Microsoft's 2017 acquired company, AltspaceVR, will soon be shut down by the company, and it will move to a new service under the software company's features. The AltspaceVR team announced this to all of its users, who said that they would be shifting their focus to Microsoft Mesh, the new AR/VR platform of the company.
In its 10-year run, AltspaceVR provided the world with a unique experience that centers on a social VR platform where people could come together and engage within their community.
Microsoft to Shutdown AltspaceVR
According to a blog post by the AltVR team, Microsoft has decided to "sunset" the AltspaceVR platform come March 10, and in more than a month, the company's platform will no longer be accessible to its users. The AltspaceVR is best known as a social VR platform that provides communication and connectivity via a virtual experience.
The company was founded in 2013 by Eric Romo, and first launched its product in 2015. It caught the attention of massive companies, including Microsoft which completed its acquisition in 2017.
AltspaceVR gave the world a real-time VR social experience way ahead of its time, back when VR was mostly imagined for games and entertainment.
AltspaceVR to Live on to Mesh
The AltVR team said that their service will live on in the Microsoft Mesh platform.
This is a cloud-based mixed reality platform from the tech giant which also centers on social experiences via the AR and VR spectrum. The company claims that it will allow virtual experiences on any device, may it be the Microsoft Holo Lens 2, other VR headsets, mobile phones, tablets, and the PC.
VR Platforms in the World
Virtual reality platforms are not exclusive to the gaming world alone, as the experience also extends to different industries present. One of the recent applications of VR is for tourism, and experts believe that it could replace the traditional tours by taking people on virtual trips for them to see and experience a place, without necessarily being in the location.
The pandemic locked down major cities and travels to different places, with people being confined to their homes. Because of this, virtual reality was given a massive step towards its adaptation and acceptance among the public, with schools offering a virtual learning setup where some experience it via the platform instead of simply sitting in front of video conferencing apps.
There is also the famous Meta Horizon Worlds which fuses social, gaming, and entertainment in one service.
AltspaceVR gave the world a new social experience in connecting with friends, loved ones, and other members of the community under one platform. Sadly, it will soon bid farewell but does not mean it is entirely shut down, as it gets to live on under the Microsoft Mesh experience.
