Stop pretending VRChat doesn't exist.

[@emanuel3617]

Omg PHIA's dad alone had a take on VR better than 80% of journalists dear lord

[@CoPoint]

Well, I guess he's got 'someone' showing him what it's _really_ all about 😁 - which is exactly the one thing that all those journalists are sorely amiss of 🤷‍♂...

[@emanuel3617]

@@CoPoint man, they're so annoying

[@strayiggytv]

@@emanuel3617 I don't get why you'd expect journalists to heap praise on VR chat when phia literally pointed out that they were immediately able to find adult content, perverts and r@pe threats after being in VR chat for a few hours. If VRchat like experiences EVER want to go mainstream they HAVE to find a way to deal with stuff like that quickly and effectively. Basically your asking a journalist who's on a deadline to Wade through 4chans boards to find the few cool people who hang there.

[@davidmartensson273]

@@strayiggytv I think the point is, most journalists will GO LOOKING for that content because it sells more viewers. Many of them want the controversy or they want to get sponsored by Meta. You can find the same thing in most of the platforms unless they are so limited that they are useless. But I do agree that it would be helpful if some of the journalists instead of looking for the bad made articles on the good places, places where you can meet the right people, the guides and learn how to stay away from the bad areas that will always exist on any platform where people exist.

[@strayiggytv]

@@davidmartensson273 I disagree. I've been on IMVU for years and I can tell you, you can sign up for straight to the welcome room and run into giant t1tty giant @ss women in bdsm gear. Heck IMVU is even more strict with it's moderation and has adult content behind a paywall and age verification and STILL people pop into the Hangout with aheago face female avatars. I don't play VRchat but unless you have harsh active moderation at all times people will consistently be terrible online. Edited to add: if you have to have a guide to stay out of the bad places that's not a realistic first experience for the vast majority of users. If a journalist can easily find inappropriate material while playing in a way the average newbie might play them the game is the problem

[@DraconixDG]

Mark is the only person who's avatar looks more human than the human version of him

[@willyonastick30]

idk why but bro seems to be an alien

[@christianedwards9025]

Oh man shots fired.

[@baphfoemet]

Real

[@thegrimharvest]

@@ASDBC Wait, is the common internet consensus that he's a lizard person now? I thought the meta (pun intended) was that he's an andriod?

[@Red_Planet]

I hate the word “Metaverse”. It’s a buzzword that never has a consistent meaning. Ask 5 different people what they think the word means and they’ll probably all give you a different answer than the other.

[@TheVirtualRealityShow]

Most certainly. There is no such a "Metaverse Expert" and anyone who claims to be is absolutely not one bahaha.

[@baconbots]

Yeah, when I hear the world metaverse in mass media I assume the person using it has never actually used VR tech.

[@emanuel3617]

@@baconbots they put the headset on and say: ok, so now I put the Metaverse on guys

[@devluz]

It is actually quite well described in the novel Snow Crash that invented the term. It just looses its meaning because 99% of people using that word have no idea what they are talking about

[@TheGladScientist]

Yeah, it is one of those words that has transformed meaning, very quickly. Metaverse is all about worlds within worlds (hence the word meta), but now people just call any 3D space you can move around in a metaverse. Don't worry, I often educate both crypto ppl and the uninformed business folx that VRC is the most developed metaverse out there :)

[@thruzero]

I actually really hope Meta ignores VRChat, imagine if they bought and controlled VRChat, and how quickly that would kill it

[@zero.Identity]

oh dont worry i think there would be bascially a 1:1 VRchat 2.0 free copy of the game where EVERYONE will switch to within a second

[@housemouseshorts]

pritty shure vrchats devs told them to f off I think they allready tryed

[@RunicRasol]

@@housemouseshorts Doubtful. Most of VR Chat's money comes from venture capitalists. The point is for the company to grow large enough to sell to another major tech company for a significant amount more than the initial investment. If they told Meta no, it's because they were not offered enough. Likely because VR Chat isn't feature complete enough to be sold for enough to pay back their investors with a decent enough ROI. Besides, if they DID sell out, then we could all just jump ship to Chillout.

[@housemouseshorts]

@@RunicRasol problem with chillout and neos. Is they are infected with really obnoxious people who left VRChat already after EAC and hate vrchat people in every form sooo. They still don't shut up. and try and cancel people who didn't leave to this day.

[@octo5042]

no way. VRChat needs to become their own company.

[@lambbonesdev]

VRChat is actually the only spot that has felt like a metaverse to me. What’s really important for these things is the community created content, and all these companies trying to create their “metaverse” want too firm of a grip on their virtual world for anyone to want to use it

[@spankminister]

I used to do RP on MMOs like Star Trek Online. The problem is that because you're piggybacking on a game with other intentions than creating virtual worlds, their main focus may not be creating social hubs, and they even found maintaining existing User Created Content engines too unprofitable to maintain. So long as corporate control of these worlds persist, they are always going to be beholden to the interests of sales and marketing first, and the users second.

[@IAnolastname]

That's the major issue. VRC is a base platform, they don't make any content and leave the CONTENT to the players. The community. They built the utilities and told the people in the city, "Go build your restaurants, build your homes. Build your communities." Meanwhile things like Meta and Horizon's idea is "Here's your house. Pay us for it. It's not what you want? Well, sorry!"

[@cowgba]

If VRC is like a VR enthusiast's virtual home, Horizon Worlds is like a bland sterile hotel room. The way Zuckerberg has tried (and fortunately failed) to monopolize on the Metaverse concept is a perfect example of what happens when everything is treated as a means to make money above all else. I grew up during the tail end of the "wild west" era of the internet in the late 90's/early 2000's, and a lot of what made that time so special is present in VR Chat today: the absolute freedom of creativity and self-expression, the lack of corporate oversight, and the feeling that the internet is vast and diverse and ripe for exploration. By comparison, most of our online experience now is spent on a handful of sites owned by big tech companies (hi KZbin) and even the small sites are often tied back to those companies through things like AdSense, social logins, and so on. Slowly but surely we let these corporations take over the internet, and I worry that they're about to get away with it again in social VR.

[@peagames2002]

Not to mention in "Metaverse" you need to pay for virtual land. A land I doubt you can even modify to your hearts content in Unity, because Zuckerberg thinks his customers are dumb.

[@SlainByTheWire]

That's the thing, in the real world people have their own space they make personal to them, their home. They have their own friends and communities, people open businesses etc. Then there's stuff like big corporations and big government and idealistic BS that want to take all that away to mold the world and control what it feels and looks like, nobody wants that. It's gross and soulless.

[@themagicmaster2480]

Potentially controversial opinion, but I actually like the fact that VR Chat is mostly ignored because 1) It makes Zuckerberg's incompetence even funnier , and 2) it means that massive corporations like Meta, Apple, and every ISP on the planet haven’t stuck their greedy fingers into it and monetized it. Let the people quietly build their own alternative reality while the billionaires, in their blind hubris and greed, repeatedly trip over themselves and each other.

[@zero.Identity]

i bet with you in a few years if something like a monetized metaverse becomes a thing somehow, VRchat will be like this free to use, way better alternative somehow most dont really know or use. like it will be like linux and windows

[@octo5042]

@@zero.Identity and then people will flood to vrchat once they realize that its the better option

[@stanzacosmi]

@@octo5042 like with linux?

[@IaconDawnshire]

The Metaverse WISHES it was VR Chat

[@acsilver2777]

let not give zucc any ideas... he could buy outright. that would be so sad

[@moonstar8908]

I agree

[@ecogreen123]

@@acsilver2777 agreed

[@FireyDeath4]

Nah, it doesn't It's half-ignorantly trying to be as anti-VRChat as possible since it just thinks it's a niche cesspool of predation and dodginess

[@bateli9733]

@@acsilver2777 I wouldn't be surprised at all.

[@nikola9610]

it's funny to see that your videos are being used for training purposes about virtual reality and VR chat at the company I work for

[@TheVirtualRealityShow]

No way that is SO cool to hear. Would love to know more if possible

[@mrmexicano64]

@@TheVirtualRealityShow they should be paying you lul

[@Pixel3572]

@@mrmexicano64 I see someone didn’t pay attention to the video in the slightest

[@mrmexicano64]

@@Pixel3572 what video?

[@illliiiiillliii6265]

Z.T.I.A.I. what video specifically. kinda intereseted in what they deem important to understand

[@kildozer2012]

VRChat is such an amazing platform once you get a small group of people that you know but even just world hopping to explore or find new friends in itself is such an experience that is really hard to describe. I'm 28 and partially disabled physically and can't get out much or leave my bed for much more than 3-4 hours a day but VRChat gives me back my sense of freedom, I was never really sociable before but I've sorta broken out of my shell and have a fairly wholesome group of people that I can proudly call friends. With just shy of 3K hours (including sleeping in VR) I can confidently say that VRC needs more mainstream media attention, not someone that poses as a child literally looking for predators because yes, in every society there will be a few, that won't just change any time soon but instead we need them to shed light on the positives, show them that people like me can find happiness and sense of freedom, show that you can literally find love in VRC, I've met multiple people that were in relationships brought on by meeting in VRC and I think that's truly beautiful!

[@genybr]

I'm socially awkward person, so I will agree with you but only partially. Some runs are finished with "welp, I'm worst person that can't find anyone to talk. Except that - completely agree

[@genybr]

@@hannesRSA Well, at least you may use it in a tourist way. Some worlds are truely fascinating!

[@AzureLupine]

As ass backwards as it sounds, if you want a good time in VR chat, ask the furries. When your whole life is based on pretending you're something else, they've got a pretty decent handle on what you'd like if you tell them what worlds you're looking for. Mini golf, movies with friends, horror maps, even more or less virtual discovery zone or whatever your crawling around in tubes place was when you were little was called. They're weird but usually in a fun sort of way and probably felt just as awkward as you first getting into it.

[@cloudynguyen6527]

@@AzureLupine society no matter online or offline will always have stigma against one group of people. Furries to me is example of that. Whenever you heard about them, people purposefully tell bad story about them. It's really comical to me people bring up Rainfurrest whenever they heard or even "suspect" me being a furry (cause I said I have no problem with them). So I try to double down by saying there are countless gender reveal parties that kill people. A party of animal in fursuit doing wild thing is weird but it should be less of your concern. About that social stigma I mentioned. I live in a country somewhat conservative in culture. I would never let anyone know I draw NSFW. It would affect my family, friend and work relationship. Even online I have to find a group of people that are comfortable with what I draw. So I understand and respect these people a lot. Drawing NSFW is a mild stigma and some will tolerate you. But being a furry is a huge stigma and rarely anyone outside the community will treat you normal, let alone treat with respect.

[@jimmyhangjas6569]

I had pretty bad social anxiety and went from leaving the game when someone said hi to me, to being able to have full conversations with people. thats what i love about vrchat

[@Okinoth]

I basically grew up on second life among other online social platforms and the idea that online spaces are a new thing genuinely makes me mad. The people I met online gave me guidance and info on how to navigate a life as a kid with no parental support, I owe those virtual friends so much, and these corporate grifters act as though these communities never existed

[@huntrep818]

Yes but so many kids were groomed, manipulated and taken advantage of during this time of the internet dude. We both know it and it’s the ugly side of the early 2000’s internet.

[@huntrep818]

Happy to have lived it though

[@ThrillSeekerVR]

Congrats on 200k, can’t wait to see how much further you go!

[@Sussyplayzvr]

So nice 🙂

[@MekaniQ]

The man itself!

[@Ratboycure]

Well earned

[@TheVirtualRealityShow]

We grow together! ❤ 1 million Thrillseekers when? 👀

[@eggycarrot]

Sup Thirlussy

[@JonathanBarouch]

Like you said, it's all about money. Billionaires don't know how to exploit people in VR Chat so they ignore/demonize it as much as possible

[@YasaiDayo]

I have a genuine phobia or weird discomfort when I see Mark’s face 💀

[@rekonener2362]

In the first image, he looks 3D and fake...when he's supposed to be real. Legit, the man isn't human! lol~

[@axolotlIl]

You're not alone, that dude is terrifying...

[@Tuntor689]

the uncanny valley

[@Cyromantik]

Agreed. It's like when people get plastic surgery and for some bizarre reason decide to make both sides perfectly symmetrical. He just doesn't look human.

[@sproket343]

I think it's that we aren't used to seeing men who Botox their entire face

[@HiyuMarten]

Meta can't fathom that VR isn't about where you can go, or what you can do there: It's about WHO you can BE. It's a place where people can come to terms with their inner selves, in a place that withholds judgement. That's terrifying to them.

[@wombatcountry]

at first, I was terrified that Meta and web3 would ruin things like vrchat for the mainstream masses or get the whole thing taken down and I would never get to see this magically weird world to the point where I wanted to throw up, but then I made it to the end of the video when you said "crypto is crashing, meta is laying off employees, and yet, vrchat's player count is growing" and I began to simmer down and feel relieved.

[@3polygons]

Crypto and NFTs had just a savage "birth" (not really, they had been around many years, but all of a sudden got too much hype, and NFTs got to be known in mainstream). But are far from dead for good. These things will just evolve to much more sensible forms. I mean, they will become actually useful, and surely with a lot less (or at all) of the crap they showed till recently. Not so much anymore as there's not much money to make there: the interested ppl now on them are the ones before the big moment. People that just like that technology (I'm not one of them), or more experienced in crypto trading, who know it will bounce back, just never as dominant as it was for a year. And I did see Meta , with mark's resources, like sth that could end up dominating the scene, but like with NFTs, marketers, investors CEOs, and everyone in the middle just are often not capable to see the real people's habits and trends. IMO, it was too soon for what both NFTs and Meta people tried to do.

[@BusinessWolf1]

nah meta is not just "laying off employees", they're laying off 11.000 employees

[@3polygons]

​@House Mouse Main Interesting... Undermine your enemy if your product is worse... I guess you mean they were trying to do that ? Well, it is a possibility, it is a known tactic... We've seeing dirty campaigns like that very often... 'farms' 24/7 throwing fake news about whatever, companies dedicated to that... "studies" paid (this has been revealed, is not conspiracy stuff) by big oil companies to undermine the scientific facts about global warming... I don't think your theory is crazy (we have no solid proof, but makes a lot of sense, too many coincidences). The Horizon's characters not having legs... I doubt it'd be for not having good enough (money gets everything) coders or 3D artists, but maybe due to expecting initially most people (which imo is the key of VR not becoming mainstream) not having the device or at least not having full body tracking (not saying it makes sense, but might be what they thought...). And the issue of VRC... I say it as an external observer, but in every big youtube channel that despite having a somewhat big audience, ends up having tons of problems with YT strikes, problems (YT heavily fights against channels way too much in "the edge", as it needs the advertisers, brands' money) and sponsors not willing to sign contracts with the channel is when the content is risky, edgy. It applies here. As it is a space not heavily moderated/protected, and human nature is what it is (no matter u and me behave in a civil way: a few weirdos, pervs and trolls wreck it for the average Jane and Joe)... brands not willing to put a foot in there... So, it would rarely become the massive social media that it could be already. IMO, once it gets some solid way at least of protecting the general mass of newcomers (like the protecting "bubble" for newbies many game servers create for the first weeks in certain games), the mainstream masses, from the sexual, etc stuff, it _then_ can _easily_ become a total success. But not the way Mark Z really wanted, which is to become THE place for professional and business activity, heavily utilizing NFT tech and its promised (now fully failed) income, plus becoming _the_ standard way to go to social media for the masses, that's why also the name change (as "Facebook" is linked for ever to the privacy fiasco in people's minds, and also to being a dated platform, even in the UI), imo the name change was not only for playing with the multiverse concept. And so imposing over the other social media platforms. IMO this being the main reason why FB/Meta bought instagram and whatsapp. FB has been losing the throne for years (and IMO tiktok and YT are winning now by KO, instagram in a _distant_ third place, twitter having a super weird, terrible moment, and marked as a toxic platform by many)... He was in my opinion ambitious like that, till that point, I mean, he had that dream. I believe he wasn't being realistic neither was able to "read the room" of how people adapt to these things (slowly and in a very hard to predict way, depending on context, what the people really wants/feels, the economy, etc), at least the big mass of the public. The signal loss in the ads, related to the failure of cookies in the near future (browsers I think are gonna deprecate third party cookies!! this is *BIG* ), tiktok non predicted _huge_ effect, all platforms blatantly copying its model... means that people, thirsty for content more than ever, for fresh takes, and also way less tolerant to bullsh1t, means they are going by another path and most marketers have been missing it, not really catching up (now... they are, partially). I see it complex that VRC, for all what I am reading about it, would stop being "indie". It would need that "control" in place, protecting the normies, for the brands and investors/big companies to start putting money and big media efforts on it. And... while is very cool that it is indie, the fear here is that when the community grows by itself, but not clear ROI is in place, the servers increasing costs as the mass grow.... end up not being sustainable. This has happened to huge platforms (remember, KZbin had to be bought by Google, as was losing heaps of money, and was the only giant that could afford it) , but also famous and loved games.

[@Tharmin.124]

As soon as I can I’m joining VRChat, because why not lol

[@EvoliPlays]

@@Tharmin.124 just do it, you don't even need a VR headset

[@thefoundation3489]

VRChat: lets people look like whatever they want (and have legs) SAO: one of the bad / scary things is that your avatar is forced to look like your real life counterpart Mark Zuckerburg: let's make everyone look like they do irl, great idea, what could go wrong

[@paigelux4819]

At least you don't die if you die in game

[@jacobwind2367]

She's so right about people being able to grow in this game, I was miserable during COVID until I got this game and was able to talk to people. It's a community game and everything I expected the metaverse to be.

[@ecogreen123]

it's what the metaverse is, because it is the True Metaverse, not that stupid facebook 'metaverse'

[@no3ironman11100]

Don't listen to her VRChat has had it's share of controversies. Don't get suckered in by shit companies. Do people forget what they did to VRchat mods ?

[@emberdragon4248]

​@@ecogreen123 Mark: spends 10 billion dollars on a 5 polygon eiffel tower "tHiS iS tHe fUtUrE guYs"

[@christianedwards9025]

I want to play VR minecraft, only reason I haven't invested is because I'm afraid of crapping Mt pants if a creeper actually realistically scares me. I remember when their AI was so bad you could lead them into a pit of open lava. Now those pickle men are mini stealth bombers.

[@StrikerV3]

My confidence in speaking with total strangers has increased so much after joining vrc years ago. It can really help you overcome social problems you struggle with irl just because it forces you into such random and crazy situations that talking to a regular human irl is just. Ez.

[@katiarepublic7057]

I’m happy to hear it’s helped other people, too! I’ve got automatonophobia, meaning humanoid things like statues and mannequins scare me an irrational amount! I couldn’t even play the SuperHot demo without panicking, unfortunately. Since playing VRChat though I’ve gotten used to it a lot more! It’s not totally gone, but it’s way more manageable and I’m less scared!

[@marcuscarana9240]

Anybody noticed how in VR Chat, NO ONE ever wants to be an avatar that look like themselves im real life. They always try an avatar they would like to be so the fact that Mark Zuckerberg is pushing for avatars that look like the user irl just shows how out of touch, tone deaf and unaware Zuck is when it comes to virtual reality.

[@theInsaneRodent]

I like to say that one of the cool things about VRChat is that if you want to you *can* identify as an attack helicopter.

[@marcuscarana9240]

@@theInsaneRodent Right? The reality is, is that people are going to choose to be an attack helicopter or a ferret with a toilet paper necklace before ever choosing an avatar that looks like them irl. The fact that Mark was focusing on giving avatars cochlear implants and wheelchairs for "inclusivity" was just so out of touch.

[@SincerestSawa]

Not true, I have multiple friends that aim to represent their actual selves in vr, I've even made a low poly version based on a friend's picture

[@KingDetonation]

@@SincerestSawa you sir just described the textbook definition of the saying "you are the exception, NOT THE RULE"

[@Kkurasmoon]

i always try to get avatars that are like me all the time so people wouldn't say this to me

[@thejman3489]

When I first got a VR headset, playing simple game like "The Lab" and "Space Pirate Trainer" were absolutely mind boggling to me. The immersion and the accuracy and speed of the tracking was very impressive. It was no longer pushing buttons on a controller and watching a screen. It was now mimicking the action of pulling back a bow, holding it to your face, and seeing the arrow fly in whatever direction you were pointing the controllers. It was shooting at robots flying in the sky and dodging lasers with your whole body in slow motion when they return fire. I was genuinely terrified when anything was flying at me, subconsciously thinking it's going to hit me in real life. You are not just controlling a character in a game anymore. You are the character in that game. And taking the headset off after a few hours honestly takes some getting used to.

[@JAYZ999]

Even main stream gaming websites and journals completely ignore VR games and VRChat. Even though VRChat is constantly in the top 50ish played games on steam. It’s just so annoying how they’re still acting like VRChat and vr is still this completely tiny community with thousands of players not millions. It’s not a huge community, but it’s much larger than a lot of communities that get covered often.

[@TheVirtualRealityShow]

Yup, I even see freaking VR JOURNALISM ignore big groundbreaking events and progress happening in VRChat... for god knows what reasons. Not all of them do this, but funny how hosting the largest VR events (IRL & In-game) gets 0 coverage a lot of times... Cmon guys.

[@RoseMultiverse]

@@TheVirtualRealityShow probably because sadly they only work on commission & companies who pay them to talk about stuff. Indie community vs corporations.

[@strayiggytv]

I'd argue they ignore it because, and I say this with love, it looks like niche weeb sh1t. I know anime is popular but it still carries with it a stigma for being for pervs and weaboos. I'm sure journalists tried VR chat, though " huh so it's just a bunch of dudes cosplaying as their waifus huh, weird." And I know that's not what VR chat actually is but that's the impression it gives off. It's like if you made an IMVU account and waited around in hangout you'd think the only people who use it are teens who want to look like SoundCloud rappers.

[@GorujoCY2]

@@strayiggytv True, but as I said in my main comment, There's some Journalists I have experienced that Have properly checked out the Metaverse and did Masterpiece coverages that beats all of other journalists and that would be "People Make Games", and actually a Dutch Journalist that actually offered interviews especially in VRChat and I appreciate him for that because after talking with him in my interview, He did his research for Good! But unfortunately those Journalists usually aren't top media so it's really, really too bad I had hopes for WSJ because one of the journalists does a Great job for covering Apple but it seems like certainly not for the metaverse, not this time...

[@JAYZ999]

@@strayiggytv I agree that VRChat doesn’t give a good first impression at all. And only people that stick around for find what’s beneath the surface. But you’d expect them to maybe get in touch with someone from the community like PHIA to help them understand VRChat and write an article about. A “game” that was released like 6 years ago and has consistently been in the top played games on steam, and people still have absolutely no idea what it’s about or what’s in it because the most coverage it gets is “look at this funny meme in VRChat”. So many communities to report on that would blow people’s minds (that blew my mind before I joined). Like ppl have 0 idea street dance and IDA exist in VRChat, imagine a report showing the IDA and people break dancing, cyphering, and battling in VR. Or at the very least, report on and review more VR games/Quest accessories etc. Like the steam deck has sold more than 1 million, and quest 2 has sold somewhere around 10-15 million, but the deck gets a lot of coverage and the quest is dismissed as this toy only 20 people use. Same with PC indie games vs quest games. With time things will improve but that’s how I see it for now though.

[@HakuFromVR]

You know what? this channel is what people need to realise what is going on in the true virtual reality. Spending most of my free time in these virtual worlds in VR Chat, now means a lot to me. Turns out that I had meet awesome people, beautiful talents. All of this virtual universe made me learn so much that i got addicted to it. I've been having so much fun, so much adventures, even tho i'm in the safety of my living room. Feels awesome to be who I really am, where i really want to be.

[@Lieliiiii]

I dont know why but after the whole explanation and story just ending it with "this is not the future this is now." had me in tears. i love vr so much..

[@hello.ily.wytmyn]

“This is not the future. This is now” absolutely love this. It’s always the ones who are the most out of touch with the current world that makes the decisions for us, so they spend time on things that are already here. Remember when they tried to make a “new” virtual artist named Polar and expected them to be popular? Did they seriously forgot when Gorillaz boomed during the 2000’s? 2d could go to Elton John and be like, “Ello Elton Jawn yu wan to do a lil collab?” And Elton would be like, “Fuck yes 2d I would love to,” i could go in-depth on how connected gorillaz is to the real life music industry, but the point is, they’ve already completed the goal of connecting the virtual world to reality and people are just ignoring that. This connect has been naturally growing every year without the help of big corporations pushing on it. The rise of Vtubers was not made from the aid of Zucky boy’s metaverse. The best way the “metaverse” can evolve is if it progresses slowly and naturally. But it’s potential is so huge, big corporations want it immediately and fast as possible. The metaverse should not feel like a business venture, it should feel like a connect.

[@billothekid]

I love that you got your dad to do an interview! As a guy in his late 30's, I sometimes feel a bit out of place in things like VRChat. As such, I often explore worlds in private instances, which could sound a little sad if the worlds weren't so incredible. My point is, somebody needs to show "journalists" how amazing these places can be without all the culture that might exist around public worlds.

[@underflip2]

I’m 40+ loving nej g a female avatar. Don’t feel weird there are amazing people in vrc that will be friendly no matter what you want to be. I felt the same thing as you until I found people just like me. 👍🏻

[@3polygons]

Imagine a guy being 50.... but I don't care... I have accounts and activity on Discord, Twitch, Reddit, Instagram, Tumblr and whatever... VR not so much as I get dizzy... That and due to having very little time available, often. But the not so nerd of my generation... many of those don't even know what Discord, Twitch or Reddit are, let alone VRC. VR yep, _very_ vaguely. I might try VRC for art making matters, like, might try to upload 3D that I make, to see how it goes.

[@blitzrigen]

@@SkeleTonHammer What does being a straight edge and being a far left extremist have to do with anything vr related? Its not even all about anime, thats just what most ppl like to look like in the game. There are thousands of avatars you can be. Also the VRChat community is pretty damn aware of how niche and clique-ish they CAN be. Thats why if you talk to someone who does play vrchat you will hear some complaints about public worlds being so random and toxic. But if you ever go in with a friend just exploring the worlds available to you it can be such an amazing time. Like looking through an art museum that is all free and available to view and play in. Its already growing and it has a foot hold, there is only so long that the mainstream media can ignore it as it grows and grows. VRChat is just a place where you can hangout with anyone anywhere in the world and well chat. Politics only place in vrchat is only in that one conversation between you and another person, nowhere else. What you do in the game is up to you in a true literal sense. You could be yourself or someone else or something else or hell even an exaggerated version of yourself and just let loose and have fun. Its not the elephant in the room we cant talk about, its the elephant in the room we are talking about with others trying to make us stop. But what do I know, for all of this I could just be talking to a skele-ton with a hammer who is 36 years old who includes politics in a non-political discussion. (To be fully honest that sounds like a hilarious avatar/character someone could be in vrchat. Imagine a random skeleton with a hammer just walks into a bar and starts spouting stuff about random politics, like that alone could be bloody brilliant lmao)

[@JHess]

@@SkeleTonHammer you, my young friend, have a lot of growing up to do. talk to us again when you're in your 50s.....

[@underflip2]

@@SkeleTonHammer haha non of the people in my friends group is even close to being far left extremist so I don't know what people you have met. Its sertanly not for everybody but most people kan find something they like in there. Vrchat is much more than anime. We have all sorts of people in out group.

[@besknighter]

You got the nail in the head with this video. The internet is what it is now because, in the beginning, people just wanted to create amazing stuff. The money wasn't an after thought. It wasn't thought about at all. It just happened to came along later. We need the majority of those pushing the envelope of the metaverse forward to do the same. If we don't focus on building cool and amazing stuff, this is gonna crash and burn. And fast.

[@norsehawk]

I'm Phia's dad's generation, during the lockdown, I got into vrchat to deal with not meeting people face to face anymore, ended up becoming a furry, and started making my own avatars and making them for others.

[@Cyromantik]

That's really cool! In Zuckerberg's 'verse you'd never have had that level of customization and opportunity for self-discovery and entrepreneurship!

[@LakeofCrystalclan]

Absolutely based. Godspeed, my guy

[@Findus_the_cat]

Hi @norsehawk most people from your age also dont understand what furrys are, the same whit the "metaverse" they hear "furrys are zoophiles!" Or "Vr is bad" and never try both. but you tried somthing new and found an new hobby an an new community. I wish more people would be like you and dont care about the bad press and try new things. I really wish you the best!

[@norsehawk]

@@Findus_the_cat to quote something from when I was growing up, " I don't want to grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid..."

[@froddobaggins]

oh no

[@saidasaetgar3370]

VRchat was my fave metaverse for years (since 2017). The level of creativity there has been consistently mind blowing and I still believe it has the most imaginative worlds and avatars! However, since Oculus Quest 2 release, things started to change for the worse because of unprecedented number of young kids. It’s almost impossible to meet anyone older than 18, and as a 30 year old, I’d ideally prefer folks in the age range 25+😢 Very young children are constantly getting exposed to content they are not supposed to. Recently, I went to adult content world with my bf, and I kid you not, 7 out of 10 people we’ve stumbled upon were clearly in the age range 7-11! It’s just so creepy😬 How’s that even allowed?

[@NickCorbinOfficial]

It's like that in pretty much every Quest 2 game now. One of the reasons I stopped consistently playing Onward, a military war game, is all the children screaming and fragging their own team. Technically...Meta just announced that all players below aged 13 are not allowed, but I really don't know how they can enforce that. I think the big problem are irresponsible parents who are like, "sure, Timmy, put on this VR headset and interact with strangers!"

[@Valcuda]

I fully agree. I'm only 18, but those kids are so annoying. I just want to meet some nice people to hang out with, but just all children. The among us map is unplayable if you're not with a pre-selected group! Nobody listens to anything, people use all avatars to cheat, etc! I've had 1 good experience with that map! And that was when I was blessed with an instance without any children.

[@Sanquinity]

35 year old here. So glad I started playing before the quest 2 was a thing. Even before it was announced. Making older friends was so much easier back then. Sure there were still little kids, but they were like 20% of the players, not 50%+. Most people I met were at least 15+ Still not exactly an adult, but at least not an 8~10 year old either. I saw how the Quest 2 changed the playerbase. How the influx of kids pretty much...ruined public worlds all together. They've recovered a little bit, but it's still far worse than it used to be. I used to be able to go to the popular worlds like The Black Cat or Midnight Rooftop and find at least one group of older/more mature people chilling in any instance, if not several. Now I consider it lucky if I find 1 adult every few instances. Since the ones that do still play mostly keep to friends+ or private worlds. I consider myself blessed that, despite some setbacks and falling outs with past friends in the game, I have 10 or so friends that are 20+, most even being 25+. We all don't play super often. Maybe 2~3 times a week for a few hours. But it definitely makes the experience a lot better if you have mature friends, even when you're in a public.

[@agungredking9160]

Just avoid crowded world like black cat or great pug. Go to the less crowded world with only few people in it. Believe me, you gonna have much better experience.

[@pink_sky_morning4842]

As a younger player on Meta Quest 2 (i promise I’m not a mean person I swear to god I am not rude,) I absolutely hate being near the little kiddies. I have never heard such vulgar children in my entire life! To quote a person I once met, “I wish elementary school kids would go back to being elementary school kids.” I wish they enforced their 13+ policy. Also, why isn’t vote kicking a proper feature? Some of my other friends can votekick but I cannot because the conditions aren’t filled? What conditions? Also, those same little kids are being exposed to avatars that just straight up expose the avatar’s gender allocated genitalia. Surprised nobody has talked about it so far.

[@Datdus92]

I think what people forget is that VRchat also caters to people playing on a 2d screen. This way, they can interact with the 'the metaverse' in a way they are already familiar with and then make the jump to VR once they feel like it.

[@Valcuda]

This! Before I got a Quest 2, I thought VRchat was some weird app, that only weirdos used. But I played it a bit on Windows, and I realized it was just a place to have fun. VRChat was the first thing I played on my Quest 2! With Metas "First steps" app being the second. The Metaverse shouldn't be exclusive to VR, it should definitely focus on it, but let people experience it without needing to take a leap of faith first!

[@typehere6689]

I insist on only starting once I get a full body tracking setup.

[@birdflox1337]

honestly, as sad as it can sometimes seem that VR Chat doesn't get the recognition it deserves, maybe it's best it isn't mainstream. I imagine things like copyright rules would need to get much more strict.

[@Metrikon9000]

I was beginning to worry that you weren't going to touch on the monetization aspect of Meta, but as soon as you said "Money, money, money" I realized you got it. It's the reason I am so fearful of the future, because if everything is monetized even in a digital space, people without a large amount of disposable income like myself will gradually find themselves forced out of their favorite hobbies. I'm already starting to feel that with video games. I'm an older millennial in my late 30s, and I've been playing video games my whole life. Since the early days of Atari and Nintendo, to the rise of my favorite drug of choice, MMORPGs, I've seen a gradual increase in the monetization of digital goods that feels...just plain wrong. This is especially true with F2P or Gacha games, because they market them as free but you end up spending more money just to enjoy the experience at a reasonable pace. My last bastion at the moment is FFXIV, but who knows how long that will last? Square Enix has jumped on the NFT bandwagon, so I'm afraid that some day soon the nickel and dime monetization will start creeping in. I'm starting to think that I need to drag out the Oculus Rift that currently sits in a drawer at the bottom of my file cabinet and dive into VRChat. Maybe that will be my new escape from reality.

[@Eudaletism]

Yeah, the behavior goes completely against the spirit of the internet. Imagine if you had to pay to copy a file, or to spread a meme. If copyright were actually enforced, I mean, really enforced, there would be no memes, because you'd have to get permission from the original meme creator in order to spread it. Like 99% of internet culture exists because information is treated as a shared, community resource by default (with some exceptions to create incentives for artists of course). Information is fundamentally post-scarcity, and the metaverse should be post-scarcity. Everyone can have their own mansion. Locking it down, making people buy land and digital furniture, might make sense in a game, where you opt in to scarcity for fun, but the top level needs to be like minecraft creative mode, completely open and free as in freedom.

[@Nimagia]

I really hope this video goes viral or at least viewed by more mainstream media. Really would do VR and VRchat a service.

[@JaylaLuv]

This was nicely said, and your dad's point was absolutely right. I hope VR Chat in the near future isn't underestimated and instead grows even more as it is now.

[@gergom.8310]

We can still hope. Discord was made in 2015 but went really viral and mainstream in the 2020s.

[@apple_m2_delight]

Fun fact: metaverse has already exists since the 80s with quantum link for commodore 64. Quantum link for those who don't know is an isp service for your commodore 64. It is the predecessor to AOL (America online) and it gives you the ability to not only chat with other commodore 64 users but also play around with basically a proto metaverse. Quantum link was made public from 1985. That just shows you how old metaverse is

[@LoreliaDeMildiane]

Really happy to see someone tackle that subject! It's so frustrating to see VRChat being ignored again and again :(

[@ndfdm5705]

I don't even use vr chat - I have used vr. It's fucking fantastic. Legit the future of media. One hour of playing killing floor in vr is worth ten playing it on pc in sheer fun factor- and everytime I've seen meta-verse come up my brain kept going "Oh, like, VR chat but worse and moderated by stiffs that actively made the internet worse?"

[@certainlystormy]

i found this channel just now and i absolutely love it. theres so much effort put into every part of it, and the camerawork inside vrchat too is so cool. tbh i think im gonna cry

[@DrewEverlong]

I really loved this video, speaking as someone that's born in 1982 and active player of VRChat, you've really grasped the importance of this game, and I'm so happy that we got so many new people coming in that are within your age and totally getting on board with this! I've been playing VRC since 2018, and I won't stop anytime soon! Great video

[@docopoper]

As a Millennial I love how it always feels like Millennials and Gen Z are a pair of fist bumping siblings complaining about how much our parents screwed us over. I feel like I must protecc this other generation.

[@dropdedgothish]

That part with your dad was really cool! it's nice to hear what older people think about it, who've tried VR chat and enjoyed it!

[@3polygons]

Most people _I know_ of my generation (50), - being from a 1st world EU country-, have at some point tried an VR device, but don't even know what VR Chat is (I myself am not a VR user, I've dug about the matter, only).

[@nara4420]

@@3polygons just do it ! I am 58 and already more than 2 years in VRChat. It changed my life to the better. And i can say it is great how welcoming most communities are in VRChat. Most people are younger, but there are quite some in my age and even older.

[@3polygons]

@@nara4420 Thank you! That's great to know! :)

[@clearcrossroads]

My mother (aged 60) was horrified when I got my Quest 2 a few months ago. She covered her mouth, audibly gasped, and unironically said that it's evil, that it's mind control, that its explicit goal is to destroy life, and that it will steal my soul. She said the reason it's called Meta is because they want to destroy reality and replace it with death, lies, deceit, illusions, and "their own script", I think she said. I tried to explain to her that it's called Meta because it's a reality inside a reality, and she said I didn't know what I was talking about; that "she's done her research." She said that she's, quote, "terrified that it's infiltrated her home". Meanwhile, she's EXTREMELY agoraphobic, and consequently hasn't left the apartment in YEARS, but her biggest interests are nature and survivalism. She refuses to even consider the notion that this thing could do any kind of good for her at all, let alone prove to be therapeutic or cathartic in any way, and she staunchly refuses to try it. It's the kind of sad that's arguably pushing into tragic.

[@biadzok4573]

Probably the one video about vrchat I'd like to see go viral because of how well you explain what vrchat is.

[@nomanga]

Wow I wasn't even interested in this topic before and honestly didn't even really know it existed, but I somehow watched the entire video and now I'm actually curious. Great video, honestly.

[@TheVirtualRealityShow]

❤

[@mirichiivr]

I love how you broke down what I feel like a lot of us have been thinking! Always found it interesting how VRC isn't talked about very much in mainstream media when it seemed like one of the most creative and immersive places to me?? Super sweet and cool that you got your dad's perspective!! Well made video! ^.^

[@cryingsurrogate]

Started making an album called "Metaspace", and what do you know? A week later the word "Metaverse" gets appropriated by Zuck. Suddenly a cool name became cringe by association

[@dextermorris7096]

We need more of your dad, such a sweet soul!

[@sassysora1435]

"It's not the future, it's the now and it's beautiful." That line hit me harder than a bowling ball to the head. That was beautiful!

[@turmations5556]

One problem with the idea of entering vrchat, posing as a 13 y/o, and investigating it is looking for trouble, but not experiencing the true feel for the game. Looking for what is fun in something is different than looking for all the problems

[@katiena1251]

I never been in VRchat, but I knew about it. I think most gamers know about it. Second life was a big deal it when it came out too. It's why I laughed so hard when I saw the models for the Medverse.

[@hunterx2210]

I hope this helps parent understand that social platform exist in VR and they should monitor their children to guide them.

[@Hexahectaenneacontakaiheptagon]

Zuck: this tech is revolutionary and nobody has ever seen anything like it before VR Chat from 2017: *are you sure about that?*

[@paolaanimator]

Thank you for making this video! It annoys me when the media talks about the metaverse like it's a new thing, like adding legs to avatars, and their avatars and worlds looks so bland, but VR Chat has been doing this already for so many years with beautiful worlds, great avatars that be created in Blender and uploaded for free, and plus avatars have leg tracking! I'm waiting for full body tracking to arrive in the future (Slime VR) so I'm excited.

[@TheThorns]

seeing the penguin playing chess and looking at the camera made me bust up laughing for some reason.

[@eking7690]

"You dont know about virtual reality until you have put on the headset and have someone who is obi wan kenobi show you the way" ...This is so f'n ironic because i use an obiwan skin and show new players around to cool places any time i find out they're new.

[@eking7690]

Btw, early 40s here and your dad is the real homie. He said that his friends hardly know what everything is vr wise. As people tend to get older, they get stuck in their ways or just dont care about new things or advancements. People get floored when i tell them my age in VRChat. Its good to see other OGs get it :)

[@stratum42]

First time I've seen one of your videos and it's well done. You have an open and honest outlook. Much like your Dad, I'm also a 40-something father who grew up in arcades. I also became a fan of alternate realities and the Cyberpunk genre in the 80s, still am. Although I own around 120 VR titles I've never jumped into VR Chat yet, but I know those who have. In my opinion, for what that's worth as an older guy who dreamed of Ready Player One since I was a kid, VR Chat is the closest thing we have right now. And if it doesn't lead us there, it will be one of the early examples others stand on the shoulders of. Those reviewers also ignore the social connections we get playing games online where I myself have played with the same people for over a decade. If anything, THAT is what will get people to want to live in VR much as it has done for other games like World of Warcraft.

[@FrontwaysLarry]

Well put, Phia. The amount of people that even just bought their kid a Quest 2 and have said to me "I tried the Metaverse, it kind of sucked." is astounding. Just shows how little they know when they say it. Even my own close friends admit they see a few games they want to try, but they think the "gimmick" would wear off. Like, for real, we don't have anywhere else to go with gaming tech other than VR and AI. We're at near photoreal gaming at 8K now. What's the point of having that technology if we can't also choose to fully immerse ourselves in those worlds? I'm slowly trying to change some minds, as everyone seems very big on bashing XR without even having tried it in its current state, but it's an uphill battle. Anyway, great video! If anything, I'm just glad that the discussion around VR is transitioning from "do we need this?" to "when will it be cool enough?" It's cool enough now, but media outlets keep putting up that picture of Zuckerberg in Horizon Worlds and then think that entire game represents all of VR. It hurts. Lol

[@quipsilvervr]

The thing with the "Metaverse" idea, is most companies see this concept, and they dream of making a living breathing storefront where people appear and buy countless products and, in turn, are essentially the gods of these worlds where people are living their lives, and able to literally reap the data generated, which in turn, is worth millions+. I consider the closest thing to an actual metaverse, I'd say it was VRChat, because when I log in, I don't feel like I need to buy stuff to make my surroundings less crumby, and when I look around, I see sheer human imagination and freedom of expression, whereas in a corporate metaverse, you will have fashion trends people will feel compelled to buy into, products everywhere, and essentially a sand pit full of cameras finding out what they can about their users so they can further monetise this faux reality. Not only that, there will be that overlord that can take all of those spent assets away because they were probably bought in the corporation's ecosystem. I think the mainstream media, would try to actively smeer vrchat (see the hit piece where they potted people into interacting with a kid in a stripclub because they were purposebuilt for infiltration into adult spaces, literally tricking people into interracting with a kid without realising it, because they were in an adult environment, expecting adults to be the sole presence and had no idea until it was way way too late.. As far as I'm concerned, these free, wonderful worlds, are a direct threat to the idea of a corporate blockchain nft bullshit hellscape.

[@neonbat666]

Even as someone who's only VRChat experience is through watching friends play, every time I see it I get this deep nostalgia for a time that never really existed. Perhaps it's from the sheer amount of creativity, or from seeing so many people moving around and talking and forging bonds despite being hundreds or even thousands of miles apart.

[@Sparkz1607]

That time does exist, and it's *right now.* Social VR is a magical place. It's like being at a convention. These are your people. Your weird, wonderful people that aren't afraid to express themselves. You should join us. :)

[@BurstupTV]

Yeah, it's mind-boggling. VRChat has such a vibrant and diverse culture, amazing avatars and maps, full body tracking, facial tracking.... and yet it's largely ignored by Zuck, by news media etc. But what can I say, I've been in user-generated virtual worlds for 20 years now. Second Life, Open Simulator... and they have ignored those, too. We didn't have VR headsets back then, but 15 years ago I used SL on a large canvas with a video projector, and that was virtual reality for us, and we used to call Second Life the "metaverse" sometimes. Anyways... VRChat (and Neos and Chillout) are great today (and SL is still good, too), and their communites will stay on the cutting edge of this development.

[@justacrusaderguy3320]

My great-grandmother found out about VRChat, and she asked me, "Why are there people dressed up as "cartoon characters," and I don't know what to tell her.

[@HoloTheWiseVR]

i had my great grandmother (born in 1931) try my vive in 2017 and she still loves to play it even now she thinks its amazing to be able to hang out with people from around the world and play all these different kinds of games with them.

[@chyadosensei]

Japan has shown a lot of VRChat in the news and during talks shows here recently. Lots of love for what the game is here 💞

[@chyadosensei]

@@SkeleTonHammer I don't know about niche considering during vket they have multi-million dollar companies investing in ads during the event.

[@AzaiaMonota]

@@SkeleTonHammer VRChat is currently the 26th most active game on Steam beating out games like Elden Ring, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, RDR2, FIFA, and FF14, calling VRChat anything but a massive mainstream success would be a false statement

[@Vysair]

@@AzaiaMonota Not to mention, it's probably the biggest in VR

[@blindlight]

one thing i worry about a lot is that what makes vrc so good is it's where creators go to make stuff for other creators-- the level of knowledge and talent is just so high-- but im not sure theres a way to scale that up without the vast majority of users becoming just passive consumers of experiences. the most important thing from my perspective is education about how to create 3d environments and characters-- making your own experience needs to be a fundamental right and skill, so that people will more accurately judge the value of the mass of digital cosmetics being thrown at them in the future mainstream platforms. we already forgot how to make our own websites and thats part of what made web2.0 end up so centralized

[@SecretHero914]

Thank you Phia for being so honest with VR

[@TheExecutorr]

Even if ignoring that VR chat exists, what corporations don't understand is that I have no reason to pay money for digital land, when I can already be the god of my own world in countless video games, many of which are mulitplayer and can be modded for VR. Why the heck would I pay for something that I can have for free or at very low cost, at a better quality?

[@nara4420]

You're absolutely right ! But what if VRChat becomes known to all that big companies ? It scares me what can happen when the big money kicks in, brings regulations and ends the freedom. We have seen Neos and the crypto-story, and the death of plugins in VRChat ... sometimes i think it's better when they ignore VRC.

[@chrissolace]

I love the irony that a company’s attempt to monopolize on a futuristic concept is failing, while a truly free platform pushing for creativity is succeeding.

[@capri5246]

Lol I feel like you let your dad pick the avi it’s such a dad avi, but seriously it was super nice to hear his take on vr. I really really wish the older generation would get into vr. I as a 22 year old and still blow away every single time I put my quest on, and basically have an existential moment nearly every vr sesh and I’ve been playing daily. I just think the older generation would really appreciate it so much it’s literally future technology. Straight science fiction. Seriously even most vr users I meet don’t seem as exited as I’d expect! Thank you for making this video I hope it blows up because the lack of hype for a pice of technology that is so Insane. Seriously for most of my life I have been a creator of some sort, I like to make things and express myself, and vr does that better than anything. Also I loved my whole life absolutely depressed with how boring reality is and the limitations of normal reality. I can’t tell you what this vr has done for my happiness and my brain. I would go off on tangents about how depressed I was that I would watch anime and action movies and I wanted to go do that stuff so bad. And now I play gun raiders a very fast passed fps, and It scratches that itch so goooood. I then can hop into vr chat and fly around in a airplane or helicopter and spend literally hours drifting around in a car, or go to my hangout world where there is a whole community who partake if u know what I mean 🍃. So I always have someone or a group to hang out with. Or I can go into blades and sorcery and really feel the heat of battle. It’s so good for that. Idk how to explain it but, it’s like it unlocks the human form into its most raw and free form. I never have felt comfortable in reality and that was a serious problem in my life. But I feel the most me and the most comfortable when I’m in vr, I havnt felt this close to myself in a long time. And that’s super important because right before I got my vr i was struggling super hard with disphorea, and if there is anything that will make you feel like a stranger to yourself it’s that. So It’s not like, I see a bright future in vr. It’s here. I have a quest 2, a relatively lower end headset but not really lol. But even with the quest 2 and what we have now, I am beyond satisfied. I couldn’t ask for more, and I couldn’t even imagine what we have now, so the fact that we are just getting started, it has my whole soul smiling so big.

[@vectors8841]

They want us to be floating corporate office drone torsos in a world where you pay $20 to do a copyrighted corporate approved emote. But the reality is that I, ( as a cat in a cow onesie ) can default dance for free on VRchat. Mark has only chains to offer.

[@AdrianAye]

A lot of streamers are dipping their toes into VR. (Not META sponsored streams) Hope you guys can Collab while they have their VR headsets setup. I think they can bring attention to VR and community and can create a little boom to help keep pushing VR forward.

[@3polygons]

Currently, the biggest streamers are playing VR Among US (super recent, btw). With this I mean people that easily have 20k to 40k viewers each one in any given stream!

[@EndoftheBeginning17]

@@3polygons And that's not just off of Twitch, big YT streamers are too.

[@3polygons]

@@EndoftheBeginning17 Yes, indeed. :)

[@viserion5631]

there is always the pokemon mystery dungeon music in your videos, i love it

[@flameknight7]

VRChat is the reason most VR users still use their headsets. It's such leagues ahead of other platforms in so many ways! New users need to be shown "da wae"

[@paolaanimator]

My Quest 2 headset and I use PCVR mainly for VR Chat lol

[@Feuerhamster]

Honestly, it's probably a good thing VRchat stays relatively obscure. Imagine the amount of corporate fuckery inflicted upon it if it ever gains mainstream presence.

[@anthonyapodaca9868]

Phia is the one person that inspired My to get my oculus quest 2

[@MonstehDinosawr]

Got my index because of her video

[@EwokFuica]

Me too 🥰

[@paolaanimator]

Thanks to Phia, GetHip and Thrillseeker I have a Quest 2 but I haven't been using it much due to combating motion sickness lol. But it's fun using it in VR Chat with PCVR.

[@rager_fox8147]

Loved it, as someone who started playing this game during the COVID lockdowns, I must say I enjoy it very much. Wish there were older people I could hang out with in VRC, but it wouldn't be the highlight of my day. I love spending time with like minded people and I enjoy dancing in VRC. Keep up the good work ❤️

[@liana56776]

thank you so much for trying to go under the surface level and try to talk about vrchat in a way that shows the true magic of it

[@furofu]

Despite what anyone days, it's always the community that gets it's way. Companies don't understand that, they just think they do. But these companies are run by adults stuck in their own time, adults who have never once, as you've said, even put on a headset before and really experienced virtual reality. They only understand business and money. The metaverse is already here, It's been here on our phones and through the internet in 2D, it's just getting an upgrade. The metaverse will grow, there's no stopping it. VRchat is the perfect "metaverse" game, world, app, lifestyle, whatever you may think of it as. It quite litterally is capable of everything you could ever dream of! In fact, just add a money system to purchase exclusive official in game items that don't affect the actual gameplay and free to play nauture, then a few more rules to keep things slightly cleaner and the only thing holding back VRchat from being any more immersive is the technology we have to run it and the updates they push out. VRchat will forever grow because the community will forever like it, and if you don't believe me look up any old game or tv show that's still around today. Media only survives because of a community of people who enjoy it. Most people enjoy VR chat, and no matter what these big tech companies think. VRchat will only continue to grow whether Zucky Zuck supports it or not. All we need from them is the tech, we'll do the rest. Your channel will probably get a head start given you're the "Virtual Reality Show" so in a few years I wouldn't be surprised if I suddenly saw you on the news! Thank you for being a virtual news outlet for my favorite virtual escape. My favorite virtual world qvq

[@baroquedub]

Another way to frame this is to think about it in terms of mainstream vs counterculture. There are plenty of older people who get VR, who spend time in the VRChat and who understand the true potential of Neal Stephenson's metaverse. Throughout the ages these people have been artists, musicians, punks, ravers, hippies and people like you and me, regardless of age, who cherish self-expression. As you so rightly say in your video, the mainstream doesn't understand that sense of total freedom, it finds it scary and it's only ever going to demonise those who stray from the norm. I hate to be the 53 year old wise arse who says this but it was ever thus. It's nothing to do with technology, and it's nothing new. It's just that constant battle between those who like the world to be safe and predictable, where everyone tows the line and does as they're told, versus those who don't. I'm so glad people like you are around to keep that fight going. As the song goes, the kids are alright :)

[@baroquedub]

@@SkeleTonHammer For me, VRChat is what you make it. I'm not really someone who likes to join in any kind of clique and I just steer clear of those worlds. Same as in the real world, at my age I'd feel a bit weird raving with a bunch of teens. I initially didn't find what I wanted so I made my own, and then a few people happened to come by and visit and I made a few new online friends who shared my interests. All good.

[@noonenowhere877]

My first thought when I heard about the Metaverse was: "They do know SecondLife and IMVU already exist right?" But yeah VR chat is another example.

[@jaywalkyr]

You have the most gigachad dad ever. The fact he plays vrchat alone is amazing to me. It proves there really is practically no age limit to vr, except being over 13. People hate the new EAC, but I have personally seen huge change since they added it. I’ve been crashed maybe like 3 times since the EAC update, on quest. Nothing on PCVR, but that’s normal. My advice: stop complaining about EAC. If you need a hack to talk and other stuff, go around it. There is workarounds. It’s supposed to slow people down, not protect it completely.

[@austinwil5616]

Im a 2 year old VR gamer, VRChat was very skeptical to me but i decided to throw everything i thought aside and start it up, i am having the most fun I've ever had! I get to be whoever i want, whatever i want, with no judgement. VRChat has blown me away as the 1st vr experience a person should try. Its very memorable, spending time with people you just met but end up going to a VR bar, get some drinks, take a huge group photo, and relive each instant everyday and everytime.

[@UnknownSquid]

You shouldn't be drinking in VR at only 2 years old! xD (Jk)

[@rowandoggo]

So im a furry and an ASL student with a ton of friends in VRChat. I've learned a second language that I'm choosing to make the rest of my life devoted to, and I absolutely love the communities and friend groups I'm associated with. This game has made me more humble, and opened my eyes to realities I'd never even considered to be real for others... The Deaf community in vrc has taught me well, and honestly I don't think I've played any other game more than this one.

[@koneeche]

We're being ignored primarily because it's "scary" to advertisers, giving people liberty to do what they want.

[@nredsa]

still working on considering pushing the VR chat button. half of what you said scares me and the other half intrigued me. i think i will try and maybe look into how to make an avatar. that has to be very important.

[@TheVirtualRealityShow]

“Do something that scares you every day" is a great quote :) give it a go.

[@nredsa]

@@TheVirtualRealityShow but but but... people... they are fairly unpredictable.

[@runningbetweenspaces]

I think with VRChat the issue is that if it became public in the West it would be DESTROYED. The amount of copyright issues that megacorps would see would want VRChat to become a hellscape

[@BlueSparxLPs]

The biggest problem I've had with VRChat is just how difficult it is to find the numerous things you can do in it if you're not already fully familiarized with every aspect. I keep hearing about all these things you can see and do in VRChat, but I can never figure out how. Others I know have the same issue, there's just not a lot of easily accessible info online, and quite frankly VRChat's search function is complete garbage which just makes the problem worse. I can't find anything without either already knowing it exists (and by its exact name), or finding it outside of the app by luck.

[@paolaanimator]

Same here. I try to search on my laptop first on popular worlds or beautiful worlds, and then I try to save or favorite these worlds so I can revisit them in VR Chat. VR Chat has so many worlds it can get overwhelming sometimes.

[@BlueSparxLPs]

@@paolaanimator Basically that, yeah. I know there's lots of worlds that are basically just their own games within VRChat, but heck if I know how to find them lol. I feel like the lack of intuitive discovery has made VRChat far more underwhelming as an experience than it is to those who make it their entire lives and know like every world.

[@paolaanimator]

@@BlueSparxLPs I agree. I sometimes wish the search engine can have key words to make worlds discoverable or easier to find in VR Chat. I got into VR Chat thanks to VTubers or KZbin content creators focusing on VR. People who makes videos about VR Chat and recommend which worlds to go to has helped me on finding my favorite worlds. I use PCVR so it helps to also be able to visit PC only worlds.

[@giakohi1239]

In my opinion, the reason VR Chat is being ignored is because big tech giants don't want people to know what a "true" metaverse would look like. In VR Chat, you have the power to do anything, and be anyone, where as the metaverse mark and other people want you to use is one controlled by them. Their rules, their standards, their metaverse, and if people see VR Chat as an example of what the metaverse should be, a free place that you aren't being censcored, monitized, recorded, well, it won't end well for Mr. Zuck when people won't like his rules. To keep anybody reading's sanity, i won't go into depth about why the Zuck's "metaverse" is so horrible, but in a nutshell, it is a place where you will be watched, your life will be consumed into this virtual expanse. It is a horrible place that if people compare to VR chat, they would switch in an instance. Which is why i think nobody wants to acknowledge VR Chat as a metaverse. But, that's just my opinion.

[@forgottenalex]

Funny thing is, Facebook had 2 staff members that are big names in VRChat content making communities

[@DomiToonami]

Companies have told people what to like for so long and now most of us have the experience to know what we want from not having a direct input from psychological media tactics. VR is the most wholesome platform for that past several years and once these toxic people get involved and screw enough people over our beloved vr space will be ruined. I have hope for influencer(s) putting their foot down and keeping toxic tactics away like what happened to video games but it's going to take all of us truly to do this.

[@TheONLYFeli0]

There is nothing want less than a virtual mirror version of our world everybody can connect into.

[@DrFranklynAnderson]

Unpopular Opinion: I’m glad VR Chat isn’t more mainstream. It’s the Wild West in there, just like the Internet was in the early days. Once corporations notice it, they’ll issue Cease and Desist warnings to stuff like Spider-Lair and Project Aincrad, then introduce microtransactions for avatars.

[@BunglowBill]

Thank you for putting the time and effort into this, it really shows, and I'm proud to have someone like you on our side 😊😎

[@pulzsuppe]

i can tell you exactly why media is so fed up with metaverse, it's a magical substance called money, it's sadly something that corrupts a lot of humanity for the worse

[@SecretHero914]

It’s a good thing that VR chat doesn’t belong to Metaverse

[@starofaetherius]

I love the use of pokemon mystery dungeon sound track xD. Great video Phia!

[@Scr117_]

Phia, you hit the nail on the head. Sitting at the edge of experiencing VRChat, the fear induced from freedom. I see cool ideas and concepts from that freedom but I fear the destructive horror of the average person. I will jump in (maybe) but it feels bad that I haven’t yet. Like what Phia’s dad said “need someone like Obi-wan Kenobi and show you the way”, but I am alone at my edge with other who are alone at there edge hoping that this time, when they jump, it will be good and stick.

[@EndoftheBeginning17]

So far it is, I took my first plunge setting up my account and using a typical avatar and just wandered around. None of the worlds I went to had a lot of people and I was fine with that I just went to worlds that got my interest from the thumbnail. VR chat's models seem to be well done and if you were wearing a VR headset it would look pretty real in many cases

[@jamilgonzaga7081]

6:38 I laughed harder than I could when it zoomed in on ugandan mickey's face LMAO Your coverage on this topic is spot on though! I miss VRChat dearly :c Also your voice is a turn on (don't pull out your pitchforks against me)

[@chris_is_here_oh_no]

I couldn't imagine being without VR Chat.

[@Koffee_Kake1941]

I almost feel like this is a "stop trying to reinvent the wheel!" Sort of scenario. We have something, and someone else tries to capitalize on it, etc.

[@Gigachimp]

Now we just need cameras placed everywhere so we can walk outside the house wearing a vr headset and our streets looking like how the game developer want it to be.

[@Brokeninc]

Most news is focused on what the sponsors pay for them to talk about. There for the corporate vr social platforms will be talked about more than the indie ones that don't have the marketing and money to back them.