Once considered a socially isolating technology, virtual reality has proven that isn’t the case. From multiplayer shooters to tabletop board games, developers have found continually new and exciting ways of bringing people together. But where do you go if you don’t want to jump straight into a PvP gaming session? What if you’re looking for somewhere to hang out with friends, meet new people or get creative? That’s where these best VR social worlds come into play.
The Best VR Social Worlds
When we talk about social VR interactions we want hubs where we can meet others with similar interests. Locations that we can customise and make our own. And then have the option to enjoy multiple community worlds, player-made games and much more.
Below you’ll find titles (in no particular order) highlighting social worlds from across the board. Playable across a variety of VR headsets including PCVR, PSVR/PSVR 2 and Meta Quest.
Rec Room
One of the biggest social platforms out there is Rec Room. Originally designed as a VR-only platform, over the years Rec Room has dramatically expanded its player base by adding console and mobile support.
Completely free to jump into and start exploring, Rec Room gives each player their own little base to start from. From there they can invite friends or check out the millions of player-created rooms. From there, you’re free to start building your own content using the Maker Pen tool. With it, you can create simple items, weird games or entire worlds.
Meta Horizon Worlds
Meta’s huge, purpose-built metaverse for Quest headsets, Horizon Worlds lots of creative freedom to build their own worlds. In addition to the build-your-own element, the platform also hosts concerts and other events, games like Super Rumble and Citadel as well as unlockable avatar rewards, stickers and more.
However, not only is Horizon Worlds a Meta Quest exclusive, it’s also only available in select countries. These are the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Iceland, Ireland and Spain.
Roblox
Possibly the most popular and well-known social platform out there, Roblox added Meta Quest compatibility in 2023. Already a behemoth on mobile, consoles and PC, is both an online game platform and a game creation system. Whilst it’s designed for everybody, Roblox generally fosters a younger audience. The platform has claimed it has 66 million daily users and 200 million monthly users.
It has a continuously growing library of content, but not all of it is VR-compatible. To that end, Roblox has released new features, tools and guidance to help creators build content that’s suitable for VR headsets.
VRChat
If there’s one VR social world all VR fans should look at at least once, it is VRChat. Seemingly around forever – it launched in 2017 – VRChat has almost become a pillar of the VR community. Originally just a simple social app for people to hang out in, over the past seven years the platform has played host to all manner of events and technology improvements.
It was one of the earliest to support full-body avatars, the prestigious Venice Film Festival hosts its immersive selection in a dedicated world. Even the annual VR Awards utilises VRChat to host virtual proceedings. Or you can enjoy some of the bizarre, wacky games users have thought up.
Innerworld
One of the more unusual social apps on this list is Innerworld. This is a virtual world “where you can learn evidence-based mental health tools and receive support in a place where you can feel safe being yourself.”
Looking for a break from the stresses of the modern world? In Innerworld you can enjoy courses, events and support groups all focused on improving your mental health.
MeetinVR
Most of the social platforms here are fun, gaming-oriented experiences. But there are times when you need a more productivity-focused environment to work and engage with others. There are several on the market with MeetinVR ranking highly among users.
It offers futuristic rooms which are great for workshops, training, and education. Import images, videos, 360 content, presentations and 3D models into your room to make your workshop and presentations shine. Plus there are whiteboards, sticky notes and in-air drawing tools to ideate on the fly.
Bigscreen
For all you film lovers out there you have Bigscreen. As the name suggests, Bigscreen is perfect for virtual viewing parties, whether it’s a movie, TV show or a videogame stream. Bigscreen started from humble beginnings, designed as a streaming tool so you could watch films on your PC in VR.
While remote desktop streaming still lies at the heart of Bigscreen, this social app is so much more. There are TV channels to explore, public and private social chat rooms supporting up to 12 people, and cross-platform support.
And there you have it. That wraps up our picks of the seven best VR social worlds. What are your thoughts? Which ones did we miss? Let us know in the comments below!
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