Microsoft has sent some confusing signals about their commitment to both their Windows Phone platform and mobile virtual reality by promoting a Russian VR hackathon using an image of a ‘Cardboard’ like mobile virtual reality viewer called the ‘Microsoft VR Kit’, before pulling it hours later.

Microsoft has been working quite hard to align itself with the virtual reality industry in recent months, without actually committing themselves to products based around the technology- the Augmented Reality exception of course being HoloLens.

Prior to and during E3 they announced partnerships with both Valve and Oculus, promoting their Windows 10 OS and its native API DirectX 12 as ‘the’ place to drive virtual reality applications from. And lets not forget the Xbox One controller shipped with every Oculus Rift and XB One streaming to virtual reality. MS is clearly savvy enough to spot a gravy train leaving the station, and VR certainly fits that description.

Now, an image has apparently surfaced promoting a Russian hackathon based around the creation of virtual reality applications. The image features a girls holding which looks to house a Nokia Lumia mobile phone, sporting the name ‘Microsoft VR Kit’ across the front. However, the hackathon page was pulled hours later and hasn’t returned.

Whether this was a bungled PR related exercise, with the hackathon returning later in another guise is unclear, but given Windows’ seeming lack of enthusiasm for its largely failed mobile platform, it does feel like a very odd move to make.

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Paul James
Based in the UK, Paul has been immersed in interactive entertainment for the best part of 27 years and has followed advances in gaming with a passionate fervour. His obsession with graphical fidelity over the years has had him branded a ‘graphics whore’ (which he views as the highest compliment) more than once and he holds a particular candle for the dream of the ultimate immersive gaming experience. Having followed and been disappointed by the original VR explosion of the 90s, he then founded RiftVR.com to follow the new and exciting prospect of the rebirth of VR in products like the Oculus Rift. Paul joined forces with Ben to help build the new Road to VR in preparation for what he sees as VR’s coming of age over the next few years.
  • myscreennameistoolon

    The windows phone could end up being the best mobile VR device depending on how it is implemented. Remember that the upcoming windows phones will be running the same version of windows that powers the Hololens and the desktop OS (which is supposed to “natively” support the Rift and Vive). This means that unlike Gear VR and Cardboard where the VR display support is hacked on, Windows 10 has native support for “Holograms” and for rendering windows in a 3D space.

    As usual, everything depends on the details, but this does make me excited for the Windows hardware announcement next week. Microsoft might have something interesting to show other than the Hololens.

  • kevinw729

    Any chance that some one can zoom in on the marketing photo and grab the QR code image and see which rabbit hole it leads them down?