generated: '2026-07-20'
method: searched
source: >-
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AltspaceVR,
  https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-will-shut-down-altspacevr-on-march-10th-232434724.html,
  https://www.roadtovr.com/microsoft-social-vr-xr-interface-layoffs/,
  https://github.com/microsoft/mixed-reality-extension-sdk,
  https://registry.npmjs.org/@microsoft/mixed-reality-extension-sdk;
  host reachability probed directly on 2026-07-20.
description: >-
  AltspaceVR was a social VR platform founded in 2013, acquired by Microsoft in
  2017 and folded into the Mixed Reality division. In January 2023 Microsoft
  announced the platform would close permanently, and it shut down on
  2023-03-10, with Microsoft redirecting its efforts to Microsoft Mesh. This
  lifecycle record exists so the network correctly represents AltspaceVR as a
  terminated platform with no live API surface, rather than as an unenriched
  lead.
status: shutdown
lifecycle_stage: sunset
versioning:
  scheme: semver
  mechanism: >-
    The Mixed Reality Extension SDK was versioned with npm semver
    (@microsoft/mixed-reality-extension-sdk). The platform published no
    versioned HTTP API contract.
  latest_version: 0.21.0
  latest_version_date: '2021-04-08'
  notes: >-
    The SDK never reached a 1.0 release. Version 0.21.0 (2021-04-08) is the
    final published version.
deprecation:
  policy_url: null
  sunset_header: false
  announced: '2023-01-20'
  sunset_date: '2023-03-10'
  superseded_by: Microsoft Mesh
  notes: >-
    Microsoft announced the closure via a notice on the AltspaceVR homepage in
    January 2023 and shut the service down on 2023-03-10. There was no RFC 8594
    Sunset/Deprecation header program; the deprecation was a whole-platform
    termination, not an API version retirement. All associated SDK repositories
    were subsequently archived on GitHub.
sla:
  url: null
  public_uptime_target: null
  notes: No SLA is published; the service no longer operates.
status_page: null
changelog: null
timeline:
  - date: '2013'
    event: AltspaceVR founded as a social VR platform.
  - date: '2017-10'
    event: Acquired by Microsoft; folded into the Mixed Reality division.
  - date: '2018-12-04'
    event: >-
      Mixed Reality Extension SDK first published to npm as
      @microsoft/mixed-reality-extension-sdk.
  - date: '2021-04-08'
    event: Final MRE SDK release (0.21.0) published to npm.
  - date: '2022-04-09'
    event: microsoft/mixed-reality-extension-sdk archived on GitHub.
  - date: '2023-01-20'
    event: Microsoft announces AltspaceVR will close on 2023-03-10.
  - date: '2023-03-10'
    event: AltspaceVR permanently shut down.
  - date: '2026-07-20'
    event: >-
      Probed by the API Evangelist enrichment pipeline — altvr.com and
      www.altvr.com return HTTP 200 after redirecting to
      https://www.microsoft.com/; account.altvr.com, developer.altvr.com,
      docs.altvr.com, api.altvr.com and status.altvr.com all fail to resolve.
host_probes:
  - host: https://altvr.com/
    status: 200
    final_url: https://www.microsoft.com/
    note: Domain now redirects to the Microsoft corporate homepage.
  - host: https://www.altvr.com/
    status: 200
    final_url: https://www.microsoft.com/
  - host: https://account.altvr.com/
    status: 000
    note: Does not resolve.
  - host: https://developer.altvr.com/
    status: 000
    note: Does not resolve. Was the AltspaceSDK developer portal.
  - host: https://docs.altvr.com/
    status: 000
    note: Does not resolve.
  - host: https://api.altvr.com/
    status: 000
    note: Does not resolve.
  - host: https://status.altvr.com/
    status: 000
    note: Does not resolve.