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PayPalA developer has submitted a draft to the KDE team for KWin to hook up a full Plasma VR mode and it looks pretty awesome. As it's currently a draft, it needs plenty more work before being accepted but the idea behind it and how it looks has me quite interested.
Could be something fun for the Steam Frame too.
The draft code from developer Stanislav Aleksandrov notes:
This plugin turns KWin (and KDE) into a 3D VR Desktop. Features:
- Floating windows
- Physical and Virtual screens
- Everything is 3D, even wayland surfaces, window decorations and shadows
- Made for work: Full keyboard control
- Headgaze: no mouse, touchpad or vr controller is required
- Native Qt rendering: direct dmabuf imports.
- Follow Mode
Image Credit: Stanislav Aleksandrov
In the draft merge request Aleksandrov shows a video of it in action, dragging some windows around into their own space and it looks quite futuristic.
The developer mentioned at the bottom:
There is still a lot of stuff is needed to be done. Input and Focus control should be refactored. Some settings (headgaze control, surface thinkness, maybe more) are missing. And the code needs to be polished overall.
However, it works and I use it everyday, so I think it is ready for initial review.
And there's more info on their plan for it and how it works in a comment. Aleksandrov notes the "end goal here is to make KWin run without flat displays, so KDE can be a fully fledged VR Desktop Environment".
What do you think to this? Even if it doesn't get accepted at all, I thought you might find it as interesting as I did to see.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
About the author - Liam Dawe
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly checked on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly.
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Honestly it is in the spirit of KDE to have an option for almost anything.
I like that as long as the stability does not suffer.
I like that as long as the stability does not suffer.
5 Likes
i find this infinitely more interesting than Ai. For me this would have a practical use.
it's also actually cool.
Last edited by Lofty on 19 Jan 2026 at 4:08 pm UTC
it's also actually cool.
Last edited by Lofty on 19 Jan 2026 at 4:08 pm UTC
5 Likes
Im already looking forward to the first VR-focused Linux distros coming up. If this gets polished a bit and ends up being included by default on the Steam Frame, I bet those distros could become serious competitors to the likes of Android XR and VisionOS.
(Yes i know there is simulavr already but nobody uses that)
Last edited by tux on 19 Jan 2026 at 4:36 pm UTC
(Yes i know there is simulavr already but nobody uses that)
Last edited by tux on 19 Jan 2026 at 4:36 pm UTC
0 Likes
https://github.com/wheaney/breezy-desktop
Works pretty good. Sadly I have the Xreal glasses that have drift, causing me to have to recenter all the time. I'd buy new glasses but, all the glasses have such a low FOV. Better to just use my current glasses when I'm in a pinch. On a flight for 4 hours, I can put up with the low FOV and continual re-centering. I'd buy different glasses without the drift if there was a pair with decent FOV, I'm guessing it needs to be around 80 degrees.
I'm looking forward to these headsets coming out that are first class citizens in Linux. I'm looking forward to SimulaVR as well, it seemed to work great, but the headset I have, Quest2. Using that over ALVR sucks, and the headset sucks. Honestly if I had thought the SimulaVR headset was going to take this long, I would have also bought a Vive Pro back then. No matter now, I'm buying the Steam Frame and the SimulaVR headset comes when that comes. Hopefully an AR glasses unit gets released with at least 80 degrees FOV. It's awesome to see all these VR productivity solutions starting to emerge. The future is definitely bright.
Works pretty good. Sadly I have the Xreal glasses that have drift, causing me to have to recenter all the time. I'd buy new glasses but, all the glasses have such a low FOV. Better to just use my current glasses when I'm in a pinch. On a flight for 4 hours, I can put up with the low FOV and continual re-centering. I'd buy different glasses without the drift if there was a pair with decent FOV, I'm guessing it needs to be around 80 degrees.
I'm looking forward to these headsets coming out that are first class citizens in Linux. I'm looking forward to SimulaVR as well, it seemed to work great, but the headset I have, Quest2. Using that over ALVR sucks, and the headset sucks. Honestly if I had thought the SimulaVR headset was going to take this long, I would have also bought a Vive Pro back then. No matter now, I'm buying the Steam Frame and the SimulaVR headset comes when that comes. Hopefully an AR glasses unit gets released with at least 80 degrees FOV. It's awesome to see all these VR productivity solutions starting to emerge. The future is definitely bright.
1 Likes
Quoting: Highballhttps://github.com/wheaney/breezy-desktopInteresting they work with Xreal glasses ? I thought they were just two screens made to look like one big one. How is it working as VR ?
Works pretty good. Sadly I have the Xreal glasses that have drift, causing me to have to recenter all the time. I'd buy new glasses but, all the glasses have such a low FOV. Better to just use my current glasses when I'm in a pinch. On a flight for 4 hours, I can put up with the low FOV and continual re-centering. I'd buy different glasses without the drift if there was a pair with decent FOV, I'm guessing it needs to be around 80 degrees.
I'm looking forward to these headsets coming out that are first class citizens in Linux. I'm looking forward to SimulaVR as well, it seemed to work great, but the headset I have, Quest2. Using that over ALVR sucks, and the headset sucks. Honestly if I had thought the SimulaVR headset was going to take this long, I would have also bought a Vive Pro back then. No matter now, I'm buying the Steam Frame and the SimulaVR headset comes when that comes. Hopefully an AR glasses unit gets released with at least 80 degrees FOV. It's awesome to see all these VR productivity solutions starting to emerge. The future is definitely bright.
for me VR headsets are just that, a headset. Im interested in XR/AR glasses with 3D support not requiring a 3rd party dongle and Mac / Andriod only software support. The form factor is more appealing for just chilling in bed, couch and looking at a giant screen (in 3D with the right software) But if the XR glasses work in a VR-like manner on KDE plasma id like to try that out.
Last edited by Lofty on 19 Jan 2026 at 6:35 pm UTC
0 Likes
Quoting: LoftyInteresting they work with Xreal glasses ? I thought they were just two screens made to look like one big one. How is it working as VR ?It's AR. With Breezy Desktop + Gnome. I just see one monitor, hovering, in front of my face. I can set it to be an Ultrawide monitor. I can adjust my perceived distance to the monitor, which is great, and really makes it work. The FOV is the draw back. The Left third and right third of the monitor are black until I turn my head in that direction. "Two screens made to look like one big one", that's also an option.
for me VR headsets are just that, a headset. Im interested in XR/AR glasses with 3D support not requiring a 3rd party dongle and Mac / Andriod only software support. The form factor is more appealing for just chilling in bed, couch and looking at a giant screen (in 3D with the right software) But if the XR glasses work in a VR-like manner on KDE plasma id like to try that out.
If you just want a giant screen that's locked in front of your face, what would seem about 9ft. away, that's how AR glasses work in their default with no software. If you want a giant screen that is not locked in front of your face, you would need AR glasses with 6DoF. Most of the AR glasses have 3DoF.
What's good about Breezy, is you can pull that screen in closer. I can work on a monitor that is 9ft. away, but it's not great. When you bring the monitor in, then you need that FOV to be wider without having to turn your head left and right to see the entire monitor. Sounds like you might just need the glasses, no software, and just plug them in.
0 Likes
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