Microsoft has removed Windows Mixed Reality from Windows 11. With Windows 11 24H2, the latest major version of Microsoft’s PC operating system, you can no longer use a Windows MR headset in any way - not even on Steam. This includes all the Windows MR headsets from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung, including HP’s Reverb G2, released in 2020.

UploadVR tested Windows 11 24H2 with a Reverb G2 and found the above notice. Microsoft confirmed to UploadVR that this is an intentional removal when it originally announced the move back in December. In August 3.49% of SteamVR users were using a Windows MR headset, roughly 80,000 people. If they install Windows 11 24H2, their VR headset will effectively become a paperweight. “Existing Windows Mixed Reality devices will continue to work with Steam through November 2026, if users remain on their current released version of Windows 11 (version 23H2) and do not upgrade to this year’s annual feature update for Windows 11 (version 24H2).” The death of Windows MR headsets comes on the same week Microsoft revealed that HoloLens 2 production has ended, and that software support for the AR headset will end after 2027.

  • @[email protected]English
    13•2 months ago

    As a former Reverb G2 v2 owner (who recently sold his setup at fire sale prices because of this sunsetting by MS) I am very disappointed by this move. Why brick a bunch of perfectly functional devices and create a massive amount of e-waste in the process?

    Why not just freeze WMR in place, stop feature development, but keep the functionality around? I can’t imagine bug fixing and driver updates cost Microsoft any substantial amount of resources, given how they pretty much dropped doing any of that after 2022.

    It makes no sense to me and feels like management wanting to make a statement, more than a reasonable business decision. Especially since this move directly conflicts their stated sustainability goals and directives.

    It’s almost like the company is trying really hard to wash their hands clean of the HoloLens exec they fired for misconduct a while ago in the most scorched earth way possible or something.