The Resurrection of AltspaceVR: SideQuest CEO Leads the Revival
The landscape of social virtual reality is set for a significant shift as Shane Harris, the CEO of the popular VR discovery platform SideQuest, has secured the intellectual property rights to AltspaceVR. Following Microsoft’s decision to shutter the pioneering social platform in March 2023, the community was left with a void in the metaverse space. Now, Harris aims to fill that gap by spearheading a strategic relaunch scheduled for later this year.
A Spiritual Successor to a VR Pioneer
In a recent announcement shared via Reddit, Harris outlined his vision for the platform’s future. Rather than attempting a direct carbon copy of the final iteration of AltspaceVR, the team intends to build a “spiritual successor.” The goal is to distill the essence of what made the original platform a cornerstone of the early VR community while modernizing the infrastructure to meet current user expectations.
Harris emphasized that his team possesses the necessary technical expertise and industry backing to execute this ambitious project. By focusing on the core elements that fostered community engagement, the new Altspace aims to recapture the magic that defined the platform during its peak years.
Returning to the Roots: The 2016-2017 Experience
A key component of the relaunch strategy involves a “back-to-basics” approach. Harris confirmed that the upcoming version will prioritize the features and functionality that characterized the platform’s golden era between 2016 and 2017. By stripping away the bloat that accumulated in later years, the developers hope to restore the intimate, event-driven social atmosphere that originally drew users to the service.
This move is particularly timely, as the VR industry continues to evolve. While platforms like VRChat and Rec Room have dominated the market since AltspaceVR’s closure, there remains a distinct demand for the structured, event-focused social environments that AltspaceVR once provided. By leveraging the SideQuest ecosystem-which currently serves millions of monthly active users-Harris is well-positioned to provide the new platform with an immediate, built-in audience. » More Info >>>
