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PSA: the Valve Prism is fake, but the question is who pulled off this stunt?

By Stanislav Serbezov

Published: Feb 15, 2024, 2:34 AM

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PSA: the Valve Prism is fake, but the question is who pulled off this stunt?

Despite its age, the Valve Index is still one of the best VR headsets around, so if you saw a website for a successor, then you probably, just like me, got excited. But it doesn't take too long before a follow-up question surfaces: wait, a new piece of tech? Out of the blue, no announcement, no nothing?

Strange.

I mean, this isn’t really how Valve does things. Sure, the company likes to surprise it’s fans, but given its user base, the least that it would do is put up a special front page on Steam, maybe even send out a few promo emails or notifications. You know: the works.

Especially given how the Index’s successor is pretty expected at this point. So, is the Valve Prism what we’ve all been waiting for? No, of course not. While the website is still online, we now know it’s absolutely fake, with both Valve — and another closely-named company: Vaive — confirming that they've got nothing to do with it.

So, what gives?

which of you furry cope addicts are spreading these stickers at Midwest Furfest?

this level of copium is DANGEROUS and irresponsible! pic.twitter.com/OjbX2TLeP2
— Brad Lynch (@SadlyItsBradley) December 1, 2023

Some are using this tweet as an anchor connecting the events. The poster here is not proven to be in any way associated with the fake Valve Prism website.

I’ll be honest: the website, at a glance, does look pretty convincing. There are a few graphical elements like the logo that just feel too non-Valve to be real. Also, some of the texts are copied over from other Valve products’ descriptions, but other than that, even the links at the bottom lead to Valve’s actual web pages. So, obviously: someone tried here.

And I’ve got to ask: why? Valve isn’t some sort of notoriously evil company, so this couldn’t possibly be about revenge. According to PC Gamer, the reality of the situation is a bit more… bizzare.

You see, this website exists because of a joke, made during a furry convention, which took place in December 2023. And if you’re missing the punch line, don’t worry: I am too, so I guess this must be something that only this specific community can relate to.

That being said, why would a few anonymous members want to bamboozle possibly thousands of Valve fans and VR enthusiasts is truly beyond me.

But hey, maybe we’re better off for it. The headset that the website is “promoting” is closer to something that we wouldn’t want out of an Index successor: the headset is weighty and it sort of contradicts some of the rumors floating around that the next Valve headset will have something to do with the Steam Deck — Valve's largely successful portable gaming PC.

And, in a sense, such a fusion only makes sense, right? It could give a theoretical headset more juice, while keeping the entire setup mobile. At a surface level, it makes some sense.

Though honestly, at this point, we have no clue if even that will be the case. Could 2024 be the year we find out? Given how things kicked off — with the Vision Pro's release and all — I think that we’re closer to that actually happening than before. So here’s hoping that the Valve Index II ends up being more impressive than the Prism.

Oh, and real. It it could be real, that would be great.

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Stan, also known as Stako, is a smartphone enthusiast who loves exploring the limits of Android customization. His journey with mobile tech began with the Nokia 5110 and evolved with devices like the BlackBerry 9350 Curve and Samsung Galaxy A4. Despite his love for Android, he holds equal respect for Apple, considering the iPhone 4s as a significant milestone in mobile tech. Stan started his writing career early, contributing to MetalWorld, and harbors a passion for creative writing. Beyond smartphones, he's interested in photography, design, composition, and gaming, often preferring solo projects to hone his objective thinking. He's also an avid student of open-source technology and consoles, with a special fondness for the Pebble Watch, Arduboy, and Playdate.

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