Skip to main content

Windows Mixed Reality sales could be driven by new Halo experience

The Halo franchise is coming to Windows Mixed Reality in some form or another, Microsoft has confirmed. The logo of the longtime Microsoft franchise appeared in a recent unveiling of all the different properties and companies which are developing for the new augmented reality platform, joining the likes of Ark Park, Arizona Sunshine, Hulu, Skyworld and Sony Pictures.

As one of the biggest first-party drivers of its hardware in the past, Microsoft will no doubt be hoping that Halo can once again do the same for its new hardware platform. However, what guise the Halo experience will arrive in is anyone’s guess. It has not been made clear yet whether Microsoft is working with 343 Industries to develop a full-fledged VR Halo game, a Halo VR experience, or merely some augmented reality objects that can be inserted into real-world scenes.

Recommended Videos

That’s the difficulty with nailing down anything about Windows Mixed Reality at the moment — it covers the whole gamut of virtual reality headsets and augmented reality devices like the Hololens.

Microsoft’s focus on mixed reality as its terminology for the broad spectrum of devices and companion software is quite forward thinking, as UploadVR highlights, but it does mean we’re left in the dark when it comes to specifics. We have previously seen Halo augmented reality experiences for marketing purposes, so this Halo mixed reality experience could be much like that.

But it could equally be what many gamers would likely be more interested in: a first person Halo game in virtual reality. As much as there’s been no real hint of such a game in development, when the likes of Bethesda is busy porting over its mainstream shooter titles to first person VR, it wouldn’t be too big of a stretch of the imagination for Microsoft to opt for something similar. Especially when it has new hardware from various manufacturing partners it wants to push.

Whatever the Halo experience ends up being in Windows Mixed Reality though, it will have good company. Some of the biggest VR game developers and movie studios have signed up to make content for the new platform, so it will not be lacking for software. The chicken and egg problem is far less likely to exist on Microsoft’s burgeoning platform than it was during the early days of VR headsets.

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
Qualcomm’s next chip could boost your Windows performance, new leak suggests
Focus on the silicon logo atop the lid of Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon X Elite processor.

Qualcomm is reportedly developing its next-generation high-end processor for Windows PCs, the Snapdragon X2. The new chip is expected to feature a significant increase in core count, boasting up to 18 Oryon V3 cores.

As per information shared by WinFuture, the Snapdragon X2, identified by the model number SC8480XP, is anticipated to adopt a system-in-package (SiP) design, integrating both RAM and flash storage directly within the processor package. Leaked import-export documents suggest configurations may include up to 48GB of SK hynix RAM and a 1TB SSD. This integration aims to enhance data transfer speeds and energy efficiency by reducing latency between components.

Read more
Windows 10 KB5051974 update adds a new app without asking
A Dell laptop with Windows 10 sitting on a desk.

Microsoft has released the KB5051974 cumulative update for versions 22H2 and 21H2, adding security fixes and patching a memory leak. However, as Bleeping Computer reports, the update also includes a surprise: the new Outlook for Windows app.

The update is mandatory because it includes the January 2025 Patch Tuesday security updates. Once you install it, you will notice the new app icon near the classic one in the Start Menu's apps section. Since the new app can operate concurrently, you don't have to worry about interfering with the old one.

Read more
Windows PCs now works with the Quest 3, and I tried it out for myself
Alan Truly sits in front of a Windows PC and adjusts a virtual screen while wearing a Meta Quest 3 VR headset.

Microsoft and Meta teamed up on a new feature that lets me use my Windows PC while wearing a Quest 3 or 3S, and it’s super easy to connect and use. I simply glance at my computer and tap a floating button to use Windows in VR on large displays only I can see.

Meta’s new Quest 3 and 3S are among the best VR headsets for standalone gaming and media consumption. When I want more performance or need to run one of the best Windows apps that aren’t yet available in VR, I can connect to a much more powerful Windows PC.
Setting up Mixed Reality Link
Scanning Microsoft's Mixed Reality Link QR code with a Meta Quest 3 Photo by Tracey Truly / Digital Trends

Read more