... The mass layoffs at Microsoft could be especially damaging to VR and AR efforts at Microsoft, as sources of Windows Central say that the entire team from AltSpaceVR, acquired by Microsoft in 2017, has been laid off in the last week, with the company closing fully in March.
With AltSpaceVR formerly leading Microsoft's own "metaverse" work, it now leaves Microsoft Mesh as the potential replacement. ...
Another entire team culled from the company is the one behind the "MS "Mixed Reality Tool Kit (MRTK) framework, a cross-platform system for producing spatial anchors within virtual space. MRTK had some success, with it made for Unity VR integrations as well as working with headsets produced by Meta, and Microsoft's own HoloLens.
The removal of the MRTK and AltSpace VR teams means there's little impetus for Microsoft to continue working on the HoloLens headset. ...
See the full story here: https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/01/21/ms-layoffs-effectively-kills-off-mixed-reality-projects