A job listing for a Senior Design Manager position on Microsoft’s “Xbox Mixed Reality team” says that the company is “looking to build a massively social gaming and entertainment experience for both the PC and the console.”

Starting with the HoloLens AR headset and moving toward Windows VR headsets coming soon from PC hardware makers, Microsoft has been laying the groundwork for a broad AR/VR play (which the company collectively calls “Mixed Reality”) over the last few years. This week at Microsoft’s annual Build conference we saw more about how the company is making Mixed Reality part of Windows, and how they plan to allow AR and VR devices to work together seamlessly on the platform.

We’ve known since E3 2016 that the company also has plans to make VR part of its next-generation Xbox, “Project Scorpio,” but until now there hasn’t been an indication that Windows VR and Xbox VR would come into contact with one another.

Spotted by Twitter user WalkingCat, a new job listing from the company, specifically for the Xbox Mixed Reality team, indicates that Microsoft is developing a “massively social gaming and entertainment experience for both the PC and the console,” ostensibly one that would offer cross-play between AR/VR devices on PC and Xbox.

The job listing is looking for a highly experienced Senior Design Manager:

Do you love MMOs? Are you excited about Virtual Reality? Would you like every Xbox user to experience your design every time they use it? We are embarking on a bold charter and need your help us take the next step. The Xbox Mixed Reality team is looking for an experienced senior design manager with deep expertise and passion around crafting immersive social systems and experiences. We’re looking to build a massively social gaming and entertainment experience for both the PC and the console. Here is an opportunity to join a fun and collaborative team that experiments with the latest toys, works with state of the art tech, and crafts the future of entertainment.

Under ‘Skills and Experience’, the company says they’re looking for someone who has “Shipped at least 3 AAA consumer entertainment products” and has 7+ years using design tools; bonus points if they’ve got experience in “NUI, VR, AR, game design, art direction, and video storytelling.”

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Though we’re conjuring images of a World of Warcraft-like world, a VR “MMO”—which stands for Massively Multiplayer Online—could mean a lot of different things, all the way from the fantasy RPG stylings of Guild Wars, to a community/social-focused experience like Second Life.

It isn’t clear exactly what form this project from Microsoft might take; it’s a long shot, but we could hear about the project from Microsoft at E3 next month, as the company recently teased they’d be talking more about their Mixed Reality content lineup at the event. Though given how early it is, we won’t be holding our breath just yet.

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Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • 144Hz

    I hope it takes place in modern-day or a futuristic world instead of the typical medieval fantasy world.

    • J.C.

      Yeah I dunno, I’d rather it be wild fantasy. Doesn’t need to be swords and sorcery, but modern weaponry is…boring. Personally I’d prefer lots of color and crazy effects used if there’s combat, than “bang bang bang” and puffs of smoke/blood on impact. Futuristic lasers? Steampunk Gears and whatnot? Oh yeah. All about that.

  • iThinkMyCatIsAFlea

    I did not see this coming. Searealslee!

  • Muzufuzo

    Awesome!

  • James Herd

    They’re putting heavy emphasis on the ‘social’ aspect of the project in that job listing. Makes me think this isn’t going to be an MMO in the sense that many people are thinking. Sounds more like the old Playstation Home… Exciting stuff nonetheless.

  • Microsoft are going all out in the VR/MR space it seems. Hardware, Software and Operating System makes for a very powerful combination, if they get it right. If MS can deliver on the social VR side then Facebook really need to pull their finger out. FB have released very lackluster progress on social VR considering how long they have had.

  • Ted Joseph

    Cant wait. I have been playing the Rift since the touch controllers came out almost daily! Microsoft is my favorite company because they drive competition, and provide AAA experiences with their studio. GO VR! GO MICROSOFT!