Microsoft: VR Headsets ‘Didn’t Meet High Expecations’

A Microsoft representative said its line of Windows VR headsets has not performed to expectations. Greg Sullivan, director of communications for Microsoft’s Mixed Reality arm, said in an interview with UploadVR: “Interestingly, the immersive VR headsets were pitched as consumer devices and I think did not meet, in general, the high expectations that were set for them there,” he said. “But what you’re seeing now is more and more commercial applications for those types of experiences.” Sullivan didn’t share sales statistics. He did say that the wider VR industry had experienced the same kind of growing pains. “I think everybody got very excited about the prospects,” he said. “But we’re still seeing some of the realities.”Microsoft partnered with the likes of Dell, Lenovo and Samsung to launch these devices in late 2017. They utilized inside-out tracking for VR that didn’t need external sensors. They also ran on the new Windows Mixed Reality platform and support SteamVR too. Around a year and a half on from launch, though, and these headsets are still a distant third to Rift and Vive in Steam’s monthly hardware survey reports. The Microsoft Store, meanwhile, has just 42 apps listed in its mixed reality section.