If you're one of the few early adopters of the Windows Mixed Reality platform, your content library is about to expand by leaps and bounds. On November 15, WMR will gain beta support for the SteamVR API, meaning that every HTC Vive game ever released will suddenly be compatible with WMR headsets. That takes the existing content library from around 60 apps, to more than a thousand overnight.
One of the major problems with some of the more niche reality bending headset makers at the moment is the classic chicken and egg one. It's the same issue faced by VR headsets and it's exactly why Oculus released developer kits years in advance of its first commercial venture. Now though, WMR can skip that headache by having access to all sorts of exciting VR content from the SteamVR library.
Developers have been testing out some titles over the past few weeks and months leading up to this announcement, so some of the bugs will no doubt have been worked out. However, Microsoft has urged caution, suggesting that there are likely to still be some problems -- this is very much still a beta release.
it's not been announced as of yet when we can expect the beta to conclude and official support to be released in a 'finished' state, but this is a major first step to making the Windows Mixed Reality platform one that's viable for consumers to bet on and for developers too. WMR has some unique features which would make for some fun blending of augmented and virtual reality and that will only happen if the platform becomes commercially viable.
With SteamVR support, it's heading in the right direction.
