The new AltspaceVR is moving significantly closer to launch, with development updates over the past several weeks revealing more about avatars, creator worlds and the platform's planned return.
Most significantly, AltspaceVR now has a new Steam listing targeting an October 2026 release, while the official AltspaceVR website says Early Access will begin soon and that access will open in waves.
The project has also progressed beyond the PC and PCVR world-builder build released in August. An offline version has been made available for Meta Quest, avatar development is underway, and the team has outlined a progression system that could eventually allow users to unlock custom avatar support.
AltspaceVR remains under active development, and many of these systems may change before or during Early Access. However, the project is beginning to look considerably more like an actual social platform rather than the basic development environment world builders first received in August.
AltspaceVR is coming to Steam
One of the biggest developments is the appearance of a new AltspaceVR application on Steam.
The listing identifies SideQuest Ltd. as both the developer and publisher, with AltspaceVR currently scheduled for October 2026.
The new application is listed as free-to-play and Early Access, with multiplayer and cross-platform multiplayer among its Steam categories.
This is a completely new Steam application rather than the original Microsoft-era AltspaceVR listing.
The appearance of the listing is a significant step towards the wider release of the platform, particularly for PC and PCVR users.
Steam listing: https://store.steampowered.com/app/5289710/AltspaceVR/
SteamDB began tracking the new application on September 17 and currently also lists its planned release as October 2026.
SteamDB: https://steamdb.info/app/5289710/
Early Access will open in waves
The official AltspaceVR website has also been updated as development moves towards launch.
The site now prominently describes the platform as:
"Coming Fall 2026"
and states:
"Early access starting soon"
Rather than opening the platform to everyone simultaneously, AltspaceVR says:
"The doors open in waves."
That suggests the upcoming release will initially be controlled while the team brings more users onto the platform and continues developing the underlying systems.
Users can already create an account through the AltspaceVR website.
Official website: https://altvr.app/
The site's description of AltspaceVR also makes the intended direction much clearer than the early development builds.
AltspaceVR is being positioned as a social VR platform centred around shared spaces, groups, events and creator-built worlds, with the website highlighting everything from comedy and open mic events to meditation, talks, screenings and casual social gatherings.
The early alpha has expanded to Quest
When the first world-builder build appeared in August, testing was initially focused on PC and PCVR.
Development has since expanded.
In an August development update, the AltspaceVR team confirmed that its offline alpha was working both on PC and Meta Quest, allowing users to explore approximately 20 worlds that had already been created by early world builders.
The build was still offline at that stage, meaning users could explore environments but could not yet join friends inside them.
The team described the release as an early opportunity for builders to get a feel for creating content for the new AltspaceVR.
A Quest beta has continued to be promoted during September.
This is an important step for the project because standalone VR was always expected to be a major part of AltspaceVR's return.
Quest beta: https://sdq.st/altvr
Robot avatars are coming back
The return of the familiar AltspaceVR robot avatars has been one of the project's priorities since the revival was announced.
Shane Harris brought back Christian Boe, the original designer behind AltspaceVR's robot avatars, to help develop a modernised version of the character style.
The team has since held live community design sessions to discuss what users want from the new avatar system.
During one of the early sessions, Boe spent several hours developing avatar concepts while receiving feedback from members of the AltspaceVR community.
The intention is not simply to reproduce the old robots exactly.
Instead, the new designs are being developed as a modern interpretation of AltspaceVR's original visual identity, with additional variations, accessories and customisation.
Humanoid avatars are also being developed
Robots will not be the only option.
Following community discussions, the development team said it had decided to prioritise humanoid avatars alongside the robot system.
The current goal is to have both robot and humanoid avatars available, potentially from launch.
The developers have specifically discussed the importance of expressive eyes and facial features, with community feedback highlighting how important those details were to social interaction in the original AltspaceVR.
This gives the new platform two distinct avatar directions: the recognisable Altspace robot aesthetic and more conventional humanoid characters for users who prefer a representation closer to themselves.
Custom avatars could be unlocked through progression
The proposed avatar system also introduces something the original AltspaceVR did not have in the same form: user-imported custom avatars.
The current plan is for users to begin with AltspaceVR's built-in robot and humanoid avatars.
By spending time in AltspaceVR and participating in the community, users would earn XP and levels, unlocking additional cosmetics and accessories.
At Level 50, the currently proposed system would unlock a custom avatar slot, allowing the user to import their own avatar.
The developers have also said they intend to release the source files for AltspaceVR's built-in robot and humanoid avatars, allowing creators to use those designs as starting points for their own creations.
This system remains under development and could change before release.
Worlds will have control over custom avatars
Custom avatars will not necessarily appear everywhere.
Under the system outlined by the development team, world creators will be able to decide whether custom avatars are permitted inside their worlds.
Events could temporarily override the setting when necessary.
Individual users are also expected to have control over what they personally see.
The proposed options would allow someone to follow the world's avatar setting, always display built-in avatars or allow custom avatars.
Importantly, that preference would affect the individual user's view rather than forcing the same choice on everyone else in the space.
The approach appears designed to preserve AltspaceVR's recognisable visual identity while still allowing the much greater avatar freedom that users of modern social VR platforms have become accustomed to.
Pets and mascots are being considered
Another idea to emerge from the avatar discussions is the possibility of small pets or mascots accompanying users in VR.
The developers have described these as small companions that could potentially serve several purposes inside AltspaceVR.
This feature appears to be much earlier in development than the main avatar system, so it should currently be considered an idea being explored rather than a confirmed launch feature.
Creator worlds are already being built
World creation has continued alongside development of the social platform itself.
By mid-August, the offline alpha reportedly contained approximately 20 worlds created by early builders.
The platform's website infrastructure also allows users to work with worlds, groups and events, showing how the web service is being developed alongside the VR client rather than simply acting as a download page.
This is particularly important for the type of community AltspaceVR is attempting to rebuild.
The original platform relied heavily on a combination of creator-built environments and scheduled events. The new AltspaceVR appears to be rebuilding those concepts as core parts of the platform rather than treating user-generated worlds as an additional feature.
The Campfire is returning in a new form
The development team has also shown work on a new version of The Campfire, one of the most recognisable social spaces from the original AltspaceVR.
The new Campfire is not simply the original Microsoft-era environment being restored.
Like the rest of the new AltspaceVR, it is being rebuilt for the new platform while attempting to capture the atmosphere and social purpose of its predecessor.
The Campfire historically acted as a central meeting place where users could drop in, meet other people and find something happening without needing to organise a private gathering first.
Rebuilding spaces like this gives the new platform an important social layer beyond individual creator worlds.
The community has grown quickly
The AltspaceVR revival has also attracted a sizeable early community.
Within roughly five weeks of the announcement, the project's new Discord had reportedly grown to more than 1,400 members.
Earlier updates also described community design sessions attracting dozens of participants while the team discussed avatar design and other platform features.
Community feedback is being incorporated unusually early in the development process, with discussions taking place while many of the platform's core systems are still being designed.
That means some of the plans being discussed publicly should not necessarily be treated as final specifications.
They do, however, provide a useful picture of where the project is heading.
This is still a new AltspaceVR
Despite the familiar name, avatars and returning locations, the new AltspaceVR is not the original Microsoft service being switched back on.
SideQuest CEO Shane Harris announced in July that his team had acquired the rights to the Altspace name and was building a new platform intended to act as a spiritual successor to the original.
The project includes people with connections to the old AltspaceVR community and development history, including original avatar designer Christian Boe.
Harris himself also has a long connection with AltspaceVR.
Before founding SideQuest, he created Shane's Editor, a popular tool that allowed Altspace users to build spaces through the platform's earlier web-based creation system.
He has said that a new version of Shane's Editor or something serving a similar purpose will eventually return, although it may not be available on day one.
October is looking increasingly important
There is still no exact public launch day, and Early Access opening "in waves" means October should not necessarily be interpreted as the moment every planned feature becomes available to everyone.
But several pieces are now lining up.
The official website says AltspaceVR is coming in Fall 2026 and that Early Access will begin soon.
The new Steam application lists October 2026.
Quest testing is already underway.
World builders are already creating environments.
Robot and humanoid avatars are being developed.
And the website, account, group, world and event infrastructure is taking shape alongside the client.
Less than three months after the revival was publicly announced, AltspaceVR has moved from a promise to rebuild the platform into an increasingly tangible social VR project.
For former AltspaceVR users, October could therefore be the most important month yet in the platform's return.
Sources and attribution
Information in this article is based on official AltspaceVR material, development updates posted by Shane Harris and the AltspaceVR team, and the platform's new Steam listing.
Official AltspaceVR website: https://altvr.app/
AltspaceVR on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/5289710/AltspaceVR/
SteamDB listing: https://steamdb.info/app/5289710/
Quest beta: https://sdq.st/altvr
August AltspaceVR development update: https://www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comments/1vqtc7x/altspacevr_development_update/
Original AltspaceVR revival announcement: https://www.reddit.com/r/sidequest/comments/1va9c62/altspacevr_is_returning_this_fall_this_time_for/
UploadVR coverage of the AltspaceVR revival: https://www.uploadvr.com/altspacevr-will-relaunch-this-fall-under-sidequest-ceo-shane-harris/
Development information, planned features and release timing may change while AltspaceVR remains in active development.
