Steam has released the results of their most recent Hardware Survey, detailing what kinds of machines, monitors, OS and head-mounted displays people are using to access Steam, and the results are incredibly enlightening – and sure to bring a smile to the faces of Microsoft’s Mixed Reality (MR) team.
Windows Mixed Reality launched in October, and Steam started their support for Windows Mixed Reality in mid-November. One would assume the short time frame would mean that adoption of Windows Mixed Reality would be slow, but on the contrary, we learn that 4% of the VR head-mounted displays (HMDs) used with Steam are using Windows Mixed Reality. A very swift adoption rate indeed.
Also interesting to note is that the first Oculus Rift Dev Kit, Oculus Rift DK1, has now been completely abandoned by the Steam user base. Oculus Rift DK2 meanwhile holds 2.25% of the user share, and the retail release of their HMD now holds an impressive 46.14% of the user base.
HTC Vive is in the lead though, with 47.26% of Steam VR users on the headset. Exclusives like Fallout 4 VR just might have pushed the HTC Vive into the lead. We said of Fallout 4 VR; “What you want to know is, is it worth investing your time in? That’s an easy yes.”
This is just the beginning for Windows Mixed Reality though. Microsoft have already shared their plans to expand the reach of Hololens, with General Manager Lorraine Bardeen saying; “Mixed reality has the potential to help customers and businesses across the globe do things that until now, have never been possible. Mixed reality experiences will help businesses and their employees complete crucial tasks faster, safer, more efficiently, and create new ways to connect to customers and partners.”
The quick adoption rate, coupled with the promise of new HMDs coming in the future promises great things for Windows Mixed Reality, and we’re sure to see an even larger market share going to them in the next Steam Hardware Survey.
We can’t wait to see the future of Windows Mixed Reality, and if you can’t either, make sure to stay on VRFocus for all of the latest news.