windows-holographic-featuredMicrosoft has confirmed that development kits of VR headsets for their Windows Holographic platform are in the works and will make their debut at GDC 2017 in March.

Today Microsoft confirmed that VR headsets from major manufacturers are set to launch in 2017. These headsets are said to be compatible with Windows Holographic, the AR/VR/MR extension of Windows 10 which will allow for immersive windows computing.

In order the develop made-for-Windows Holographic experiences, developers will need to know what hardware they’re targeting, and soon they’ll be able to thanks to development kit hardware that Microsoft announced will be made available to developers starting in March at GDC 2017 in San Francisco.

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Details on the dev kits are scarce at the moment, but the company is soliciting developer interest via this survey form which aims to gather basic info from developers interested in the Windows Holographic dev kit.

The hardware could be based on a Microsoft-created reference platform, or could come from one of the major computer makers—Asus, Acer, Dell, HP, and Lenovo—whom the company says is creating VR headsets which will launch in 2017 for Windows Holographic.

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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • ✨EnkrowＸ✨

    Should be interesting to see how Windows holographic could work with the Vive and Rift. Seems like it would blow Virtual Desktop out of the water.

    • Ghosty

      It’s going to destroy limited apps like VD. With touch controllers for both Oculus and Vive available this next year, we’re going to see a shift in usability in the same way tablets changed the game.

      • OgreTactics

        Huh? You’re bit too early. How have exactly tablets change the game, the market is stalling dead and nowhere near the number of consoles, PCs or smartphone sold? WTF are you talking about?