Microsoft turns 50 on April 4, and the celebration of everyone's favorite Windows developer has us all taking a look back at some of the company's greatest achievements (with a healthy mix of criticism mixed in).
Some of my first (and most memorable) experiences with Windows were gaming-related.
From my earliest days playing Solitaire on a Windows 95 PC before becoming so hopelessly addicted to Age of Empires II — both ranked among the best Microsoft games of all time by my colleague Rebecca Spear — that I nearly flunked Grade 7, Microsoft has been along for the ride.
Taking a big leap ahead in time, with plenty of PC gaming goodness in the middle, Microsoft was part of the VR bubble that began reinflating sometime around the mid-to-late '10s.
I'm taking a look back at Windows Mixed Reality's brief run to uncover its biggest positives as well as a few likely reasons why it didn't make it in the long run.
What was Windows Mixed Reality?
Windows Mixed Reality was first introduced at WinHEC 2016 as part of the 2017 Windows 10 Creator's Update.
WMR was one part of Microsoft's "Project Evo" initiative, and it aimed to bring low-cost headsets to market that would "raise the bar" surrounding expectations for Windows PCs.
It wasn't until CES 2017 that we got our first look at the WMR hardware — then called Windows Holographic VR before a rebrand — from Microsoft's partners.
Alex Kipman, HoloLens inventor and (at the time) Microsoft's WMR lead, took to the stage later in October wearing a WMR headset and bearing news that WMR headsets were available for preorder.
Kipman also released a lengthy blog post detailing his vision of Windows Mixed Reality:
"We are standing at the threshold of the next revolution in computing. A revolution where computers empower us to expand our capabilities and transcend time, space and devices. A revolution where we immerse ourselves in virtual worlds of our choosing and we accomplish seemingly impossible things, while making lasting memories with the people we love.
"Our sense of what is possible is set to be transformed as we enter a new era of computing, the era of mixed reality. We have started to see this transformation take place in the modern workplace and soon we'll see it in every facet of life. With mixed reality, our ideas move beyond the boundaries of paper, beyond the boundaries of screens, and beyond the boundaries of description. This is the fundamental promise of mixed reality. The barrier that exists between our physical and digital worlds will disappear."
Microsoft saw its WMR platform as a jumping-off point for the future of computing. Updates would push it to new limits, all while taking into account user needs and preferences.
👉 Related: What exactly is Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality?
From the start, WMR was intended to be used for everything from gaming to watching movies or TV, browsing the web, and meeting with friends in virtual chatrooms.
Here's a quick list of all the VR headsets released under the WMR banner:
- Acer AH101: Released October 17, 2017 at $399.99 (with controllers).
- Dell Visor: Released October 17, 2017 at $349.99 ($449.99 with controllers).
- HP WMR: Released October 17, 2017 at $449.99 (with controllers).
- Lenovo Explorer: Released October 17, 2017 at $349.99 (449.99 with controllers).
- Samsung Odyssey: Released November 6, 2017 at $500 (with controllers).
- ASUS HC102: Released February 20, 2018 at $399.99 (with controllers).
- Samsung Odyssey+: Released October 22, 2018 at $500 (with controllers).
- HP Reverb: Released May 6, 2019 at $599 (Consumer) and $649 (Pro).
- Acer OJO 500: Released October 17, 2019 at $399.99 (with controllers).
- HP Reverb G2: Released October 31, 2020 at $599 (with controllers).
Windows Mixed Reality got a lot right no matter how it ended
It's easy to look back on Windows Mixed Reality with a negative eye.
Its retirement as of Windows 11 update 24H2 left a lot of adopters holding e-waste, and it never really delivered on all of its promises.
However, it did a few things quite well, and in some areas was ahead of the competition.
Windows Mixed Reality was ahead of its time ... a classic Microsoft story
The first VR headset I tested was an early Oculus Rift version. The second was an HTC Vive.
Both setups required a network of base stations to be connected to your PC in order to track the movements of the headset and its controllers.
While inside-out tracking is now the norm for headsets like the Meta Quest (which is ultimately what became of the Rift after Meta bought Oculus), Windows Mixed Reality was ahead of its time in offering the feature.
I remember unboxing my first WMR headset; no base stations, no miles of cable. The headset was plug-and-play with the PC, and the tracking was all handled by built-in cameras and sensors on the hardware.
The headset keeping track of the controllers led to some wonk — especially if you moved your hands (with controllers) behind you — but it was a lot easier to set up and use for the average adopter.
Windows Mixed Reality's high visual fidelity was a selling point
In terms of visual fidelity, WMR was ahead of many other mainstream VR systems.
Dell, Acer, HP, and Lenovo all released WMR headsets in 2017 to kick off the partnered initiative, and they came with a 1440x1440 resolution.
Putting that into perspective, the HTC Vive launched in 2016 with a 1080x1200 resolution while the PSVR (also released in 2016) had a lowly 960x1080 resolution. Even the Oculus Rift CV1 topped out at 1080x1200.
Considering how important a high resolution is in VR, WMR offered a significant visual upgrade while retaining relatively affordable pricing.
The Samsung Odyssey launched in 2017, and it took everything to the next level with an AMOLED display at a 1440x1600 resolution. It took HTC another year to launch the Vive Pro with the same screen.
In 2019 and 2020, HP released its Reverb and Reverb G2 WMR headsets, pushing the resolution up to 2160x2160.
I reviewed the Reverb G2 favorably, and I'll argue that it was probably the best chance WMR had at succeeding.
Windows Mixed Reality had some of the most affordable hardware
Windows Mixed Reality headsets and their controllers were some of the most affordable ways to get into VR.
The initial run of systems from Microsoft's partners hit the market with sub-$500 price tags, and Acer's AH101 system was the cheapest at $400 for the complete kit with controllers. It didn't take long for these headsets to drop in price.
Putting that into perspective, the Rift CV1 was selling for $599 and the HTC Vive for $399. Even PSVR was a $400 investment if you wanted the headset and controllers.
The awesome Samsung Odyssey headset with its high-res AMOLED display launched at $500, but it was also prone to frequent discounts.
Besides, it was way ahead of its time. The Vive Pro with the same display launched about a year later at $1,099 for the full system, so Samsung's headset was a major steal.
Windows Mixed Reality worked flawlessly with Steam
Every PC gamer's favorite developer and retailer, Valve, was quick to implement WMR support in its SteamVR toolkit.
All you had to do in order to unlock the vast library of Steam games was install the tool on the main Steam app and download Microsoft's WMR for SteamVR app.
From there, it was just a matter of plugging in your headset and following the on-screen prompts. Any VR games you launched on Steam were sent automatically to the WMR headset.
For PC gamers looking to get into VR titles, WMR represented an affordable and fully compatible way to fully immerse themselves.
It's worth pointing out here that WMR even saved some software from extinction.
AltspaceVR was on the rocks in 2017 when Microsoft purchased it, which at the time seemed like an indicator of how serious Microsoft was about VR.
Too bad AltspaceVR ended up in the trash heap anyway when it was abandoned in 2023.
The demise of Windows Mixed Reality ... and the reasons leading up to it
The death of WMR wasn't entirely Microsoft's fault.
Looking at Statista numbers, consumer interest in VR headsets hasn't grown as quickly as expected, and worldwide demand for VR hardware and software has been eclipsed by Augmented Reality.
Those who do want a VR headset generally turn to Meta's Quest lineup of wireless, self-contained headsets, while Valve's own VR platform, Index, remains the leading hardware for PC gaming.
There are, however, a few pain points that didn't help Windows Mixed Reality's progress and attempts to gain market share.
I'm still waiting on that whole 'Mixed Reality' part
"Windows Mixed Reality" didn't really represent what Microsoft's VR platform could do. However, "Windows Virtual Reality" didn't really have the same ring to it.
Augmented reality at the time was being pushed forward by Microsoft's HoloLens, which could display information over the real world in front of you.
At the other end of the spectrum was virtual reality, which shut you off from the outside world completely for complete immersion.
The headsets were full virtual reality, with many hoping that the mixed part would arrive sometime in the future. That, of course, never panned out.
I'm not sure how much the "mixed" feature never arriving actually harmed the product, but it certainly didn't make the emerging world of VR any less complicated for those looking in from the outside.
The cheapest WMR hardware made a poor first impression
As a counterpoint to one of my earlier positive notes regarding the affordability of WMR headsets, the cost cut didn't come without side effects.
The headsets created by Microsoft's partners resulted in a wide range of quality, and I remember plenty of reports regarding Acer's budget option not faring well under heavy use.
It certainly wasn't the only hardware that had a cheap feel compared to competitors like HTC and Oculus.
Attempting to jumpstart an entirely new sector on the back of shoddy hardware is never a good idea.
Although there were WMR headsets that rivaled everything else on the market in terms of quality, the cheap stuff is what sold most, giving more people a negative impression.
It was a great way to give VR a shot without investing a ton of money, but it didn't do justice to the platform as a whole.
Despite Steam integration, WMR didn't have one killer app or game
Jumping into Windows Mixed Reality on Windows was fun at first. There was an entire house to decorate and set up, acting as your launch pad for everything WMR.
The excitement quickly waned as I found myself usually skipping any sort of intermediary software and jumping straight into the app or game of my choice.
Once SteamVR integration came along, I really didn't need to touch the WMR portal built into Windows at all. It just kind of became an annoying add-on.
Microsoft never really created that one killer app or game in an attempt to sell WMR, and it never got anywhere with Xbox integration.
Even Xbox head Phil Spencer was quoted in 2019 as saying "Nobody's asking for VR" on Xbox, though others argued it could be a perfect fit for the console.
Sony ultimately proved Spencer's point with PSVR and PSVR 2, which fizzled out due to poor sales and an overall lack of interest.
Still, I look at Valve's Half-Life: Alyx, released in 2020 to complement the Valve Index VR system, which currently sits at an Overwhelmingly Positive rating with more than 84,000 reviews.
What could have been if Microsoft had invested in turning one of its legendary brands into a VR game?
Could anything have saved Windows Mixed Reality?
Windows Mixed Reality support is officially dead if you've made the switch to Windows 11.
It's still kicking around in Windows 10, but its support is done, and besides, Windows 10 is being retired in October 2025.
That leaves a whole lot of e-waste sitting around. Microsoft could likely have lifted restrictions on code, turning it into an open-source platform and allowing enthusiasts to take it to the next level.
I don't know if anything could have saved WMR. Microsoft definitely didn't put as many resources into it as it could have, but the market appeal across all VR cooled off not long after it began heating up.
So, here we are in 2025 with Windows Mixed Reality pushing daisies in Microsoft's graveyard. Where do we go from here?
In 2024, it was reported that Microsoft is planning an MR/VR headset to take on the Apple Vision Pro, with a focus on gaming and media rather than any sort of metaverse.
That hardware, if it ever materializes, likely won't arrive until late 2025 or 2026.
It appears Extended Reality (XR) hardware — cutting-edge Goovis Art is currently being tested by Windows Central Editor in Chief Daniel Rubino, and XREAL is another favorite — is the next big push for consumer headsets.
XR offers hardware that's much less intrusive and heavy, and it delivers a better version of mixed reality than Windows Mixed Reality ever could. But, whether or not it sticks around remains to be seen.
Did you use WMR? Do you still use WMR? How could it have been saved from annihilation? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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