The newly-released SteamVR 2.0 has brought its virtual reality interface in line with its more current Steam and Steam Deck. The new UI includes a side toolbar with tabs for users’ library, the Steam store, friends, and downloads. The side panel is nearly identical to the Steam Deck’s current layout because why reinvent the wheel?

On the bottom of the new VR dashboard, users can quickly get a sense of the battery life on their individual VR remotes and quickly access notifications. This is a handy feature since users can now access Steam Chat and Voice Chat from the main SteamVR dashboard. The drop-down keyboard has also finally allowed users to type with two cursors from both controllers.

The keyboard incorporates more languages, and you can finally send emojis to friends through the chat client. If Valve ever allows users to send GIFs to friends quickly, Steam chat will have finally entered the 2020s. There’s also the usual slew of bug fixes and a few improvements, such as a button to toggle multitasking view on Windows 10 and 11 desktop overlays.

Desktop windows should also share their icon alongside their name. But since that headset’s 2019 release and the VR-exclusive game *Half Life: Alex*, Valve’s VR ambitions have laid dormant. There’s been practically no confirmation on any of these rumors, so they need to be taken with a gallon of pure-grade salt.

If Valve finally re-enters the VR hardware space, they’d be doing so at an interesting time.