

          • Teku

            I agree that a new headset is unlikely to solve the industry's problems. I was just commenting that I know it's only "imaginary" in the sense that it may never come out, not that it never existed in any form. My hope is that they do ship it, though, but that's out of my own selfish enjoyment in seeing Valve create stuff, not out of confidence that it will make a large industry change.

        • kakek

          What is also factual is what is written in this article :
          multiple mention of deckard in the stream code has led to speculation that they are still working on a new headset.

          That's it.
          It's true there are reference to deckard amazing in steam. And that's all the article say.
          No speculation about date or characteristic, no confirmation they it is real, no wild theory.

      • JakeDunnegan

        Valve is the greatest corporation to every incorporate its corporateness in the entire world. God Bless Gabe!

        • ViRGiN

          Amen to that!

    • ViRGiN

      PCVR remaining "an ancient experience" is what I say to myself alone when I'm fapping one out.

      • patfish

        Subside VR, a scuba simulation developed by a solo developer, feels 15 years ahead of Meta's multi-million-dollar AAA mobile VR production of Batman regarding graphics and interaction with the world. That should raise some serious questions.

        • ViRGiN

          But does it have crowbar?

  • JakeDunnegan

    PCVR is not dead! Booya!

  • patfish

    Hand tracking doesn't work well (very und stable and limited)

    • ViRGiN

      Sir, this is independent comment section, report it to steam

  • Dale Kirkley

    Came to read the hate comments from a certain "pure" voice, was not disappointed. :D

  • VrSLuT

    The anti-valve troll must be in a position to really fear what Valve could feasibly do to steal the VR market back from Meta. Maybe there's some quantum tech that exists that could make all their bloated x86 code run on mobile!

    • ViRGiN

      oh hey look, the pro-valve pcvr ab-user who is burned out on $20 gorilla tag being the #1 pcvr game! haha!