The Ghost Howls

JANUARY 23, 2023

Top news of the week (Image by Microsoft) Microsoft lays off 10,000 employees and shuts down its mixed reality projects This is seriously a bad period for the tech industry in general, and of course also for mixed reality. For sure, not having Microsoft backing it will slow down a lot of its development.

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Microsoft Survey Apple AR 324

VRScout

FEBRUARY 22, 2021

’ During the weekend prolific Microsoft leaker WalkingCat , the same individual responsible for leaking images of the Oculus Quest 2 back in July of 2020, posted two concept videos showcasing what appears to be Samsung’s take on a dedicated AR headset. link] — WalkingCat (@_h0x0d_) February 21, 2021.

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Video AR Samsung Wearables 403

VRScout

MAY 7, 2019

It’ s been 10 years since the launch of what can only be described as one of the most influential video games in the history of entertainment. Released on Microsoft’s official YouTube channel, the video—entitled “What’s Minecraft up to?”— Muddy pig don’t give a damn. // Image Credit: Microsoft.

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Microsoft AR Video Entertainment 298

Road to VR

MAY 6, 2021

Arcturus, a company building tools for editing and distributing volumetric video, today announced it has raised a $5 million seed investment. Distinct from stereoscopic video, volumetric video is fully three-dimensional and can be viewed from all angles, which makes it potentially well suited for use in augmented and virtual reality.

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Video Machine Learning Microsoft Hardware 291

Road to VR

JANUARY 24, 2024

Resolution Games, developers behind VR tabletop game Demeo (2021) , announced it’s working with Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast to create a VR game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. This isn’t the first Dungeons & Dragons- licensed game in VR.

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Gaming Strategy Samsung Microsoft 339

Road to VR

APRIL 25, 2024

This puts Meta in an entirely new position as a platform holder, as it now seems the company is trying to beat Google at its own game. Apple vs. Microsoft. Zuckerberg outlined so much in his most recent video announcement, stating he expects there to be a fleet of third-party headsets “designed for specific use cases.”

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Google Gaming Samsung Apple 232

ARPost

MARCH 9, 2021

Microsoft Ignite was a three-day conference that took place virtually on YouTube, Microsoft.com, and in Altspace from March 2-4. Surprisingly, there was little at the conference directly related to HoloLens , Microsoft’s mixed reality headset. Nadella described Mesh by inviting users to “think about what XBox Live did for gaming.”

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Microsoft Holography Conference Hardware 272

Road to VR

OCTOBER 5, 2020

Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) for PC is getting VR headset support sometime around the launch of HP’s upcoming PC VR headset, the HP Reverb G2. As first reported by Eurogamer , Microsoft Flight Simulator is expected to head into closed beta sometime in late October or early November. DirectX : DirectX 11. VRAM : 8 GB.

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Simulation Microsoft United States Survey 364

Upload VR

MARCH 8, 2024

For my part, I've spent much of the last few days flying over the dunes of Frank Herbert's Arrakis in Microsoft Flight Simulator. The new free add-on to Flight Simulator transforms the game into the barren spice-filled planet from the 1965 book. Check out the mission in our video:

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Simulation Microsoft Examples Immersion 128

XR Today - Mixed Reality tag

NOVEMBER 20, 2023

Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces is taking collaboration to a new level. Powered by Microsoft Mesh , the new XR experience is now in preview, allowing users to discover the era of “metaverse work.” What is Microsoft Teams Immersive Spaces? Any user can transform a virtual meeting into a fully 3D experience with just one click.

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Microsoft Immersion Virtual Environment Video 101

ARVR

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

We are eagerly waiting to see what the scheduled release of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X later this year will do to AR/VR gaming! While we wait, we compiled a list of the most exciting video games that feature different use cases of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) as key plot devices.

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Augmented Reality Virtual Reality Video Gaming 130

Next Reality AR

MAY 17, 2019

As promised with its teaser from Build 2019, Microsoft has unveiled the details for its augmented reality version of Minecraft for smartphones. The company published a new trailer for the game, which has a rather similar feel to the trailer Niantic originally produced for Pokémon GO.

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Microsoft Augmented Reality Gaming AR 187

XR Today - Mixed Reality tag

NOVEMBER 21, 2023

What is Microsoft Mesh , and what can it do to transform the future of immersive collaboration? For some time now, Microsoft Mesh has promised companies an opportunity to build unique mixed and extended reality experiences for the future of work. So, what is Microsoft Mesh exactly, and what can it do? What is Microsoft Mesh?

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Microsoft Immersion Head Mounted Display Tools 102

Road to VR

MAY 9, 2018

Later this year, Microsoft is increasing the cut developers earn when publishing on the Microsoft Store. The raise in revenue share is slated to affect developers of non-gaming apps, amounting to between 85-95 % of revenue going to the creator of the application depending on how customers find the content.

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Microsoft Industry Gaming Apple 196

ARPost

MARCH 9, 2021

Microsoft Ignite was a three-day conference that took place virtually on YouTube, Microsoft.com, and in Altspace from March 2-4. Surprisingly, there was little at the conference directly related to HoloLens , Microsoft’s mixed reality headset. Nadella described Mesh by inviting users to “think about what XBox Live did for gaming.”

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Microsoft Holography Conference Hardware 195

VRScout

FEBRUARY 25, 2019

Microsoft debuts their latest mixed reality device at Mobile World Conference 2019. The first time I tried the HoloLens I knew I was experiencing the first generation of a game-changing technology. So, here’s the full low-down on Microsoft’s newest immersive device: It’s all about the Cloud. Spatial Anchors.

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Microsoft North America United Kingdom China 312

Next Reality AR

MAY 7, 2019

It looks like Microsoft will finally make good on its promise to bring Minecraft to augmented reality, as foreshadowed via a HoloLens demo in 2015. Don't Miss: This New AR App Is Like Minecraft for Drone Pilots Judging by the video, it looks like Microsoft is working on serving up.

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Augmented Reality Microsoft Gaming AR 151

Tech Trends VR

JUNE 25, 2018

Since the HoloLens was first released almost three years ago, Microsoft has steadily been building partnerships and demonstrating an array of industry use cases across manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, education and many others. The new HoloLens subscription service could prove a catalyst for SMEs to embrace immersive technology.

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Microsoft Europe Gaming Trends 243

VRScout

MAY 10, 2023

A little entertainment can go a long way during a lengthy commute, as shown by Reddit user manicmastiff81 who this week shared a video of them watching YouTube from the cockpit of a VR spaceship in the popular open-world science-fiction game No Man’s Sky. No Man’s Sky is available now on PC VR headsets for $59.99

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Virtual Environment Entertainment Video Microsoft 425

XR Today - Mixed Reality tag

MAY 23, 2023

Microsoft unveiled fresh, immersive features for its Microsoft Mesh-powered Team platform, it announced at its Build 2023 event on Tuesday. Microsoft’s latest iteration of Avatars for Teams allows attendees also to break the cycle of video fatigue common among remote workers and their colleagues.

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Microsoft Case Study Unity Immersion 109

XR Today - Mixed Reality tag

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

Microsoft recently released information regarding its recent Q2 2024 earnings call. Regarding Mcrosoft’s recent performance, Amy Hood, the EVP and CFO at Microsoft , noted: This quarter, revenue was $62 billion, up 18% and 16% in constant currency. The call hits all the expected notes, such as genAI. So not all is lost.

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Microsoft Hardware Immersion Apple 94

VRScout

DECEMBER 11, 2021

Earlier this week, Microsoft founder Bill Gates took to his official blog GatesNotes to lend his thoughts on a variety of hop button topics from climate change and misinformation to COVID-19 and remote coworking. I recommend diving into his full thoughts for a better understanding of Microsoft’s current game plan.

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Microsoft Motion Capture Tools Video 542

ARPost

JANUARY 30, 2023

Games are the largest use case for consumer VR and AR. While VR and AR remain a comparatively small segment of the games industry, the industry is taking notice as VR hardware in particular improves. This presents possibilities for new kinds of games but also promises to breathe new life into established franchises.

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Industry AR Gaming Survey 391

Bernard Marr

OCTOBER 15, 2023

The video game industry is a source of constant innovation, with many of its breakthrough technologies being adopted by the business world. The concept of the metaverse is not new to gamers either – persistent, avatar-driven digital environments and even digital currencies have long been accepted as part of mainstream gaming.

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Trends Video Gaming Industry 52

GizModo VR

SEPTEMBER 24, 2021

Xbox is about to become a more open platform with Microsoft’s September software update. The console is getting the latest version of Microsoft Edge, which means you can play Stadia games, chat on Discord servers, and access Steam. Read more.

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Microsoft Gaming Software Video 105

TechCrunch VR

JANUARY 21, 2023

After announcing that it would close up shop in 2017 , Microsoft intervened and the company came under the tech giant’s wing. Now, Microsoft is sunsetting AltspaceVR’s virtual reality platform, a web of immersive social spaces that invited people to hang out with friends or colleagues as 3D avatars.

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Microsoft Virtual Reality Hardware Immersion 101

XR Today - Mixed Reality tag

MAY 16, 2023

European Union (EU) regulators have backed the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard acquisition, the European Commission revealed on Monday. If successful, the deal has set a precedent for Microsoft to become the largest gaming buyout in history. With our clearance #Activition Blizzard’s games will also be available on cloud.

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Microsoft United Kingdom Sony Washington 97

Digital Trends

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

Microsoft has agreed to acquire video game giant Bethesda, securing the rights to huge franchises like Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Dishonored, and Doom.

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Microsoft Video Gaming 145

GizModo VR

DECEMBER 10, 2021

We’re now learning the great lengths Microsoft was willing to take to bring Xbox games to iPhones. The company reluctantly planned to bring exclusive triple-A Xbox titles to the App Store in the form of individual apps due to Apple’s requirements for games, but the deal fell through. Read more.

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Microsoft Gaming Apple Video 111

GizModo VR

MAY 24, 2021

Microsoft is closer to turning the the Surface Duo into the mobile gaming machine many hoped it would be with new support for custom layouts when using Xbox Touch Controls in the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Read more.

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Microsoft Gaming Controllers Software 98

Road to VR

MAY 12, 2017

A job listing for a Senior Design Manager position on Microsoft’s “Xbox Mixed Reality team” says that the company is “looking to build a massively social gaming and entertainment experience for both the PC and the console.” Though given how early it is, we won’t be holding our breath just yet.

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Microsoft Entertainment AR Conference 275

Mashable VR

MARCH 6, 2022

The global business community is increasingly moving to isolate Russia for the war it's waging in Ukraine, and video games are no exception. Here's a rundown of what we've seen so far from key players in the video game space as efforts to isolate Russia have snowballed in the midst of Ukraine's calls for the industry to take action.

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Russia Belarus Ukraine Video 98

GizModo VR

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

Replaying the favorite video games of your youth isn’t as easy as re-reading a loved book or re-watching a movie you’ve already seen 100 times. And Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President of Gaming, thinks that’s a problem the games industry needs to address by embracing emulation with open arms.

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Industry Gaming Microsoft Video 105

VRScout

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

The game features a variety of missions to complete, each with its own set of unique challenges. Based on the video provided, it appears as though we can expect plenty of intense moments, whether it be serving cold drinks to impatient passengers or applying oxygen masks to the flight crew during a rapid descent. Developer AVIAR B.V.

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Simulation Training Education Microsoft 491

TechCrunch VR

MAY 15, 2020

New numbers from NPD confirm what we’ve known for a while: The first quarter of 2020 was a very good one for gaming companies. billion of that figure was from video game content. Lots and lots of video games. According to NPD's Q1 2020 Games Market Dynamics: U.S. reached a record $10.86 Also, turnips.

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Video Gaming Sony Virtual Reality 102

GizModo VR

JUNE 23, 2022

For Edge to steal market share from Chrome, Microsoft will need to find ways to differentiate the relative newcomer from Google’s ubiquitous option. Features like Collections (which acts like bookmarks, but for groups of webpages) are a good start, and now Microsoft is giving gamers a reason to stick with the default… Read more.

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Microsoft Groups Gaming Software 98

XR Today - Virtual Reality

APRIL 26, 2023

Today, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which provides the “ building blocks ” for its Metaverse. Microsoft first announced its acquisition in 2022.

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Microsoft United Kingdom Immersion Industry 215