Windows Mixed Reality is coming to an end. Microsoft recently updated a list of features they won’t be supporting anymore, and on that list is Windows Mixed Reality. This includes the Mixed Reality Portal app and Windows Mixed Reality for Steam VR.
According to Microsoft, Windows Mixed Reality is now considered outdated and will be taken out in a future Windows release. Microsoft initially launched Windows Mixed Reality in 2017 to try and compete with other virtual reality systems like HTC and Oculus (which is now owned by Meta).
Changing Face of Microsoft’s Virtual Reality
Windows Mixed Reality was a gateway to VR games, apps, and various experiences. Besides Microsoft HoloLens, companies like Acer, Dell, Lenovo, Asus, HP, and Samsung created mixed reality headsets that worked with Microsoft’s platform.
While there’s no indication that the business-focused HoloLens 2 will be discontinued, Microsoft enhanced it earlier this year by offering a free upgrade to Windows 11 and making several other improvements to the $3,500 headset.
Microsoft has been reducing the size of its VR division step by step. Last year, Alex Kipman, the head of HoloLens, departed amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Subsequently, the company downsized by cutting 10,000 jobs, impacting many employees involved in Microsoft’s mixed reality projects, which included the discontinuation of the AltspaceVR app.
Nevertheless, Microsoft remains committed to exploring alternative uses of VR. For instance, they are developing the Microsoft Mesh app, allowing colleagues to gather in a virtual space even without a headset. Additionally, through a collaboration with Meta, Microsoft has enabled Quest users to utilize Office apps and access the Xbox Cloud Gaming platform.
Conclusion
Windows Mixed Reality faces an imminent end as Microsoft discontinues support and marks it for removal in future Windows releases. Despite this, Microsoft adapts with a focus on enhancing HoloLens, exploring VR alternatives through Microsoft Mesh, and collaborating with Meta to expand virtual experiences, indicating a dynamic future in mixed reality.
