 |
| Microsoft closes AltspaceVR social hub |
Microsoft is removing all social hubs hosted in AltspaceVR and requiring users to sign into the VR app with their accounts.
These changes are intended to improve the security and monitoring of AltspaceVR. Microsoft has also enabled the existing security bubble feature by default, which disables participants from joining a meeting in AltspaceVR by default.
AltspaceVR is a virtual reality social platform founded in 2013 and launched its first product in May 2015.
It was acquired by the software giant in 2017 and is now part of the Mixed Reality division of the Cloud & Artificial Intelligence group. Some platform elements are displayed in Microsoft Mesh.
"As platforms like AltspaceVR evolve, it is important to review existing experiences while assessing whether they are appropriate for current and future customer needs," the company said.
"This includes helping people connect better with people who have common interests, while ensuring the places they reach are free of infractions and harassment," she added.
The AltspaceVR social hub is designed to encourage new friendships. This is the entry point to get started on your own with AltspaceVR.
You can freely explore space and chat openly with other AltspaceVR users. It is also useful for users to invite other AltspaceVR users to private venues or meetings.
The lack of supervision in these open social spaces can lead to harassment, which is the main reason why Microsoft shut them down.
While social hubs such as Campfire, News, and Entertainment Commons will be removed in AltspaceVR, Microsoft account requirements for using the app will be implemented in the coming weeks.
The company began testing its account integration with AltspaceVR a year ago and it appears that it has become a major requirement.
Microsoft is making AltspaceVR a safer space
Microsoft account requirements mean that AltspaceVR will be integrated into the company's home security in the coming months. This allows parents to consent to or limit access to AltspaceVR if the app has been downloaded from the company's store.
The software giant is clearly trying to stay ahead of the decision issue in its broader push into the Metaverse.
After acquiring AltspaceVR in 2017, the company has not made any significant changes to the existing service.
The software giant is pushing the idea of mixed reality and the Metaverse to become a reality, citing AltspaceVR as the foundation upon which the future of the Metaverse will be built.
This indicates that AltspaceVR is part of the company's broader effort at Metaverse and not a key to its future. The company has implemented immersive Microsoft Teams meetings and the entire Microsoft Mesh platform over the past year.
The company's CEO, Satya Nadella, is optimistic about the Metaverse. "We feel very fortunate to be able to experience what I believe is basically the next wave of the Internet," he said last month.
He added, "I think the next wave of the internet represents a more open world where people can build their own world, whether it's an organization, a game developer, or just anyone."