Just before Christmas, Microsoft announced that Windows Mixed Reality went on to add to his list of outdated applications. This means that the support service will soon be withdrawn and will no longer be present in the next versions of your operating system such as Windows 12, already announced for this year.
The news can still be read in the Microsoft official page. Its original text in English specifies the following: «Windows Mixed Reality is deprecated and will be removed in a future release of Windows. This deprecation includes the Mixed Reality Portal app, and Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR and Steam VR Beta». That is The disabling also extends to the Mixed Reality Portal app and Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR and Steam VR Beta.
Microsoft's failed bet on mixed reality
The first time we heard about this application was in the spring 2018, when Mixed Reality was presented along with a Windows 10 update. The invention came surrounded by a lot of optimism and promised new and exciting features for the user. It was Microsoft's big virtual reality bet.
With this application it is possible implement mixed reality natively in Windows 10, achieving, among other things, an alternative and completely digital interface. For its use, it is also necessary to have a adapted viewer.
Virtual reality and mixed reality
At this point it is necessary to explain what is mixed reality. As its name suggests, it is a mix between virtual reality and augmented reality. The first is the gateway to digital worlds; the second is aimed at printing digital objects in real environments.
Microsoft's idea was to offer a unified experience. In this way, Windows Mixed Reality was presented to the public as a kind of virtual desktop in which we can open all our applications. Its appearance was that of a large house in which to view holograms with the different apps on the walls and rooms. A space with infinite possibilities to enjoy the social and entertainment applications, as well as to achieve fully immersive experiences in certain games. That's where the Mixed Reality app for Steam comes in, with which you can access virtual reality games from Steam.
Why hasn't it worked?
Faced with such a promising horizon, many manufacturers launched themselves into the commercialization of virtual reality kits. However, things have not gone as planned. Microsoft's collaboration agreements with brands such as Acer, HP or Lenovo have not given the expected results in terms of sales figures.
The truth is that The announced mixed reality boom has not really happened. There is no simple explanation for this, but rather a combination of circumstances. The high price of viewers and other devices, as well as the demanding installation requirements, the lack of quality content, the poor compatibility between platforms and the limited battery life have ended up keeping the general public away from this type of proposals.
So, can we talk openly about failure? In a way, yes. Otherwise, this announcement would not have occurred.
And now that?
Users who in recent years have opted for mixed reality and have invested in viewers and other devices now find themselves with the following situation: There will no longer be new updates or improvements in drivers for SteamVR. This, at the moment, does not have a very significant impact, although in the long run it will lead to the appearance of compatibility problems and other errors.
Until November 1, 2026, users will still be able to access the Windows Mixed Reality Store and download the SteamVR app. Afterwards, this access will be restricted only to commercial users and only for one more year. Obviously, when Windows 12 is released, users who update the operating system will no longer be able to use these applications.
The horizon is also quite bleak for all mixed reality kits Specifically designed to work with Windows Mixed Reality. Without Microsoft software, they automatically become useless objects.
Although this adventure has not had a happy ending, everyone knows that mixed reality technology is still in an early phase of its development. There is still a lot to do in this regard, so the relative failure of Windows Mixed Reality should not be an end point.
It is only a matter of time before new proposals appear to correct errors and implement improvements in quality and accessibility. It is true that everything indicates that, for the moment, The paths of mixed reality and Microsoft separate now, but it is very possible that they will coincide again in the not too distant future.