Steam is one of the biggest digital distribution platforms for gamers, and now the Steam Store has taken steps to support the next generation of gaming by allowing users to search for games on the service that support virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus Rift.

Engadget is the first to report this news, as Steam quietly added the feature without any fanfare or hoopla. Users on the Steam Store can now scroll through the various filters available and find the VR Support tab. Currently only 9 games support virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus Rift. However, these games include some of the most popular Steam games of all time such as Team Fortress 2 and Surgery Simulator 2013, so those who do have or plan on buying the Oculus Rift or a different virtual reality headset has some decent options on Steam.

The Oculus Rift is the most likely virtual reality headset in gaming today, as the headset has some serious backers and has been in development for several years. The virtual reality headset is one of the biggest and most successful Kickstarter campaign in the crowd funding websites history and since then the beta version of the headset has been released and an improved consumer model is in the works for an eventual release. While a wide release for the Oculus Rift is not yet available, the virtual reality headset has received many industry awards and was one of the big topics of discussion at E3 2013.

While the Oculus Rift is the most popular and critically acclaimed virtual reality headset, it is not the only one being prepare for a wide release. Many different companies are looking into creating their own virtual reality headsets, including Valve, the company that created Steam. This move to add a VR Support tab to Steam may be motivated by Valve's research and development efforts in the field of virtual reality gaming. Another big company that is being rumored to be developing a virtual reality headset is Sony, the company behind the PlayStation 4.
It will be interesting to see if Virtual Reality support will extend to the Steam Machines program, and if Oculus makes a Steam Machine themselves that is designed specifically for the Oculus Rift. Steam Machines will be video game consoles that will allow users to use Steam in the living room like a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One rather than as an extension of a PC.