This month sees a slight upward turn for WMR, returning to a growth of 0.5% despite the release of major headsets like the HTC Vive Pro and Huawei VR. Clearly, it’s not a huge jump, but it does show that Microsoft is beginning to gain traction in the run up to the holidays. Windows Mixed Reality now accounts for a total of 7.7% of the VR headset on Steam. The Rift is first at 46.39%, while the Vive sits at 42.7% and the Vive Pro at 2.27%. Of course, as none of the headset creators release their own statistics, its hard to verify their accuracy. The Steam hardware survey is completely optional and only accounts for Windows Mixed Reality users who utilize the service. Microsoft also offers WMR apps on its Store, which is completely disconnected from Steam. It also sees use in enterprise environments, where in-house software and other solutions are more common. A similar concept applies to the Oculus Rift, which has its own store.
Windows 10 and Gaming
The analysis of OS version also proves interesting. Windows 10 has seen a steady rise among Steam users, and that continues. The OS grew by 1.03% last month, to a total of 63.51%, or 63.64% with 32-bit. This is higher than estimates of the general market from others suggest, with Stat Counter putting 10 at 51.94%. This is likely due to Windows 10’s exclusive use of Direct X 12, which can offer better performance and other benefits in some scenarios. As you’d expect, Windows 7 comes in second, at 30.7%, and fell by 0.46% in October. All other versions of Windows also fell, with Windows 8.1 in third place at 4.19%.
