Xbox Engineer's Project Brings Windows Mixed Reality Back from the Dead
An Xbox Engineer's 'Oasis' Driver Rescues Abandoned Windows Mixed Reality Headsets.
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Image: Microsoft |
After a year of being functionally obsolete, Windows Mixed Reality is back, thanks to a dedicated Xbox engineer. The platform had lost its support with the arrival of Windows 11 24H2, leaving VR headset owners without a solution. This new project restores support for the abandoned technology by introducing a custom driver that enables SteamVR functionality.
A Glimpse into the Oasis: A New Driver for Windows 11 VR
Dubbed "Oasis," the new driver is a subtle nod to the original codename for Microsoft’s Windows Mixed Reality project. This free-to-use driver for Windows 11 PC VR headsets was initially spotted by the tech publication UploadVR. It was released by Matthieu Bucchianeri, a former Microsoft Windows Mixed Reality engineer who worked on the original project. This driver is specifically for Windows 11 users, as Windows Mixed Reality continues to function on Windows 10 without it. The driver is now available for download on Steam. It is the result of a "deep reverse-engineering" effort and allows various VR headsets from brands like HP, Samsung, Lenovo, and Dell, including the popular HP Reverb G2, to become functional again.
Minimum System Requirements for the Revived Platform
To use Windows Mixed Reality with this new driver, your system must meet specific requirements. The most notable is that the driver is currently restricted to NVIDIA graphics cards only. According to Matthieu Bucchianeri, this limitation is due to missing features in AMD and Intel graphics cards. He further clarified that this restriction was not an arbitrary decision by the developers but a technical necessity dictated by both Intel and AMD. Another key requirement is that your PC must be running Windows 11 version 24H2 or higher.
If you are a Windows 11 user and want to jump back into Windows Mixed Reality, you need to download the Oasis driver from Steam. Once the download is complete, follow the provided installation steps to get your VR headset up and running.
