Microsoft discontinues Hololens 2 with no successor in sight

Microsoft has confirmed it will discontinue production of the Hololens 2.

Per UploadVR, the mixed reality headset will continue to be sold until supplies run out, and updates for “critical security issues and software regressions” will roll out until December 31, 2027.

No successor or replacement is seemingly in the cards. Earlier this year, UploadVR reported layoffs in Microsoft’s Hololens division, which also saw cuts back in 2023.

A history of Hololens and Microsoft’s VR presence

Hololens 2 first arrived in 2019, and was sold on the promise of greater mixed reality immersion than its predecessor. It initially launched (and remains) at a price point of $3,500.

While the device is being discontinued, Microsoft is still in VR thanks to a partnership with Meta. In 2022, Xbox Cloud Gaming came to the Quest headsets, part of Microsoft’s larger expansion of the service to other, non-Xbox ecosystems.

Last week, Meta announced its own plans to discontinue three Quest headsets—the Quest 2, Quest Pro, and 128 GB Quest 3—alongside the launch of the Quest 3S later in October.

As UploadVR notes, software support for the original Hololens will end on December 10, making 2024 a conclusive year for Microsoft’s mixed reality hardware.