Xbox engineer brings Windows Mixed Reality headsets back to life

Windows Mixed Reality headsets successful 2018. | Image: Getty Images

Windows Mixed Reality headsets were near successful a non-functional authorities past year, aft Microsoft abruptly discontinued the platform with its 24H2 update to Windows 11. Now, an Xbox technologist astatine Microsoft is bringing these headsets backmost to life, acknowledgment to a caller operator that enables SteamVR support.

Matthieu Bucchianeri, a bundle technologist that worked connected Microsoft’s Windows Mixed Reality headsets, has released a escaped “Oasis Driver for Windows Mixed Reality” connected Steam. It’s named Oasis arsenic that’s the codename Microsoft utilized for its Windows Mixed Reality efforts. The driver, spotted by UploadVR, requires an Nvidia GPU, simply due to the fact that it relies connected features “missing successful the AMD and Intel graphics driver,” according to Bucchianeri.

This Oasis operator doesn’t necessitate the Mixed Reality Portal application, and it tin tally OpenVR and OpenXR applications done SteamVR. “The operator offers afloat headset and question controller tracking arsenic good arsenic a autochthonal SteamVR rendering pipeline,” says Bucchianeri.

While Microsoft should person delivered this benignant of operator to guarantee Windows Mixed Reality headsets weren’t useless with the latest Windows 11 updates, Bucchianeri — who is present an Xbox technologist astatine Microsoft — has created this independently by reverse-engineering Nvidia and SteamVR code. He’s not releasing the root codification arsenic a result, and the Oasis operator volition stay escaped to use.

If you’re funny successful trying retired the Oasis driver, you tin download it from Steam. Make definite you besides travel the quick commencement steps successful the documentation for the driver, too.