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How to play compatible PC games in VR

What “VR compatible” should mean

There are separate pieces in a PC VR session: the game must provide VR support; a runtime such as SteamVR must be able to communicate with the headset; the headset and controllers must be supported in that mode; and the PC must meet the game's requirements. A normal desktop game, a 360-degree video, or a virtual desktop view is not automatically a room-scale VR game.

Do not treat a compatibility tag as a guarantee that every headset feature works. A game may support a headset display but have different controller, hand-tracking, room-scale or comfort options. Check the current store listing and the publisher's requirements for the exact edition and platform.

Check the game before installing

1. Look for explicit VR support. On the PC store page, confirm the title is marked as a VR game or explicitly supports a VR mode. Read the supported headset/runtime notes and user-input requirements. If the listing only describes desktop play, assume it is not a native VR title.
2. Match the PC requirements. Compare the game's current CPU, GPU, memory and OS requirements with your computer. Then check the headset maker's separate PC requirements. Passing one list does not guarantee the other.
3. Confirm the runtime and connection path. Check whether the title expects SteamVR, OpenXR through a supported runtime, or another vendor platform. Confirm the chosen connection method exposes that runtime to the headset. For setup details, use How to connect a VR headset to a gaming PC.
4. Check model-specific limits. Steam Link support, for example, has its own current headset list and PC/network requirements; Quest models not listed there should not be assumed compatible with that streaming app. Meta Link/Air Link and Sony's PS VR2 PC adapter have separate requirements.

Launch the VR version

1. Clear a safe play area and put on the headset only after its boundary is set.
2. Start the official headset software and PC runtime first. For SteamVR, open Steam and launch SteamVR on the PC; wait for the status window to show the headset as ready.
3. Launch the compatible game from its PC library. If it offers a desktop or VR choice, select VR. If it launches as a flat window, stop and check the game's launch options and current support notes rather than assuming the headset connection is broken.
4. Test the controls in a safe, stationary area before using movement or room-scale features. Change comfort or graphics settings one at a time so you can identify the effect.

Platform examples—use the dedicated setup guide

• Meta Quest: Valve's Steam Link route keeps SteamVR and the game on the Windows PC and streams them to a listed Quest model. Meta Link and Air Link are separate connection paths. See How to install SteamVR on Quest for the runtime/client distinction, or the Quest connection guide for detailed cable and wireless setup.
• PlayStation VR2: PC use requires Sony's official adapter and PlayStation VR2 App plus SteamVR; PS5 support is a separate path. See the PSVR2 PC adapter guide before wiring the headset.
• Other PC headsets: use the manufacturer's own runtime, supported connection method and game compatibility list. A similar connector or a Steam listing alone does not prove the device works.

If the game does not enter VR

• If SteamVR does not list the headset as ready, troubleshoot the headset connection separately; use the vendor's connection guide rather than reinstalling the game first.
• If the headset is ready but the title opens flat, recheck that the specific game edition has VR support and that you selected its VR launch mode.
• If the game runs but tracking or controllers fail, check whether the exact device and input profile are supported. Do not solve an unsupported combination with unofficial drivers or an unsafe boundary change.
• If performance is poor, verify minimum requirements and lower one in-game rendering setting at a time. Minimum specifications are not a promise of smooth performance at every resolution or refresh rate.

Sources

• Valve/Steam Support: Steam Link for Meta, HTC and PICO headsets — current Quest compatibility list, Steam/SteamVR requirements and network requirements.
• Meta Quest Help: Set up and connect Meta Horizon Link and Air Link — official PC connection requirements and modes.
• PlayStation Support: Prepare to use PS VR2 with PC — current PS VR2 PC requirements.
• PlayStation Support: Set up PS VR2 on PC — official adapter, app and SteamVR workflow.
• PlayStation Support: Use PS VR2 to play VR games on PC — post-setup PC gameplay and controller/dashboard behavior.