Steam Link comes natively to the Apple Vision Pro Apfelpatient

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Valve is developing a native version of Steam Link for visionOS. The app is already available via Apple's TestFlight testing platform and streams PC and Mac games to the headset in up to 4K resolution.

The Apple Vision Pro is getting access to one of the world's largest gaming platforms – at least partially. Valve has confirmed in a Steam Community post that a native version of the Steam Link app for visionOS is in development. TestFlight access is already active. This means that, for the first time, Apple Vision Pro owners can stream their PC and Mac game libraries to the headset via an official Valve app.

Steam Link has been available for years on platforms like iPhone, Mac, and Apple TV. The app allows games to be streamed from a gaming PC or Mac to another device over the local network. Inputs are sent back from the client to the host computer and entered into the game there – the player sees and controls the game remotely, while the actual processing takes place on the powerful machine.

What the App offers

According to a post by Valve employee Sam Lantinga, the visionOS version of Steam Link supports streaming at resolutions up to 4K. The game is displayed as a large 2D screen on the Apple Vision Pro. Users can adjust the curvature of the virtual display in panorama mode – a feature that utilizes the headset's spatial capabilities, at least for the display.

Important: Steam Link streams only 2D content. It's a live video stream of the game screen, not VR content. If you have a VR game on your PC, you cannot experience it immersively on the Vision Pro via Steam Link.

A step towards SteamVR

Even though Steam Link doesn't offer VR support, the native app is a positive sign for the Vision Pro's gaming future. Previously, users had to rely on third-party apps like ALVR or iVRY to stream SteamVR games to the headset – a technically demanding process that involved compromises in latency and image quality.

Valve's official development of a native app for visionOS demonstrates at least some interest in the platform. The introduction of Foveated streaming APIs in visionOS 26.4 and PSVR2 controller support have significantly improved the technical prerequisites for VR streaming. However, whether and when Valve will take the next step and bring SteamVR natively to the Vision Pro remains to be seen – Valve's development cycles are notoriously unpredictable.

What this means for Vision Pro owners

For owners of an Apple Vision Pro who also have a powerful gaming PC or Mac, Steam Link offers a practical solution: playing games from their Steam library on a huge virtual screen without being tied to their desk. Combined with a controller, the Vision Pro becomes a flexible gaming display. The app is currently available via TestFlight. Valve has not yet announced when a final version will be released in the App Store. (Image: Apple)