Microsoft has just launched immersive 3D meetings, enabling users to meet as avatars within virtual environments featuring spatial audio, explorable rooms, and social zones—all without leaving the Teams application.
This move marks a strategic shift away from Microsoft Mesh as a standalone product. As of December 1, 2025, Mesh will be retired, with its immersive collaboration capabilities now fully integrated into Microsoft Teams—the platform organizations already use daily.
“Immersive events can significantly boost employee engagement and connection through customized experiences across multiple points of interest, making them ideal for all-hands meetings, presentations, company-wide gatherings, onboarding sessions, and training,” said Drew Blundell, Product Marketing Manager at Microsoft.
Immersive Events Now Generally Available
Microsoft announced that immersive events are now broadly available in Teams and supported on Windows, macOS, and Meta Quest devices. Users can leverage familiar tools—such as the Teams calendar, chat, and collaboration features—to plan, manage, and host these immersive experiences.
These events create 3D environments where participants join as avatars, explore virtual spaces, and interact in small groups. “With immersive events, organizers can design custom 3D settings where attendees join as avatars and engage naturally, fostering a genuine sense of presence,” Microsoft added.
According to Microsoft’s support documentation, these immersive spaces utilize Mesh technology to deliver spatial audio, co-presence, and free movement within 3D environments. The functionality now supports stand-ups, brainstorming sessions, onboarding activities, social mixers, and informal team hangouts directly within Teams.
Users can access immersive spaces via the Teams desktop app or through Meta Quest headsets. They can navigate freely, switch between first- and third-person views, and personalize their avatars. Microsoft offers a range of prebuilt environments—including a lakeside cabin and an oasis—and allows organizers to incorporate branded elements, media screens, and other digital assets.
Hosting an immersive event requires an eligible commercial Teams license along with a Teams Premium license. Co-hosting or attending, however, only requires a standard Teams license.
Mesh Retired, Teams Takes Over
By integrating Mesh directly into Teams rather than maintaining it as a separate client, Microsoft has made its familiar collaboration hub the new home for immersive work experiences.
The company is positioning spatial interaction as a natural extension of everyday meetings—not as a niche set of features—signaling that its metaverse vision now lives entirely within Teams.
