Valve Adds New PyroWave Codec to Steam Beta, Bringing Faster Vulkan-Powered Remote Play

Valve has introduced a brand-new PyroWave video codec to the latest Steam Client Beta, marking one of the biggest upgrades to Steam Remote Play in years. Built entirely on Vulkan, PyroWave is designed as an ultra-low-latency GPU encoder that significantly improves local game streaming by reducing encoding delays while maintaining high image quality at very high bitrates.

According to Valve, PyroWave is optimized specifically for game streaming rather than general video compression. The codec targets high-bandwidth, low-latency connections—particularly wired Ethernet networks—and is capable of handling bitrates of around 200 Mbps. By minimizing GPU encoding time, Valve aims to reduce input latency and visual artifacts such as macro-blocking and smearing, resulting in a smoother Remote Play experience between PCs, Steam Decks, and Steam Link devices.

The new codec arrives as part of Valve's broader effort to modernize Steam's streaming technology. Recent Steam updates have already introduced higher Remote Play bandwidth limits, adaptive bitrate improvements, and numerous Steam Deck optimizations. PyroWave builds on those changes by leveraging Vulkan for faster GPU-based encoding, potentially making Steam Remote Play a stronger competitor to other local game streaming solutions.

For now, PyroWave is available only through the Steam Client Beta, allowing Valve to gather user feedback before a wider rollout. Although the company has not announced when the codec will reach the stable Steam client, its introduction signals Valve's continued investment in reducing latency and improving game streaming performance across the expanding Steam ecosystem.