Microsoft has announced its intention to discontinue support for its entire Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) platform on Windows, effective within the next 12 months. With the release of Windows 11’s 2024 update, these VR headsets have effectively been rendered inoperable.
Launched in 2017, Microsoft was well-positioned to make Windows a hub for a collection of PC VR headsets, including some of the first devices with inside-out tracking capabilities, offered by prominent brands such as Acer, Asus, Dell, Lenovo, HP, and Samsung.
Powered by Microsoft’s ‘Windows Mixed Reality’ (WMR) software platform, which integrated seamless support for the Windows operating system, users of WMR headsets enjoyed access to the entire library of SteamVR content. Up till now, that’s.
Microsoft announced in December 2023 that Windows Mixed Reality is deprecated and may be discontinued in Windows 11, version 24H2. The following components are being deprecated: the Blended Actuality Portal application, Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR, and the Steam VR Beta.
If you upgrade to the 24H2 model of Windows 11 but remain on version 23H2, you will still be able to play SteamVR content through November 2026? Microsoft announced that WMR headsets will no longer receive safety updates, non-security updates, bug fixes, technical support, or online technical content updates.
While many first-generation WMR headset customers may have migrated elsewhere, the HP Reverb G2, introduced in 2020, entered the fray as a challenger to Oculus Rift S and Valve Index, renowned for their exceptional display clarity and enhanced monitoring features that surpassed other WMR headsets of its time.
As part of a broader move, Microsoft has announced the deprecation of its innovative XR hardware platform, HoloLens 2, which has been officially discontinued. The company will continue to provide security updates until December 31st, 2027.
Microsoft has taken a significant step closer to Meta, announcing that its Quest headset will soon support seamless pairing with Windows 11, bringing it in line with the functionality of Meta’s Oculus Quest’s compatibility with macOS.
