It looks like Microsoft has ended its current delve into virtual reality. Windows Mixed Reality, the platform launched in 2017 to compete with Oculus and HTC Vive, is being officially discontinued. This announcement, tucked away in an updated list of deprecated Windows features, may signify that Microsoft is shifting its VR strategy.
Windows Mixed Reality was used for VR experiences, encompassing games, apps, and various immersive environments (Thanks, The Verge!). Users could dive into virtual worlds via headsets built by Microsoft and partners like Acer, Dell, and HP. There’s no telling what will happen to the VR division of the company or what Microsoft will do now. It’s obvious that they won’t leave this alone.
VR has a lot of uses, not just for PCs but for their gaming side, too. This may be the way that they change strategy or branding. Interestingly, Windows Mixed Reality isn’t the only casualty in this month’s depreciation run. Microsoft Defender Application Guard for Edge, a security feature for business users browsing in a controlled environment, is also on the chopping block. While a more modern alternative exists, its removal may still cause some disruption for organizations relying on Application Guard.
Rounding out the list of deprecations is the legacy console mode, a throwback to the pre-graphical user interface days of computing. It will become an optional Feature on Demand, so it won’t be completely lost to history. Similarly, Windows speech recognition is being phased out in favor of the newer and more robust voice access feature; honestly, it’s about time. That app was aged.
The fall of these features may sting for some, but we’ve seen features fall as newer ones take their place. Microsoft’s VR features didn’t quite hit the mark this time, but it’s good that they see it and are working on better things. What will replace it remains to be seen, but they likely won’t let VR go.