Valve details Steam Machine Verified and Steam Frame Verified badges with performance targets for games, including 1080p at 30 FPS and VR at 90 FPS.
© RusPhotoBank
Valve has clearly outlined the criteria for its new Steam Machine Verified and Steam Frame Verified badges for the first time, specifying performance and compatibility requirements for games. While the company previously mentioned expanding the Verified program beyond the Steam Deck, it has now announced specific targets for each device at GDC 2026.
The Steam Machine Verified requirements largely mirror the Steam Deck Verified model but with higher performance. All games that have already earned Deck Verified status will automatically be considered compatible with Steam Machine. The target is 30 frames per second at 1080p resolution, representing roughly a sixfold performance increase compared to the Steam Deck. Valve does not test interface readability or display resolution matching and has updated its API for accurate hardware detection.
Steam Frame Verified focuses on standalone VR headset operation and covers both VR and regular games. For VR titles, the threshold is set higher at 90 frames per second, while standalone 2D games aim for 30 FPS at 1280×720 pixel resolution. Full support for Steam Frame controllers and properly displayed interfaces are mandatory. The device is positioned as a VR headset emphasizing low latency for PC streaming but also supports running local applications through SteamVR and OpenXR.
In practice, Valve is not so much announcing new hardware as demonstrating how it will classify games for future devices. Steam Machine will inherit the Steam Deck's logic with a focus on the living room, while Steam Frame gets a separate category with stricter VR performance requirements. However, the company has not yet revealed whether upscaling technologies or frame generation are considered in achieving target FPS, leaving open the question of possible development of its own FSR-like solution.