Microsoft disbands virtual reality platform 'AltspaceVR' and HoloLens' entire Mixed Reality Tool Kit development team

by Penn Libraries-TRL

The MR (Mixed Reality) Division of Microsoft's Cloud and AI Group has announced that it will end the provision of the social VR platform ' AltspaceVR ' on March 10, 2023. It is also reported that the development team of the MR framework Mixed Reality Tool Kit (MRTK) will be dissolved.

AltspaceVR to Sunset the Platform on March 10, 2023 - AltspaceVR
https://altvr.com/sunset/

Microsoft has laid off entire teams behind Virtual, Mixed Reality, and HoloLens | Windows Central
https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/microsoft-has-laid-off-entire-teams-behind-virtual-mixed-reality-and-hololens

The rapid deterioration of the global economy from the middle of 2022 is hitting major high-tech companies directly, and following Amazon , Google , and Meta , Microsoft will also reduce 10,000 people, or about 5% of all employees, by March 2023. It was reported that a large-scale layoff to be dismissed would be carried out.

Microsoft decided to dismiss 10,000 people, the second largest personnel reduction in history with a restructuring cost of 154 billion yen - GIGAZINE

AltspaceVR was chosen as one of the divisions targeted for this layoff. AltspaceVR is a metaverse developed by a company of the same name founded in 2013. It is a social VR platform that allows users to access a space called 'world' to hold meetings and collaborate. AltspaceVR was acquired by Microsoft in 2017, and part of AltspaceVR has been diverted to Microsoft's virtual communication platform `` Microsoft Mesh ''.

Microsoft announces mixed reality platform 'Microsoft Mesh', demo video of Pokemon GO that can be played with HoloLens - GIGAZINE

AltspaceVR's team said, 'AltspaceVR has been loved by many for providing a place for people to explore their identity, express themselves, and find community. That's why we decided to end the service. It wasn't easy,' he said, announcing that the last event will be held before the end of service on March 10, 2023. 'I hate to say goodbye, but I'm proud and grateful for all the magic that happened here,' he wrote on Twitter.

We have some sad news, Altspacers. #AltspaceVR is shutting down on March 10th.

Though we hate saying goodbye, we also feel such pride and gratitude for all the magic that happened here.

Thanks for joining us on this epic adventure. #socialvr https://t.co/peCwpaaBl3

—AltspaceVR (@AltspaceVR) January 20, 2023

In addition, Windows Central, which handles Windows-related news, reports that the development team of MRTK, an MR toolkit for Microsoft developers, will also be dissolved. MRTK is an open source framework for developing MR apps for the MR headset ' HoloLens ' in Unity , led by Microsoft. According to Windows Central, HoloLens-related projects have been shrinking since HoloLens chief architect Alex Kipman resigned in June 2022.

Windows Central said, ``The fact that the development team of the MRTK framework, which was scheduled to release a new version in February 2023, was selected for layoffs illustrates that Microsoft no longer believes in virtual reality. Many believe that the Metaverse is the next big opportunity for human-computer interfaces, but even Meta, which believed in the Metaverse and changed its name , laid off 11,000 staff. There is,' he said, saying that the metaverse is no longer a hopeful thing for big tech companies.