Microsoft is hosting a VR hackathon in Russia in a few weeks, and while this itself isn't noteworthy (unless you're a hacker in Russia, in that case we're super excited for you!), what's worth mentioning is that the company will be handing out Microsoft-branded VR headsets to developers at the event. A picture of the alleged VR headset has surfaced showing a cardboard casing that uses a Lumia as a display. The apparent name of the Google Cardboard competitor is the "Microsoft VR kit."
There's no word about whether the Microsoft VR kit will be on sale for the general public. As more and more content is made for a VR platform, we can expect to see more companies trying to make headsets. However, Google Cardboard definitely has a leg up on this DIY-friendly VR viewer—and that leg up is called Android. Microsoft has all but killed Windows Phone, so a long-term plan for a product that utilizes a Lumia doesn't bode terribly well. That said, Microsoft's Hololens has earned ample praise, and it's incredibly possible that the company is using the cardboard kit as a means to lower the barrier and encourage VR developer interest.
And hey, if it's all just for fun... it's not like the materials were terribly expensive.
