Steam is undeniably the Gaming Platform on the PC; it contains the vast majority of the game library and user base. It also includes a somewhat extensive library of virtual reality games. Of course, if you have an Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality viewer, you’ll want to be able to play the games on offer without having to use your computer. However, you may also want to play some of their Steam-based VR games. Especially if you already have a copy of a game on Steam and don’t want to buy it again. Fortunately, there are a few options for playing Steam VR games on your Quest 2. You are not limited to the official Oculus games.
There are two ways to connect your Quest 2 headset to play Steam VR games wired or wirelessly. Using the official five meter Oculus Link cable will bring you the best performance and stability. Still, it still costs $ 80, which is a lot for a USB cable. Other cables work; make sure you have at least USB 2.0, preferably 3.0, and get a USB Type-C port. If necessary, you can get an adapter for your computer.
You must purchase” Virtual Desktop ” from the Oculus Store for the wireless option. No the Steam version. This software costs $ 20 and can work well for you. Users report that performance varies from excellent to poor, so your mileage may vary depending on your installation.
Whichever connection method you choose, you’ll need a computer that can run virtual reality games with Steam and Steam VR. You can find Steam VR for free in Steam Storage. You should also have the Oculus app installed on your computer.
Connection with connection cable
When the above software is installed, connect your Quest 2 headset to your PC using its connection cable. Once connected, the Oculus app should recognize your headset as Quest 2 and perform a quick performance test of your connection to the headset. This test confirms that the cable connecting the devices can transfer data fast enough for a virtual reality experience. The official Oculus Link cable will do this easily unless you connect it through an adapter that is too slow. Third-party cables may not be suitable.
Connect your computer to the headphones with the connection cable and test the connection.
Once you have closed the performance test, the Quest 2 headphones will be on. If the headset displays a pop-up window requesting “Allow data access”, select “Deny”, as allowing this permission may cause connection issues. In the next pop-up window, select “Activate” to establish a connection.
In the Quest 2 headset pop-up window, click Activate to connect to the computer.
If it does not appear, open Settings by pressing the Oculus button on the right control and selecting Oculus Link from the Connections menu.
Enable “Oculus Link” on the Quest 2 headset to connect to the computer.
A new Oculus Link classroom will now appear. Select “Steam VR” on the home screen to go to the Steam VR home page.
Launch Steam VR in the Oculus Link classroom.
You can now launch your Steam VR games from the Steam VR home page. Press the “Menu” button on the left driver to open the list of Steam games.
Start your Steam VR games in the Steam VR classroom.
Establish a wireless connection
If you want to connect wirelessly, you should do your best to create the best connection. Ideally, connect your computer to the router with an Ethernet cable, then make sure your headphones are connected to the 5 GHz WiFi network. The closer the headset is to the router, the better the connection, as the signal quality is affected by the distance and especially by the walls. You also need the hardware and software mentioned above, minus the patch cord.
To connect wirelessly, put on your Quest 2 headset, purchase the Virtual Desktop app and install it from the Oculus Store.
During installation, remove your headphones, log in to the Oculus app on your computer, and install the virtual desktop streaming App. Run the application when the installation is complete. You will need to enter your Oculus username and then click “Save”. You can also configure the options on the right to customize them.
Advice: This software streams the game to your headphones and vice versa. You can’t use it to stream videos on streaming sites like Twitch.
Install and run the Desktop Streamer Virtual application on your computer and configure your Oculus username.
With the streamer app running on your computer, put your headphones back on and launch the virtual desktop app. Select your computer from the list of available connections.
Launch the Desktop Virtual App on the Quest 2 headset and connect to your computer.
Once connected, press the menu button on the left handler to open the virtual desktop menu. Then, select the “Start Steam VR” option from the left menu to open Steam Home. Alternatively, you can launch a specific Steam game from the Games tab.
Launch the Steam VR home page from the Virtual Desktop home page or launch a game from the Games tab.
You can launch Steam games from the Steam VR home page by pressing the menu button on the left driver again.
Advice– To reopen the virtual desktop menu, hold down the menu key.
The Oculus store has a wide variety of games for your Quest 2 virtual reality viewer. If you have a powerful gaming PC, you may already have some VR games in your Steam library. It makes a lot of sense not having to pay to play. Follow the steps in this guide to connect your Quest 2 headset to your computer. After that, you can play your Steam games with a connecting cable or wirelessly if you prefer.
