Microsoft has laid off entire teams behind Virtual, Mixed Reality, and HoloLens

Windowscentral writes: "HoloLens, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality are all but dead at Microsoft."

[Christopher]

Right after https://www.theverge.com/20...

[crazyCoconuts]

Yeah last thing I'd want going to battle would be windows strapped to my head

[Orchard]

Lol resupply breaks would become reformat breaks. Plus windows updates mid combat.

I also can’t imagine wearing a Hololens or any other headset for hours like that. Especially when you’re already carrying all the other equipment our soldiers carry today.

[Philaroni]

I would suck to go in to war and get... a blue screen of death.... literally.

I want this to be the most down voted comment. Sorry for my dark sense of humor.

[Orchard]

@Phil Sorry to disappoint but you’re getting an upvote from me :p

[kryteris]

better than linux.

[shinoff2183]

Damn orchard, you almost had some form of virtual to praise to the high mountains about , least for the time being you can continue to down psvr2

[Knushwood Butt]

'Headaches and nausea'

I get those symptoms using Microsoft Edge.

[Good-Smurf]

Darn thing locked up my laptop a few times and threw a no signal bug at my external or internal screen when it tries to load certain websites.

[Knushwood Butt]

It's so bloated and frustrating to use. Always spamming me with pop up dialogues and stuff.

I don't use my laptop much, but yesterday made the time to set Chrome as my default.

[lonewolf10]

It mentions that in the article, confused slightly as to whole divisions being laid off as The Verge article makes it seem that there is a 1.2 version of the headsets in testing and MSoft have received 165 Mill to carry on with them.

[Christopher]

That's a different product, actually, not HoloLens. It is poorly written, but the 1.2 version they're going with is a different product they have also been testing.

[lonewolf10]

No wonder I was confused.

[1Victor]

Well there you have it folks Microsoft officially buried its room temperature foliage on a form of VR😢.
The good news for the team they might get a job at Sony or meta for their vr departments

I feel sorry for the hardcore Xbox fans that was holding up the wish of something coming out of mixed reality/HoloLens.

[Orchard]

Not super surprising given how poorly VR and AR and all the metaverse stuff have taken off really.

Also outside of the military, you barely see or hear anything about Hololens these days.

[blackblades]

I remember them talking about hololens back in the day. Showing that Minecraft with it to maybe compete with VR and now it's dead like everything else.

[Orchard]

Yep lol, also the thing was like $5000. I wouldn’t pay $500 nevermind $5000 to play Minecraft in VR/AR.

[ApocalypseShadow]

AR is growing. Already used in cellphones. VR is growing everywhere else. It's just taking longer to integrate it in a pair of glasses.

Microsoft tried to use Hololens at E3 against VR and failed with that little window nonsense. Then, they played like they weren't pushing it for gaming when they actually were displaying games like Minecraft in it. Then, sold the tech against employee wishes to the military and failed because it's nauseating and having lights on a battlefield will get you killed. I had night vision in the army and could tell when an enemy inhaled on a cigarette. You could pop them right there. It's a good science fiction idea. But nothing replaces real battlefield awareness with your own eyes and ears in training or real war.

You're saying it failed because Microsoft is failing with Hololens. They partnered with 7 or so PC manufacturers to put out Windows VR headsets. But just like on console, they made NO GAMES for their headsets and expected others to pick up the slack. All those headsets hit fire sales and were discontinued. Microsoft's fault again for no Halo VR, no Forza VR, etc.

They failed again by not making good with their promise of high fidelity VR on Xbox One. When they have 2 TRILLION worth. Billions to buy up publishers. But not release VR because they want gamers on subscriptions and are buying up franchises to get them on game pass. But Sony is going to DELIVER high fidelity VR that Microsoft isn't.

PSVR sold at profit DAY ONE. Sony made millions in revenue on games and accessories proving that money can be made in VR and grow the market and platform. There are developers like Beat Games or even an indie making gorilla tag, can make money in VR. Sony are releasing their second one with even more potential to make more money that proves Microsoft wrong again.

Saying VR or AR is failing as a whole is FALSE. Education, automotive and building construction, real estate sales, music entertainment, medicine for PTSD help or cancer patients wanting to see things other than hospital walls, job instruction for places like Walmart... And GAMING, means they are not failing. Only in your mind.

The growth is real. You're just trying to deny it because of Microsoft. This isn't 3D TV or Wii waggle or your daddy's Kinect. VR and AR is here to stay.

[Orchard]

“This isn't 3D TV or Wii waggle or your daddy's Kinect.”

That awkward moment when the failed products you’re using to defend another product had far higher attach rate and sales than the one you’re trying to defend 👀💀

[GamingSinceForever]

“Not super surprising given how poorly VR and AR and all the metaverse stuff have taken off really for Microsoft”

Thought I’d fix that for you.

[Orchard]

So where is the VR and metaverse success story? Quest 2?

Facebooks metaverse is dead too.

[GamingSinceForever]

Sony seems to have gotten VR right. Wouldn’t you agree?

Meta Quest is doing fairly well too.

Now I agree that MS was right in letting it go because they weren’t having much success themselves.

[Orchard]

No one has gotten it right yet, if by right you mean made it popular. The attach rate for PSVR is too low to call it that.

Quest is a little harder to judge since it's not attached to any device we can reasonably measure like PSVR is.

But until a good amount of gamers care, and/or it's considered mainstream, I would say VR hasn't landed.

As for MS, at the time it seemed like a risky bet, but in hindsight, they made the right decision if you look at where VR is today.

[Bathyj]

So Orchard you wouldn't consider VR a success unless it has a high attach rate to a parent device?

Bollocks
I consider VR a success if it gives you a good experience, an experience to can't get in any other format, and a decent amount of people use it and are happy with it regardless of attach rates.

Porsche doesn't consider themselves a failure because Toyota sell 100 times more cars.

If there's demand for a product and it makes profit then it's a viable business so get over your hangups.

And as for Microsoft making the right decision sitting back and watching because it's risky, well all that proves is they are participants in this industry, not leaders. If they had done VR and it was half-decent I can't help but think you would have a totally different opinion about it.

[Orchard]

"So Orchard you wouldn't consider VR a success unless it has a high attach rate to a parent device?"

Correct. a 4% attach rate, for a gaming accessory on a parent device that is dedicated to gaming is unsuccessful. Kinect had a higher attach rate than that, and it was considered a failure too.

"Porsche doesn't consider themselves a failure because Toyota sell 100 times more cars."

Not comparable at all. Porsche being a premium, rare product that only the very rich can afford is part of their brand, meanwhile Toyota is the cheap, mainstream, 'most people can buy one of these' brand.

PlayStation products are more Toyota than Porsche.

"well all that proves is they are participants in this industry, not leaders."

Participating in VR isn't what defines you as a leader or participant in this industry. Nintendo are blowing the PS5 and XSX away, and they are not participating in VR. VR just isn't that popular or important 🤷

[Crows90]

@ Orchard
"Not comparable at all. Porsche being a premium, rare product that only the very rich can afford is part of their brand, meanwhile Toyota is the cheap, mainstream, 'most people can buy one of these' brand."

Well actually within the gaming space you actually nailed it. Xbox is the toyota and Playstation is the Porsche..since it is more expensive in other parts of the world.

"Correct. a 4% attach rate, for a gaming accessory on a parent device that is dedicated to gaming is unsuccessful. Kinect had a higher attach rate than that, and it was considered a failure too."

Except nobody actually wanted kinect. It was forced onto IP and consoles with the xbox one. PSVR on the other hand is an optional device. An optional device that sold to 5million players. That is a success for a typical game and also embodies the hardcore audience. Most Playstation exclusives are guaranteed 5 million in sales. The attach rate for a non essential and expensive device shouldnt be seen in the same light as say an actual game or cheap subscription service. If it was actually a failure im pretty sure Sony wouldnt be wasting money on it.

"Participating in VR isn't what defines you as a leader or participant in this industry. Nintendo are blowing the PS5 and XSX away, and they are not participating in VR. VR just isn't that popular or important"

Thats not how it works. Sony is a leader in the VR industry regardless of popularity. Who else is doing it? So yeah. Not to mention you have to look at the games...I know...its an issue for xbox fans to dwell on whether games are actually any good but PSVR has good titles and PSVR2 doesnt look to disappoint either.

[Hofstaderman]

But I thought sales and attach rates do not matter to Microsoft @Orchard.

[S2Killinit]

VR is so much fun. One day MS will get their act together. Don't lose hope! Hope is all you have. Keep believing…

[Orchard]

I'd much rather MS, Nintendo and Sony all invest in traditional games instead.

Just look at PS5 in 2023, we're getting a very small handful of traditional Sony games this year because instead they've invested in appeasing ~4% of PS customers.

[S2Killinit]

Nah, Sony knows how to make exclusives. We are getting so much Im falling behind in my backlog. MS on the other hand cant seem to make a single proper exclusive. Promises yes, games, no. And now, seems no VR either! What are they thinking? But, dont lose hope, one day they will fix all of it.

[shinoff2183]

Orchy Sony can gives us traditional games and do some vr stuff. They gonna be alright. Vr is pretty dope if you'd actually try it or you can get your parents to get you one

[GamingSinceForever]

Orchard you can be a real character at times. If Sony felt that PSVR didn’t meet or even exceed their expectations why would they move to release PSVR2? Sony is notorious for abandoning what they feel is a failure, but it looks like they are coming on even stronger with PSVR2.

[crazyCoconuts]

I don't have data to prove this, but I feel like PSVR owners purchased more games and became more locked into the platform. Also more of the games were digital so no secondary market for used games. I suspect even though there weren't as many VR owners, they ended up spending a lot of money. I know I did

[Orchard]

"If Sony felt that PSVR didn’t meet or even exceed their expectations why would they move to release PSVR2?"

Even Kinect had two iterations. Means nothing.

"Sony is notorious for abandoning what they feel is a failure"

I wouldn't say they are any more or less notorious than Microsoft and Nintendo. Google are the ones who are really notorious for killing things.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

That worked for PSP

[Godmars290]

The Metaverse is something the former Facebook is trying to force while having no idea how to best implement it. Trying to use the "tried and true" method of get people using it then get it working.

How long have customer driven markets vs market driven consumers been things?

[frostypants]

That is some serious cope. AR and VR are growing just fine. MS as a rule just sucks at innovation. Always has. They never see things through. Kinect was interesting but they ultimately botched that too.

[Pocahontas]

No one buys this narrative give up man

[EazyC]

I do think there has been a disappointing uptake on VR, but the reason is :

1: The upfront cost. You're literally doubling the price of the console.
2. Lack of first party support. Getting spin offs etc makes it feel like second fiddle.

I've just preordered PSVR2 for Gran Turismo 7 alone. THAT is what I want, a full blown game in VR. I don't think I'd have bothered otherwise. Until developers start making BR games from the ground up, I won't be that interested.

[Sonic1881]

I'm surprised that the Oculus Quest and PSVR didn't have these problems

[EazyC]

Price alone will keep VR in the "super luxury" and "specialist" categories of gaming for a long time to come.

[Abnor_Mal]

Halolens as some tried to call it, R.I.P.

[S2Killinit]

Lol they are on the right path $:

[Father__Merrin]

I can recall ppl laughing at psve claiming they will wait till e3 for Microsoft hololense gaming

[Elda]

LOL!

[SullysCigar]

Luckily, PlayStation has our backs with the best flat screen games and the option for the best VR gaming.

As it transpires, when Phil said "VR isn't ready" and "gamers don't want VR", what he meant was "we're not ready" and "we can't compete".

[CBaoth]

Another one of MS' monetary deflections down the drain. It was never intended to make it to retail, just distract the masses from the hype of VR. That pic is perfectly fitting. I visualize Phil, Aaron, and co. cackling in a back boardroom as they planned to destroy VR before it launched

[Kosic]

It's a shame Microsoft didn't/doesn't team up with one of the other VR companies and allow VR support on their series X. Imagine plugging in a vive, or quest 2 to the series X to play vr games. I know it wouldnt make Microsoft a lot of money, but it would be another reason for sales on the Xbox to happen.

[DOMination-]

Google abandoned it long ago. Even Apple are halting development

https://www.macrumors.com/2...

The tech has some good use cases once the form factor is actually able to be just a pair of glasses. Until then, it's going to remain niche and niche doesn't really work for trillion dollar companies.

[rlow1]

Hey, nothing better to do today kids?Then come on in and let’s talk about how terrible MS is? Even though this article doesn’t even mention one aspect gaming in it. But hey kids it’s a freebie so enjoy!

[AmUnRa]

So you are triggert? Yes you are..

[rlow1]

Why? Because I sarcastically called out an article that has nothing to do with gaming??? It’s tech news and according to the rules on this website this article shouldn’t have been on this site but their dedicated tech site.
I also called it out because the supposed monitor on this site should have failed this article. So was I triggered? Yeah, because this article wasn’t gaming news.

But was I triggered in the way you’re indicating? Not in the least, both Sony and MS are great companies and Sony makes some of the best games that I love.
So yes I was triggered in that I felt N4G was turning a blind eye to its own rules for the sake of, (let’s bash MS for the hell of it) type of article.

[1Victor]

@rlow triggered much I guess it’s a bad week for Microsoft and a even worse 🤯 for you. 🎹Don’t worry be happy 🎼in the future you’ll be able to play a amazing halo vr game with a rifle controller, the headset will look like master chief helmet 🤣 at that point you and orchard will love vr and highly praise it for the best technology ever 🤷🏿

[ironmonkey]

Lol couldn't compete. What s mess.

[ROCKY28]

😳

[hotnickles]

It’s a good thing imo. If it’s not working you put it back on the shelf for another time and different circumstances. Relocate resources and maybe keep a small team free to fail and innovate quickly. What’s the alternative? “Raise the taxes” to support the failing programs? I already have a government. No thanks.

[ocelot07]

So does that mean no more windows Mixed Reality??

[giovonni]

All the big tech companies are "trimming the fat"

[Goozex]

Freeing up funds for the Activision deal
Ms is a mess

[LucidIllusion]

Sad