Martin Rumenov Acclaimed VR puzzle game Cubism is preparing for Steam Frame, with developer Thomas Van Bouwel rolling out a free Steam update designed to support Valve’s upcoming standalone VR hardware. The title has also been confirmed as Steam Frame Verified ahead of the headset’s launch.
The update will bring an Android build of Cubism to Steam, allowing Steam Frame users to run the game in standalone mode rather than relying solely on a PC VR connection. It also adds black-and-white passthrough functionality, making Cubism one of the early games set to incorporate passthrough gameplay on Steam Frame.
A familiar puzzle game adapted for Valve’s new headset
Cubism is a minimalist spatial puzzle experience in which players fit colorful block-like pieces together to complete increasingly intricate 3D shapes. Its calm presentation and approachable concept disguise a steadily more demanding set of challenges, requiring players to rotate pieces, judge scale and placement, and think several moves ahead.
The game contains 90 puzzles spread across two campaigns, offering a mix of short brainteasers and more elaborate constructions designed to test spatial awareness. Players can choose between light and dark visual modes, while mod support and a built-in level editor offer additional ways to expand the experience beyond the main puzzle selection.
Steam Frame’s version will aim to bring the Steam release closer to the feature set already available on mobile XR devices. Cubism originally launched on SteamVR and Meta Quest in 2020, but certain additions introduced on Quest—such as mixed-reality features and hand tracking—did not make their way to the PC version.
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Passthrough support joins the Steam edition
The most notable addition for Steam Frame is monochrome passthrough. This feature allows the game to blend elements of its puzzle-solving gameplay with a view of the player’s real-world surroundings, using the headset’s external cameras.
Passthrough support in Cubism had previously been limited to standalone XR platforms, including Meta Quest, Samsung Galaxy XR, and Pico headsets. With Valve moving into a mobile-style SteamOS ecosystem through Steam Frame, the new Android-based version enables the game to introduce similar functionality on the platform.
For a puzzle game built around arranging objects in physical space, passthrough can make the experience feel more grounded. Instead of placing puzzle pieces against a fully virtual background, players can solve challenges while remaining visually aware of their room, furniture, and surroundings.
Cubism’s Steam Frame features
The free update will add Steam Frame-focused support without changing the game’s central puzzle formula. Confirmed features include:
- 90 spatial puzzles across two campaigns
- Steam Frame Verified compatibility
- An Android version for standalone Steam Frame play
- Black-and-white passthrough gameplay
- Light and dark VR environments
- Mod support
- A built-in level editor
Cubism remains available across SteamVR, Meta Quest, Pico, and Android XR headsets. The Steam update is intended to reduce the gap between its PC VR edition and the versions built for standalone devices, particularly as Valve prepares Steam Frame for launch.
From Cubism to Laser Dance
Cubism was created by Brussels-based XR developer Thomas Van Bouwel, who has continued to work on virtual and mixed-reality projects since the game’s original release. Van Bouwel is also known for Laser Dance, a mixed-reality game currently available in early access for Meta Quest 3 that turns a player’s room into a laser-filled obstacle course.
The Steam Frame version of Cubism is being supported by Creature, a VR-focused studio and label founded in 2023. Creature’s catalogue includes projects such as THRASHER, Laser Dance, Cubism, Budget Cuts, and The Light Brigade, alongside business development work for independent studios.
With its Steam Frame update, Cubism looks set to become an early example of how established VR titles can transition from conventional PC VR releases to Valve’s planned standalone ecosystem—while preserving the relaxed, tactile puzzle-solving that made the game a well-regarded XR experience.
