Yes — The Lab is free to play, so you can install and play it without buying anything.

Does The Lab work on Steam Deck?

Valve rates The Lab Unsupported on Steam Deck, which means some or all of it does not currently work there.

Can I play The Lab on Mac?

Not natively — Steam lists no macOS version of The Lab. Mac players would need a cloud gaming service or a Windows compatibility layer.

Is The Lab multiplayer?

No — Steam lists The Lab as single-player only.

Is The Lab on PC Game Pass?

No — The Lab is not on PC Game Pass right now.

The Lab

Name: The Lab
Brand: Valve
Availability: InStock

Valve · April 5, 2016 · Free to Play, VR, Singleplayer, Action, First-Person

The Lab is free to play — no purchase needed. We track it so you know if that ever changes.

Action deals VR deals Valve games

Very Positive95% · 6,67356playing now

Best price

Free

Get it free on Steam

This game is free to play. Get it on Steam →

Trailers & screenshots

Watch the The Lab trailer →

The Lab price

The Lab is free to play — there is no purchase price, on Steam or anywhere else we track. We keep watching it, so if it ever stops being free the price history on this page will show when that happened and what it changed to.

About The Lab

✦ AI summary

The Lab is a collection of bite-sized VR experiences ranging from physics-based destruction and archery defense to retro arcade action, educational space exploration, and fantasy shopping. Each mini-experience showcases different ways to interact with virtual worlds, from the intimate (repairing robots) to the expansive (exploring the solar system), all wrapped in Aperture Science's distinctive dark humor.

Set in a pocket universe of Aperture Science, The Lab offers a wide range of ways to enjoy VR, all in one application.

Slingshot
Begin your career as a Calibration Trainee by recklessly destroying everything in the Aperture Storage Annex using the Core Calibration slingshot.

Longbow
Use your archery skills to defend your noble castle gate from a rampaging but adorable and equally noble horde of attackers.

Xortex
Are you a bad enough dude to become a Xortex ace? Relive the golden era of gaming -- only this time, it's all around you.

Postcards
Visit exotic, far-off locales from the comfort of your own head.

Human Medical Scan
Explore the intricate beauty of the human body through a highly detailed model created from a series of CT medical scans.

Solar System
Why watch shows about the vast majesty of space when you can jump in and see it for yourself? Have educational space-fun while putting Neil Degrasse-Tyson out of business.

Robot Repair
Can you repair a robot? Good, because Aperture Science's Human Diversity Outreach Program is now hiring.

Secret Shop
The fantasy equivalent of a twenty-four-hour convenience store is now open for business! Peruse artifacts, shop for familiars and cast a spell or two at Dota's Secret Shop!

The Lab — game info

Platforms: Windows
Steam Deck: Unsupported
Player modes: Single-player
PC Game Pass: Not included

What Steam players say

Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.

Recommended Sep 6, 2026

Highly enjoyable minigames! 👍

Recommended Sep 3, 2026

A Must Play For Anyone With The New Steam Frame. This Really Shows You What VR Is. See My Video Below. https://youtube.com/shorts/eEvMmnnQGlc?si=bAWFjUlGgP9wAnZ8

Recommended Sep 3, 2026

Neat to try out. Especially back in 2016!

Recommended Sep 2, 2026

This is such an awesome experience, well worth the $0 price tag.

Recommended Aug 30, 2026

Still a great vr game I love it

Recommended Aug 24, 2026

very short but fun. check it out, cause its free!

Community reviews

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0 reviews

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