AltspaceVR

AltspaceVR is a social VR platform that was founded in 2013 by Eric Romo[1] and launched its initial product in May 2015. In 2017 it was acquired by Microsoft[2] and is now part of the Mixed Reality division (alongside notable products like HoloLens and HoloLens 2) within the Cloud and AI group. Some elements of the platform appear in Microsoft Mesh.[3]

AltspaceVR
Developer(s)Microsoft
Initial releaseMay 2015 (2015-05)
Operating systemWindows 10, Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality, HTC Vive, Mac OS Beta
TypeVirtual reality community
Websitealtvr.com

The platform largely consists of user-generated spaces called "worlds", which can be visited by other users. Live virtual events are frequently held. In addition to these events, AltspaceVR is a social platform where individuals can gather, talk, collaborate, and be co-present in small to large groups.

The platform is regularly home to a wide variety of events from VR church[4] and LGBTQI+ meetups[5] to large business conferences and magic shows.[6]

In January 2023 it was announced on the AltspaceVR Homepage that the service will be shutting down on March 10th, 2023.[7][8]

Worlds

AltspaceVR is organised in spaces called "worlds", which can be found and accessed via a floating menu or via in-world "teleporters". Some large worlds, such as the "Campfire", are built and maintained by official developers as places for users to meet and interact. As of May 2022, AltVR removed all developer-maintained worlds.

Altspace's internal menus include a list of "featured" user-defined worlds and a real-time list of the most "popular" worlds, arranged by the number of users currently visiting each world. Other menus list current and planned "events", which take place inside official or user-generated worlds.

Events

Notable events taking place within AltspaceVR include:

Supported hardware

AltspaceVR is available on many VR headsets including:

The platform is also available as a 2D application for Apple and Windows PCs.

Discontinued hardware

An Android app that provided 2D access to AltspaceVR was discontinued in 2019.[12]

Altspace stopped supporting the Google Daydream in 2019.[12] Support for Oculus' Gear[13] and Go[14] headsets was discontinued the following year.

See also

References
  1. Gaudioso, John (20 May 2015). "This company created the first social platform for virtual reality". fortune.com.
  2. Eadicicco, Lisa (3 October 2017). "Microsoft Just Bought a Virtual Reality Company to Challenge Facebook". Time.
  3. "Microsoft Mesh feels like the virtual future of Microsoft Teams meetings". The Verge.
  4. "Religion in the Digital Age". BBC. April 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. "AltspaceVR on Oculus Go". Oculus. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  6. Harry, Baker (August 25, 2020). "'Magicians In VR' Event In AltspaceVR Will Feature Talks And Live Magic". UploadVR.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. "AltspaceVR: Home". AltspaceVR. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  8. AltspaceVR, Team (2023-01-20). "AltspaceVR to Sunset the Platform on March 10, 2023". AltspaceVR. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  9. Roddy, Clarke (June 30, 2020). "First Ever Virtual Reality Summit To Take Place During Paris Fashion Week In October 2020". Forbes.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. Eric, Kohn (January 13, 2021). "Jennifer Hudson and Daisy Ridley Take Avatars and Publicists Into VR for a Red Carpet Premiere". IndieWire.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. Peter, Rubin (September 9, 2020). "Covid Snuffed Out Burning Man—but the Festival Goes On in VR". WIRED.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. "r/AltspaceVR - Retiring Daydream and Google Play support". reddit. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  13. AltspaceVR (2020-06-08). "AltspaceVR Plans to Sunset Support for GearVR - AltspaceVR - AltspaceVR Plans to Sunset Support for GearVR". AltspaceVR. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  14. AltspaceVR (2020-11-02). "Saying Farewell to the Oculus Go - AltspaceVR - Saying Farewell to the Oculus Go". AltspaceVR. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
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