Not too long ago, we reported on how AltspaceVR was shutting down. Although this VR social network had plenty of momentum, the interest and funding dried up all of a sudden. It now turns out the company is getting a second lease on life thanks to being acquired by Microsoft. A rather surprising turn of events, as all team members will join the technology giant moving forward.
AltspaceVR is not Dying After all
A lot of AltspaceVR users will be pleased to hear the social network may not be gone for good. Although the company was in talks with partners to remain offline, most of those efforts fell through. Microsoft is throwing the startup a lifeline, although the focus will shift a bit. Rather than just focus on virtual reality, the team will now begin building the world’s preeminent mixed reality community. It is evident the technology giant has high hopes for mixed reality, even though it remains to be seen if these expectations can be justified.
Considering how AltspaceVR had organized some major VR events, their shutdown would not go by unnoticed. Some of their “guests” include Drew Carey, Bill Nye, and Reggie Watts. During the 2016 presidential elections, the company partnered with NBC news to host live events in VR. All of this goes to show the platform itself has been well received by the community in general. Moreover, their cross-platform compatibility has made it one of the best video-oriented CDNs in the VR space to date.
A Microsoft spokesperson comments on the acquisition as follows:
“AltspaceVR will stay AltspaceVR. Microsoft is most interested in preserving the current community that uses AltspaceVR to connect and interact with new and old friends. These first few months will focus on fostering our community and making sure AltspaceVR remains a friendly, welcoming and vibrant place to hang out in virtual reality.”
It is good to see AltspaceVR will remain accessible to VR users for the foreseeable future. The Windows Mixed Reality platform being built will not make the VR version less fun to enjoy, and future updates will still be provided over time. That in itself is good news, although no announcements have been made in regards to what consumers can expect in the coming months. All things considered, a very smart acquisition by Microsoft, and one that will help shape the future of mixed reality.
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