AltspaceVR is shutting down as Microsoft’s blended actuality division shrinks

An image showing a group of avatars in Altspace VR — Picture: Microsoft

Microsoft will shut down AltspaceVR, the social digital actuality (VR) platform it acquired in 2017 (through VentureBeat), on March 10th, 2023. The corporate shared the information in a weblog put up simply days after it introduced job cuts affecting 10,000 staff, stating the transfer will assist shift focus “to help immersive experiences powered by Microsoft Mesh.”

AltspaceVR emerged as one of many very first social VR experiences in 2015 alongside different platforms like VRChat and Rec Room. Whereas the startup practically shut down in 2017 on account of monetary points, Microsoft scooped up the platform as a part of its efforts to construct out its personal mixed-reality ecosystem. Microsoft says customers can obtain their knowledge from AltspaceVR earlier than the shutdown.