The major update to the Windows 11 operating system, 24H2, brings all kinds of exciting and useful new features, but it also removes many apps and features that Microsoft no longer wants to support in the future.
One of the features that has been removed is Windows Mixed Reality (WMR), which was first launched in 2017 and was supposed to be a platform for virtual reality and augmented reality experiences through WMR-compatible headsets like Microsoft HoloLens (which has also recently been discontinued).
Update 24H2 for Windows 11 officially disables the WMR feature, making devices that were previously compatible no longer work and killing Steam VR apps along with it. However, this should not really come as a surprise, as the company had previously announced the discontinuation of Windows Mixed Reality late last year.
Microsoft stated that it is still possible to use current mixed reality devices until November 2026 (e.g., via SteamVR), but only if the Windows 11 24H2 update is not installed. Instead, Windows Mixed Reality is still available on the Windows 10 operating system.
Why Abandon Windows Mixed Reality?
Microsoft entered the virtual reality market in 2015 with the XR platform “Windows Holographic” along with other XR headsets from external manufacturers.
XR stands for extended reality, a comprehensive term covering virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality.
Mixed reality overlays a digital world onto the real world, so you are not completely immersed in a digital world (virtual reality) but instead use a headset to see virtual objects placed in the real world. On the other hand, augmented reality contains digital elements displayed in a physical environment.
Then, in 2017, Microsoft launched Windows Mixed Reality, allowing users to experience virtual reality applications through Steam and other platforms. In 2020, Microsoft also released the HP Reverb G2 virtual reality headset in collaboration with Valve.
However, despite some great features that earned Microsoft’s devices a special place in extended reality development, demand for their devices remained low. Other manufacturers, such as Oculus (now part of Meta) and Sony, were more successful and still struggle to attract consumer interest in expensive XR equipment.
There is also a lack of truly engaging games and experiences that could make the technologies more appealing to mainstream audiences. Even Apple’s Vision Pro VR headset failed to garner much interest, and Google recently discontinued its Project Iris in virtual/augmented reality attempts.
Given all of the above, it is not really surprising to see Microsoft leaving XR behind and focusing its efforts on other endeavors, such as the recent push for AI-based Copilot+ computer devices that also failed to impress.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and has been translated and adapted from German.
