Steam Frame will reportedly have a paid deposit reservation system at launch

While Valve has yet to reveal the price or release date for the Steam Frame, the company has been making preparations for the VR headset's launch behind the scenes. For instance, Valve recently added a reservation system for the Steam Frame to Steam's backend, but the latest information suggests this system will work a little differently than before.

Valve previously introduced reservation systems for both the Steam Machine and Steam Controller. These systems allow the company to control how the products are sold, especially when there is limited stock available. Instead of everyone being able to purchase the hardware immediately, interested customers can sign up for a reservation or join a waitlist.

Once they have joined the queue, they have to wait until Valve sends them an invitation to purchase the product. Only those who receive an invitation can move forward and place an order. For the Steam Frame, however, Valve is reportedly taking an extra step. According to code spotted in Steam's backend, the VR headset will reportedly launch with a paid deposit reservation system.

In other words, users won't be able to secure a place in the reservation queue simply by signing up. They will reportedly need to pay a certain amount first, and doing so will secure their spot in line for the Steam Frame.

A paid reservation system could help Valve keep the queue limited to people who are genuinely interested in buying the headset. With a free reservation system, plenty of users could sign up without being sure whether they actually plan to purchase the hardware. 

For those who don't know, this wouldn't be the first time Valve has used such a system. The company introduced a similar reservation process for the Steam Deck when the handheld launched in 2022. Interested buyers had to pay a $5 deposit to reserve their place in the queue. The amount wasn't an additional fee, as the $5 went toward the total cost of the Steam Deck once users were able to complete their purchase.