HTC Unveils ‘VIVERSE Worlds’: A Browser-Based Platform Aspiring to Be the ‘YouTube of 3D Content’

Today, HTC introduced VIVERSE Worlds, a groundbreaking 3D content platform designed to seamlessly integrate into any website, accessible from any device. This innovative approach offers a streamlined experience for hosting and browsing 3D content online, providing a more versatile alternative to traditional methods.

Unlike HTC’s prior Viverse metaverse platform or even Meta’s Horizon Worlds, VIVERSE Worlds stands apart by concentrating on the distribution of 3D content. Forget about downloading apps; with this platform, you dive right into a web-based interface that’s compatible with everything from XR headsets to standard screens. It’s a hassle-free way to explore 3D content.

HTC isn’t setting modest goals here. They’re envisioning VIVERSE Worlds as doing for 3D content what YouTube did for video, making it an open, accessible space for creators to craft, share, and immerse themselves—and others—in the next generation of 3D experiences.

A significant aspect of VIVERSE Worlds is its promise to deliver high-quality content, made possible by HTC’s Polygon Streaming technology. This tech, introduced last year, facilitates the streaming of complex, highly detailed models efficiently across different platforms. Historically, web-based content has struggled with rendering, often resulting in simpler visuals. This advancement could change that.

Initially focused on business applications within Viverse, Polygon Streaming is now a core feature of VIVERSE Worlds. By only streaming and rendering visible 3D elements at the required resolution, HTC ensures that users get to experience superior quality without the hassle of specialized executables.

HTC, having carved a niche for itself in the enterprise and prosumer XR realm, seems to be targeting both businesses and individual users. Companies might be interested in crafting immersive shopping experiences or 3D manuals, while regular users can explore and share the diverse XR environments on the platform.

HTC mentions that users can easily subscribe to creators to get updates and view their 3D content all in one place. Embedding this 3D content is straightforward—just copy and paste it as an IFrame on any website, completely free of charge.

Moreover, VIVERSE Worlds is seamlessly integrated with Sketchfab, a popular platform hosting millions of 3D models. The platform also supports content crafted with Viverse Create’s no-code builder and the PlayCanvas browser extension.

Despite the advantages like Polygon Streaming and easy embedding, HTC faces stiff competition. Rivals such as FrameVR, Matterport, and Spatial.io are carving out niches rather than adopting a broad “YouTube” approach, mainly due to monetization challenges. Mozilla faced similar hurdles; their WebXR-based Hubs platform shut down in 2024 due to financial woes.

HTC hasn’t fully revealed its monetization strategy yet. They plan to showcase VIVERSE Worlds at the Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, from March 3rd to 6th, where we hope to gain further insight.

Recent developments also hint at changes within HTC. Just last month, Google acquired several of HTC’s XR engineers for $250 million, aiming to enhance the Android XR platform across various devices. This acquisition leaves HTC’s future in an interestingly ambiguous position.