While other companies continue to try to expand into the Metaverse, Microsoft appears to have plans to the contrary. company has been confirmed That will begin to end support for AltspaceVR, a platform the company acquired in mid-2017.
AltspaceVR defines itself as a virtual and social platform, which allows users to interact with each other in an environment similar to that of the metaverse. However, Microsoft has now confirmed that the platform will be officially shut down on March 10, 2023.
The company’s idea would be to focus on developing new technologies for Mesh, a mixed virtual reality platform that the company launched in 2021 and which it later confirmed as a Microsoft Teams integration.
The company’s idea will be to integrate Microsoft Mesh as the future of the virtual environment and focus on the professional environment – where its goal will be to focus on Teams. However, the company hopes that in the future, the same Microsoft Mesh technology can be released to general consumers as well, bringing benefits in many areas.
This closure comes at the same time that the company confirmed that it will lay off about 10,000 employees by the end of March. Among the cuts is a large portion of the staff associated with AltspaceVR development, and the company has reportedly made some cuts in HoloLens development as well.
