Today, HTC made waves with the introduction of VIVERSE Worlds, a novel 3D content platform designed to seamlessly integrate into any website and function on any device. This fresh offering promises a simpler, more flexible way to host and interact with 3D content online.
What sets VIVERSE Worlds apart from HTC’s previous Viverse project—or even Meta’s Horizon Worlds—is its dedication to 3D content distribution. Eschewing the need for app downloads, it boasts a slick web-based interface that supports both XR headsets and flatscreen devices, allowing users to browse 3D content with ease.
HTC isn’t holding back with its ambitious vision for VIVERSE Worlds. The company likens it to YouTube, but tailored for 3D content, envisioning it as an “open, accessible, and immersive” space for creators to craft, share, and explore emerging 3D experiences.
A key feature that HTC is banking on is the quality of content made possible by their Polygon Streaming technology. This tech allows for the efficient streaming of detailed, high-resolution 3D models across various platforms. While web-hosted content is typically restricted by rendering limitations, leading to simple visuals, HTC’s approach could change that game.
Initially aimed squarely at business use under Viverse for Business, Polygon Streaming is now integral to VIVERSE Worlds. By only rendering visible 3D elements at the necessary resolution, HTC claims it provides superior quality content without needing specialized software.
Continuing its track record in the enterprise and prosumer XR sectors, VIVERSE Worlds is crafted to appeal to both businesses—those interested in creating immersive shopping experiences, virtual showrooms, and interactive manuals—and consumers eager to explore and share diverse XR environments.
HTC highlights the ease of using this platform: users can subscribe to their favorite creators for updates, view their 3D content collections easily, and integrate 3D content into any website with a simple IFrame copy-paste—all at no cost.
In addition, VIVERSE Worlds works in concert with Sketchfab, a popular marketplace for hosting 3D models, and supports content made with Viverse Create’s user-friendly no-code web builder and its PlayCanvas extension.
Despite the promise shown by HTC’s Polygon Streaming and simple embedding process, carving out a niche in this competitive arena won’t be without challenges. Competitors like FrameVR, Matterport, and Spatial.io focus on specific niches, given the complexities of achieving widespread adoption similar to YouTube. Mozilla’s WebXR-based Hubs platform, once seen as a major player, shuttered in 2024 due to financial barriers.
HTC has yet to reveal its full monetization strategy for VIVERSE Worlds. However, we’ll likely uncover more details when they showcase public demos during the Mobile World Congress 2025, held in Barcelona from March 3rd to 6th.
Amid these developments, one thing is clear: HTC is in a period of transition. Just last month, Google invested $250 million to acquire a significant portion of HTC’s XR engineering talent, intended to boost the Android XR platform’s growth across headsets and smart glasses. This leaves HTC’s future path intriguingly open to speculation.
