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__NOTOC__
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πŸ“Ό VRCHistory
</div>
<div style="font-size: 1.05em; color: #9f8fcc; margin-top: 0.4em; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">
Preserving the metaverse, one instance at a time.
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<span style="background:rgba(255,255,255,0.05); border:1px solid rgba(200,180,255,0.2); border-radius:20px; padding:0.3em 1.1em; color:#c9baff;">πŸ“„ <strong>32</strong> Articles</span>
|-
<span style="background:rgba(255,255,255,0.05); border:1px solid rgba(200,180,255,0.2); border-radius:20px; padding:0.3em 1.1em; color:#c9baff;">🌍 <strong>5</strong> Worlds Documented</span>
! colspan="2" style="background:#1a1a2e; color:#c0a060; text-align:center; font-size:1.05em;" | VRChat Inc. β€” Company Record
<span style="background:rgba(255,255,255,0.05); border:1px solid rgba(200,180,255,0.2); border-radius:20px; padding:0.3em 1.1em; color:#c9baff;">πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» <strong>12</strong> Creators Profiled</span>
|-
<span style="background:rgba(255,255,255,0.05); border:1px solid rgba(200,180,255,0.2); border-radius:20px; padding:0.3em 1.1em; color:#c9baff;">🦊 <strong>5</strong> Avatars &amp; Species</span>
| '''Legal Name''' || VRChat Inc.
<span style="background:rgba(255,255,255,0.05); border:1px solid rgba(200,180,255,0.2); border-radius:20px; padding:0.3em 1.1em; color:#c9baff;">πŸ“… Founded <strong>April 2026</strong></span>
|-
</div>
| '''Type''' || Private Corporation
|-
| '''Founded''' || 2014
|-
| '''Founders''' || [[Graham Gaylor]] (CEO) Β· Jesse Joudrey (CTO)
|-
| '''Headquarters''' || 548 Market St., PMB 93053<br/>San Francisco, California, USA
|-
| '''Additional Office''' || Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
|-
| '''Platform''' || [[VRChat]] (vrchat.com)
|-
| '''Business Site''' || hello.vrchat.com
|-
| '''Employees''' || ~185 (as of February 2026)
|-
| '''Total Funding''' || $96 million
|-
| '''Funding Rounds''' || 10 rounds from 8 institutional investors
|-
| '''Valuation''' || ~$343 million (post Series D, 2021)
|-
| '''Status''' || Private β€” Series D stage
|-
| '''Payment Partner''' || Tilia LLC (Creator Economy)
|-
| '''Platform Engine''' || Unity (world and avatar creation)
|-
| '''Mission Statement''' || "To enrich the world through immersive social connection and bring that magic to billions of people."
|}


<div style="margin-top: 1.1em;">
'''VRChat Inc.''' is the private American technology company that develops, publishes, and operates the [[VRChat]] social virtual reality platform β€” the subject of every article in this archive. Founded in '''2014''' by [[Graham Gaylor]] and '''Jesse Joudrey''' from a dorm-room prototype built around an early Oculus Rift developer kit, VRChat Inc. grew from a two-person startup into a company of approximately 185 employees operating one of the most culturally significant social platforms in gaming history.
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⚠ UNOFFICIAL β€” Fan-Made Archive Β· Not affiliated with VRChat Inc.
As of March 2026, VRChat has achieved an all-time concurrent user record of '''158,192''' simultaneous players β€” a figure that places it among the most-used social VR applications ever built. The company has raised '''$96 million''' across ten funding rounds, spanning from a $1.2 million seed in 2016 to an $80 million Series D in 2021.
</span>
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'''Disclaimer:''' VRCHistory.org is an '''unofficial, fan-operated digital archive''' and is in no way affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by '''VRChat Inc.''' or any of its subsidiaries. All trademarks, world names, avatar names, and platform references belong to their respective owners. This project exists purely as a community effort to document and preserve the cultural history of virtual social spaces. No commercial claim is made over any documented content.
πŸ“Ό '''Archive Context:''' VRChat Inc. is the organizational entity whose decisions, products, and policies created the conditions for everything documented in VRCHistory. The company's founding philosophy β€” open avatar upload, free-to-play access, no VR headset required β€” did not merely produce a platform. It produced a culture. The furry community, the [[Furality Online Xperience (F.O.X.)|Furality]] convention, the avatar economy surrounding [[The Rexouium]], [[Mayu (Kemono Feline Avatar)|Mayu]], and [[Wickerbeast]], and every world documented in this archive trace their existence to decisions made by VRChat Inc.'s two founders in 2013 and 2014. Understanding the company is prerequisite to understanding any part of the history it enabled.
</div>
</div>


== Founding & Origin ==
= Welcome to VRCHistory =


'''VRCHistory.org''' is a community-driven archive dedicated to preserving the culture, worlds, creators, avatars, and defining moments of [[VRChat Inc.|VRChat]].
=== The Prototype: VRChatroom (2013) ===


The metaverse evolves fast. Worlds break with Unity updates. Creators move on. Events that thousands attended exist now only in screenshots and fading memory. VRCHistory was built for the moments that deserve better than that β€” documented, searchable, and open to anyone who wants to remember.
VRChat Inc.'s story begins not with a company but with a Kickstarter campaign. In 2013, [[Graham Gaylor]] β€” then a Mathematics and Computer Science student at Vanderbilt University β€” backed the Oculus Rift developer kit campaign and received one of the first units. Recognizing that the nascent Oculus community on Reddit had no virtual space to actually meet, he built a prototype:


Whether you were there on '''January 13, 2018''' when the [[The January 2018 Viral Surge|platform hit 20,000 concurrent users for the first time]], or you're a newcomer tracing the roots of the avatar you wear every day β€” '''you're welcome here.'''
<blockquote>
"Graham saw a need for the Oculus community to be able to connect in the metaverse. He created the first prototype called VRChatroom and recruited the first testers from the community on Reddit."
<br/>β€” <i>GFR Fund, Company Highlight: VRChat</i>
</blockquote>


<div style="text-align:center; padding: 1.4em 1em; background:#12121f; border: 1px solid #2f2f50; border-radius:8px; margin: 1.2em 0;">
The prototype was rudimentary: a single room based on a Unity Asset Store cafe demo, with all users sharing one avatar named '''Karl'''. But it proved the concept.
<div style="font-size:1.5em; font-weight:bold; color:#c9baff; margin-bottom:0.4em;">πŸ›οΈ A Digital Museum for a World That Never Stops Changing</div>
<div style="color:#8878b0; font-size:0.95em; max-width:700px; margin:0 auto; line-height:1.75em;">
VRCHistory is not a news site or a live tracker β€” it is a <strong style="color:#a898d0;">museum</strong>. Its purpose is to hold still the things that time would otherwise carry away: the worlds that no longer load, the creators who moved on, the events that thousands attended and that exist now only in memory.<br/><br/>
We believe these moments deserve a permanent home β€” not locked behind a login or buried in a Discord scroll, but documented, searchable, and open to everyone.
</div>
</div>


<hr/>
=== Finding Jesse Joudrey ===


== 🌟 Featured Articles ==
[[Graham Gaylor]] discovered Jesse Joudrey through a podcast where Joudrey was describing his vision for avatar customization in virtual reality. Joudrey had independently founded Jespinage in 2013, focused on Unity VR development. His stated philosophy became VRChat's founding principle:


<div style="background:#13132a; border:1px solid #3a2a5a; border-radius:8px; padding:1.2em; margin-bottom:1.2em;">
<blockquote>
"One of the corner stones of virtual reality and any cyberpunk offshoot… Customization. I don't want any limit on who or what I can be in virtual reality."
<br/>β€” <i>Jesse Joudrey, Co-Founder & CTO β€” early VRChat development documentation</i>
</blockquote>


=== πŸ† Landmark Articles ===
Gaylor reached out, they aligned immediately, and VRChat as a joint project was born.


{| style="width:100%; border-collapse:separate; border-spacing:12px;"
== Platform History ==
|-
|style="width:50%; background:#1a1a36; border:1px solid #5a3a8a; border-radius:6px; padding:1.1em; vertical-align:top;"|
<div style="font-size:1.12em; font-weight:bold; color:#d4b8ff; margin-bottom:0.4em;">πŸ“Ό [[The January 2018 Viral Surge]]</div>
<div style="color:#9080b8; font-size:0.91em; line-height:1.65em;">
The event that changed VRChat permanently. In four weeks, the platform surged from '''1,745''' to '''20,212''' peak concurrent Steam users β€” a '''428% increase''' driven by Ugandan Knuckles, PewDiePie, VideoGameDunkey, and Jameskii. Every day, every creator, every downstream consequence documented β€” including the GFR Fund investment, the Open Letter, and the Sonic corporate tweet.
</div>
<div style="margin-top:0.6em; font-size:0.8em; color:#5a4a7a;">πŸ“… Dec 22, 2017 – Feb 2018 &nbsp;Β·&nbsp; Peak: 20,212 CCU &nbsp;Β·&nbsp; Platform Event</div>


|style="width:50%; background:#1a1a36; border:1px solid #5a3a8a; border-radius:6px; padding:1.1em; vertical-align:top;"|
=== First Release (January 16, 2014) ===
<div style="font-size:1.12em; font-weight:bold; color:#d4b8ff; margin-bottom:0.4em;">🦁 [[Furality Online Xperience (F.O.X.)]]</div>
<div style="color:#9080b8; font-size:0.91em; line-height:1.65em;">
The world's largest furry convention β€” virtual or in-person. From 2,692 at F.1 (2020) to a record '''26,405 at F.8 Somna''' (2025). '''$219,835+ raised for charity''' across nine events. Full forensic history: F.O.X. Portal infrastructure, VRChat commercial partnership, five-world structure, Somna's fictional language Somnatus, and what F.9 Ultra will bring in June 2026.
</div>
<div style="margin-top:0.6em; font-size:0.8em; color:#5a4a7a;">πŸ“… Founded May 2020 &nbsp;Β·&nbsp; Record: 26,405 attendees &nbsp;Β·&nbsp; Annual Convention</div>
|}


{| style="width:100%; border-collapse:separate; border-spacing:12px;"
VRChat was first released as a Windows application for the '''Oculus Rift DK1''' on January 16, 2014. Its initial form: one room, one shared avatar (Karl), and the early Oculus enthusiast community as its entire user base.
|-
|style="width:50%; background:#1a1a36; border:1px solid #5a3a8a; border-radius:6px; padding:1.1em; vertical-align:top;"|
<div style="font-size:1.12em; font-weight:bold; color:#d4b8ff; margin-bottom:0.4em;">🍺 [[The Great Pug]]</div>
<div style="color:#9080b8; font-size:0.91em; line-height:1.65em;">
One of VRChat's oldest surviving worlds. A bar-themed social hub created '''January 19, 2017''' by '''owlboy'''. Over '''28 million visits''', '''113,000+ favorites''', and '''version 1,131''' as of April 2026. The Great Pug witnessed the January 2018 surge, survived 12 Unity migration cycles, opened a Creator Economy World Store, and was taken over by VRRat during April Fools 2025. A living primary document.
</div>
<div style="margin-top:0.6em; font-size:0.8em; color:#5a4a7a;">πŸ“… Created: Jan 19, 2017 &nbsp;Β·&nbsp; v1,131 &nbsp;Β·&nbsp; wrld_6caf5200 &nbsp;Β·&nbsp; PC Only</div>


|style="width:50%; background:#1a1a36; border:1px solid #5a3a8a; border-radius:6px; padding:1.1em; vertical-align:top;"|
On '''March 16, 2014''', Jesse Joudrey committed his first public contributions in version '''0.3.5''' β€” introducing the ability for users to upload and use custom avatars. This single decision, made less than two months after launch, is the root of the entire culture this archive documents.
<div style="font-size:1.12em; font-weight:bold; color:#d4b8ff; margin-bottom:0.4em;">πŸ§‘β€πŸ’Ό [[Graham Gaylor]]</div>
<div style="color:#9080b8; font-size:0.91em; line-height:1.65em;">
Co-Founder and CEO of [[VRChat Inc.]] β€” the man whose 2013 dorm-room experiment became the platform this entire archive documents. Full origin story (Oculus Kickstarter β†’ VRChatroom β†’ Jesse Joudrey), all 10 funding rounds totalling $96M, the avatar customization paradox, and his unredacted 2024 layoff email β€” one of the most transparent executive communications in tech.
</div>
<div style="margin-top:0.6em; font-size:0.8em; color:#5a4a7a;">Role: Co-Founder & CEO &nbsp;Β·&nbsp; Vanderbilt '14 &nbsp;Β·&nbsp; $96M raised across 10 rounds</div>
|}


=== Steam Early Access (February 1, 2017) ===
=== πŸ“¦ More Highlighted Articles ===


{| style="width:100%; border-collapse:separate; border-spacing:10px;"
VRChat launched on Steam Early Access on February 1, 2017. Three changes came with the Steam release that permanently shaped the platform's demographic:
|-
|style="width:33%; background:#161630; border:1px solid #3a2a5a; border-radius:6px; padding:0.9em; vertical-align:top;"|
<div style="font-weight:bold; color:#c9baff; margin-bottom:0.3em;">🦎 [[The Rexouium]]</div>
<div style="color:#7060a0; font-size:0.87em; line-height:1.55em;">The most widely-used avatar base in VRChat's furry community. Created by [[Rezillo Ryker]] in 2020. Full species lore, technical specs, King Caretakers mythology, and ecosystem documentation including EvoRex HD and the HTC commercial appearance.</div>


|style="width:33%; background:#161630; border:1px solid #3a2a5a; border-radius:6px; padding:0.9em; vertical-align:top;"|
* '''Desktop mode''' β€” No VR headset required; any PC could participate
<div style="font-weight:bold; color:#c9baff; margin-bottom:0.3em;">🐱 [[VRCat]]</div>
* '''Public discoverability''' β€” Steam's storefront exposed VRChat to millions of potential users
<div style="color:#7060a0; font-size:0.87em; line-height:1.55em;">VRChat's official orange-cat-in-a-box mascot. Inspired by [[tupper]]'s real cat Trogdor (confirmed Aug 2024). Launched Dec 4, 2020 with VRC+. Quick Menu dialogue reference table, pettable Early Supporter badge, and the full VRRat rivalry and April Fools mythology documented.</div>
* '''Free-to-play''' β€” Zero cost of entry removed every economic barrier to adoption


|style="width:33%; background:#161630; border:1px solid #3a2a5a; border-radius:6px; padding:0.9em; vertical-align:top;"|
By late 2017, average concurrent Steam users were approximately 6,000 β€” niche, but growing.
<div style="font-weight:bold; color:#c9baff; margin-bottom:0.3em;">πŸ“Ό [[Ugandan Knuckles]]</div>
<div style="color:#7060a0; font-size:0.87em; line-height:1.55em;">A forensic museum artifact. The avatar that caused the January 2018 surge. Four-layer genealogy (Gregzilla β†’ tidiestflyer), behavioral script documentation, color-type taxonomy (Red/Blue/Gold Kommanda), Gaztons lore, and four archived primary visual exhibits.</div>


|-
=== The January 2018 Viral Surge ===
|style="width:33%; background:#161630; border:1px solid #3a2a5a; border-radius:6px; padding:0.9em; vertical-align:top;"|
<div style="font-weight:bold; color:#c9baff; margin-bottom:0.3em;">πŸ’° [[VRChat Creator Economy]]</div>
<div style="color:#7060a0; font-size:0.87em; line-height:1.55em;">VRChat's integrated commerce system (launch: Nov 30, 2023). VRChat Credits, the 50/30/20 revenue split, Tilia LLC onboarding, Avatar Marketplace (May 2025), Furality's three Udon product IDs, and The Great Pug's store opening β€” all sourced from primary documents.</div>


|style="width:33%; background:#161630; border:1px solid #3a2a5a; border-radius:6px; padding:0.9em; vertical-align:top;"|
Between December 22, 2017 and mid-January 2018, VRChat experienced its first viral moment. The '''Ugandan Knuckles''' meme β€” a swarm-coordination phenomenon built on tidiestflyer's freely downloadable 3D avatar β€” swept across YouTube via PewDiePie, VideoGameDunkey, Jameskii, and Syrmor. The result:
<div style="font-weight:bold; color:#c9baff; margin-bottom:0.3em;">🐾 [[Furry Community in VRChat]]</div>
<div style="color:#7060a0; font-size:0.87em; line-height:1.55em;">The broadest cultural overview in the archive. Avatar economy roles (6 creator types), species ecology, world ecosystem, event timeline 2017–2026, and a community glossary. The essential context document for understanding who VRChat's most creative community actually is.</div>


|style="width:33%; background:#161630; border:1px solid #3a2a5a; border-radius:6px; padding:0.9em; vertical-align:top;"|
{| class="wikitable"
<div style="font-weight:bold; color:#c9baff; margin-bottom:0.3em;">🦑 [[Wickerbeast]]</div>
|-
<div style="color:#7060a0; font-size:0.87em; line-height:1.55em;">Open regulated species created 2013 by Daemon_Lady; transferred to PineWarden Jan 5, 2022. Full biology (150–200yr lifespan, locking jaw, blood matches eye color), all 8 subtypes, Jin A's avatar specs (~67K poly), and the complete third-party ecosystem including face tracking add-ons.</div>
! Metric !! Before Surge !! Peak (Jan 13–14, 2018) !! Aftermath
|-
| Average CCU (Steam) || 1,745 (Dec 2017) || 20,212 || ~8,000 (stabilized Feb 2018)
|-
| Total Installs || ~1,000,000 || 2,000,000+ (Jan 19) || 3,000,000+ (Feb 2018)
|-
| Month-over-Month Growth || Baseline || +428% || Permanent baseline lift
|}
|}
</div>


<hr/>
The surge directly triggered the GFR Fund Series A investment on February 15, 2018 β€” the first institutional capital attributable to demonstrated mainstream interest. It also prompted [[VRChat Inc.]] to hire [[tupper]] as an email support agent in January 2018 β€” the same month as the peak.


== πŸ—‚οΈ Browse the Archive ==
For full documentation, see [[The January 2018 Viral Surge]] and [[Ugandan Knuckles]].


{| style="width:100%; border-collapse:separate; border-spacing:10px;"
== Full Organizational Timeline ==

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
|style="width:20%; background:#1a1e36; border:1px solid #4a3a7a; border-radius:6px; padding:1em; vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"|
! Date !! Event !! Significance
<div style="font-size:1.8em; margin-bottom:0.2em;">🌍</div>
|-
'''[[Category:Worlds|Worlds]]'''
| 2013 || [[Graham Gaylor]] backs Oculus Kickstarter; builds "VRChatroom" prototype; finds Jesse Joudrey via podcast || Platform origin
<div style="font-size:0.8em; color:#6a5a8a; margin:0.3em 0;">5 documented</div>
|-
<div style="font-size:0.84em; color:#9080b8; line-height:1.7em; text-align:left; margin-top:0.5em;">
| January 16, 2014 || VRChat v1.0 released for Oculus Rift DK1; single room, single shared avatar "Karl" || Public launch
[[The Great Pug]]<br/>
|-
[[Furry Hideout]]<br/>
| March 16, 2014 || Version 0.3.5 β€” custom avatar upload introduced (Jesse Joudrey) || The founding decision that shapes all VRChat culture
[[Japan Shrine]]<br/>
|-
[[Furry Talk and Chill]]<br/>
| January 14, 2015 || First external funding round || Initial institutional capital
[[The Blackcat]] <i style="color:#5a4a72;">(stub)</i>
|-
</div>
| October 4, 2016 || Seed round β€” $1.2M from Rothenberg Ventures || First significant VC backing
|-
| February 1, 2017 || VRChat launches on Steam Early Access; desktop mode introduced || Opens platform to non-VR users; free-to-play
|-
| September 21, 2017 || $4M Series A from HTC Corporation || Strategic hardware manufacturer investment
|-
| January 2018 || [[tupper]] hired as email support agent || Future Head of Community joins during surge demand
|-
| January 13–14, 2018 || '''[[The January 2018 Viral Surge|Viral Surge peak]] β€” 20,212 concurrent Steam users''' || First all-time CCU record; mainstream visibility
|-
| February 15, 2018 || GFR Fund leads Series A round || Direct consequence of surge visibility
|-
| December 11, 2018 || VRChat launches on Meta Quest store || Standalone VR access; no PC required
|-
| August 21, 2019 || $10M Series C β€” Makers Fund joins; HTC, Brightstone VC, GFR Fund participate || Growth-stage capital
|-
| April 2020 || Udon scripting system launches publicly || Visual node-graph world scripting; SDK3 era begins
|-
| December 4, 2020 || '''VRC+ subscription launched''' β€” first recurring revenue; [[VRCat]] mascot introduced || Platform's first monetization product
|-
| December 31, 2020 || 40,000+ concurrent users (NYE); server outage from security provider misidentifying surge as DDoS || New CCU record at time
|-
| April 21, 2022 || '''PhysBones launched''' β€” native physics replacing Dynamic Bones; avatar interactions enabled || Major avatar technical milestone
|-
| June 11, 2021 || '''$80M Series D β€” Anthos Capital''' (lead); Makers Fund, GFR Fund participate; ~$343M valuation || Largest funding round; Creator Economy development funded
|-
| July 25–26, 2022 || '''Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) implemented''' β€” triggers Steam review-bombing; accessibility mod loss || Most controversial platform decision in company history
|-
| August 2022 || VRChat fast-tracks accessibility features in response to EAC community backlash || Fastest accessibility development period in company history
|-
| February 2023 || SDK2 deprecated; Udon-based SDK3 becomes mandatory for all new content || End of legacy SDK era
|-
| May 2023 || Creator Economy formally announced || Monetization infrastructure revealed
|-
| August 22, 2023 || VRChat mobile Early Access (Android) for VRC+ subscribers || First mobile access
|-
| November 22, 2023 || [[VRChat Creator Economy]] Open Beta || Paid subscriptions and Credits available
|-
| November 30, 2023 || [[VRChat Creator Economy]] public launch || Full commerce system live
|-
| June 12, 2024 || '''30% workforce reduction''' β€” [[Graham Gaylor]]'s full email published publicly || Major organizational restructuring; unredacted email a primary document
|-
| November 2024 || Age verification (18+) via Persona partnership announced || Adult content gating infrastructure
|-
| May 14, 2025 || '''Avatar Marketplace launched''' β€” native in-platform avatar purchasing || Creator Economy major expansion
|-
| October 24, 2025 || VRChat fully released on iOS App Store and Google Play || Full mobile platform launch
|-
| March 2026 || '''All-time CCU record: 158,192''' concurrent users || Japanese anime concert event; new platform peak
|}


|style="width:20%; background:#1a1e36; border:1px solid #4a3a7a; border-radius:6px; padding:1em; vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"|
== Leadership ==
<div style="font-size:1.8em; margin-bottom:0.2em;">πŸ§‘β€πŸ’»</div>
'''[[Category:Creators|Creators]]'''
<div style="font-size:0.8em; color:#6a5a8a; margin:0.3em 0;">12 profiled</div>
<div style="font-size:0.84em; color:#9080b8; line-height:1.7em; text-align:left; margin-top:0.5em;">
[[Graham Gaylor]]<br/>
[[Jesse Joudrey]]<br/>
[[tupper]] Β· [[Kingsley Vega]]<br/>
[[Rezillo Ryker]] Β· [[AzukiTiger]]<br/>
[[Lt_Shadow]] Β· [[Justifire]]<br/>
[[Classicβ„’]] Β· [[Nerbs]]<br/>
[[Tonicc]] Β· [[ITOAR]]
</div>


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{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
<div style="font-size:1.8em; margin-bottom:0.2em;">🦊</div>
|-
'''[[Category:Avatars|Avatars & Species]]'''
! Name !! Role !! Notes
<div style="font-size:0.8em; color:#6a5a8a; margin:0.3em 0;">5 documented</div>
|-
<div style="font-size:0.84em; color:#9080b8; line-height:1.7em; text-align:left; margin-top:0.5em;">
| '''[[Graham Gaylor]]''' || Co-Founder & CEO || Vanderbilt B.S. Mathematics & Computer Science (2010–2014); built original VRChatroom prototype 2013; publicly released full layoff email June 2024; based Houston, TX
[[The Rexouium]]<br/>
|-
[[Mayu (Kemono Feline Avatar)]]<br/>
| '''Jesse Joudrey''' || Co-Founder & CTO || Founded Jespinage 2013; introduced avatar customization in v0.3.5 (March 16, 2014); the technical architect of VRChat's open identity system; based Canada
[[Wickerbeast]]<br/>
|-
[[VRCat]]<br/>
| '''[[tupper]]''' || Head of Community || Joined January 2018 as email support during viral surge; promoted by [[Graham Gaylor]] via a "virtual note"; public face of VRChat staff in-world; owner of Trogdor, the cat who inspired [[VRCat]]
[[Ugandan Knuckles]]
|-
</div>
| Shawn Roberts Martin || VP of Production || Senior production leadership
|}


|style="width:20%; background:#1a1e36; border:1px solid #4a3a7a; border-radius:6px; padding:1em; vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"|
== Funding History ==
<div style="font-size:1.8em; margin-bottom:0.2em;">πŸŽ‰</div>
'''[[Category:Events|Events]]'''
<div style="font-size:0.8em; color:#6a5a8a; margin:0.3em 0;">3 documented</div>
<div style="font-size:0.84em; color:#9080b8; line-height:1.7em; text-align:left; margin-top:0.5em;">
[[Furality Online Xperience (F.O.X.)]]<br/>
[[The January 2018 Viral Surge]]<br/>
[[Easy Anti-Cheat Controversy (July 2022)]]
</div>


|style="width:20%; background:#1a1e36; border:1px solid #4a3a7a; border-radius:6px; padding:1em; vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"|
VRChat Inc. has raised a total of '''$96 million''' across '''10 funding rounds''' from '''8 institutional investors'''.
<div style="font-size:1.8em; margin-bottom:0.2em;">🏒</div>

'''[[Category:Platform History|Platform & Systems]]'''
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
<div style="font-size:0.8em; color:#6a5a8a; margin:0.3em 0;">7 documented</div>
|-
<div style="font-size:0.84em; color:#9080b8; line-height:1.7em; text-align:left; margin-top:0.5em;">
! Round !! Date !! Amount !! Lead Investor !! Key Participants
[[VRChat Inc.]]<br/>
|-
[[VRChat Creator Economy]]<br/>
| First Round || January 14, 2015 || Undisclosed || β€” || First external capital
[[VRC+ Subscription]]<br/>
|-
[[SDK2 to SDK3 (Udon)]]<br/>
| Seed || October 4, 2016 || $1.2 million || Rothenberg Ventures || β€”
[[Furry Community in VRChat]]<br/>
|-
[[Graham Gaylor]] Β· [[Jesse Joudrey]]
| Series A || September 21, 2017 || $4 million || HTC Corporation || Strategic VR hardware investment
</div>
|-
| Series A (follow) || February 15, 2018 || Undisclosed || GFR Fund || Post-viral-surge institutional entry
|-
| Series B || 2018 || Undisclosed || GFR Fund || Growth capital
|-
| Series C || August 21, 2019 || $10 million || Makers Fund || HTC, Brightstone VC, GFR Fund participate
|-
| Series D || June 11, 2021 || $80 million || Anthos Capital || Makers Fund, GFR Fund; ~$343M valuation; largest round
|}
|}


<hr/>
=== Investor Profiles ===

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
! Investor !! Type !! First Round !! Strategic Role
|-
| Anthos Capital || VC firm || Series D (2021) || Led $80M Series D; largest single contributor to VRChat's funding
|-
| HTC Corporation || Strategic (hardware manufacturer) || Series A (2017) || VR hardware alignment; investment predated the January 2018 viral surge by four months
|-
| GFR Fund || VC (AR/VR focus) || Series A follow (Feb 2018) || First invested after viral surge; participated through Series D
|-
| Makers Fund || VC (games/interactive) || Series C (2019) || Gaming-focused; participated in Series C and D
|-
| Rothenberg Ventures || VC || Seed (2016) || Earliest institutional backer
|-
| Brightstone Venture Capital || VC || Series C || Participated in growth rounds
|-
| WS Investments || VC || Earlier rounds || Investor
|-
| Gravity Fund || VC || Earlier rounds || Investor
|}

== Products ==

=== VRChat Platform ===


== πŸ“° Recently Added ==
The platform itself is VRChat Inc.'s sole consumer product. It is a social virtual reality application where users interact as custom 3D avatars in user-generated worlds built with the Unity game engine.


{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-size:0.91em;"
|-
|-
! style="width:22%;" | Article !! style="width:8%;" | Type !! style="width:10%;" | Date Added !! Summary
! Platform !! Access Method !! Notes
|-
|-
| '''[[VRC+ Subscription]]''' || πŸ” System || Apr 20, 2026 || Full history of VRChat's subscription service. Announced Nov 19, 2020; Steam launch Dec 3, 2020. All tiers, perks, VRCat integration, and connection to the Creator Economy.
| PC (Windows) || Steam or direct download || Full-featured; PC VR headsets supported
|-
|-
| '''[[Easy Anti-Cheat Controversy]]''' || ⚑ Event || Apr 20, 2026 || VRChat's most divisive platform decision. Build 1213 (Jul 25, 2022). Steam review-bombing, accessibility mod loss, community fragmentation, and the accelerated accessibility roadmap that followed.
| Meta Quest (Android) || Meta Quest Store || Standalone; some features limited vs PC
|-
|-
| '''[[Ugandan Knuckles]]''' || πŸ“Ό Avatar || Apr 20, 2026 || Forensic artifact. Four-layer genealogy, behavioral script table, color-type taxonomy, Gaztons lore, Uganda world history (Fredsoldaten; 2021 account compromise), four primary visual exhibits archived.
| Pico 4 || Pico Store || Supported headset
|-
|-
| '''[[The January 2018 Viral Surge]]''' || πŸ“… Event || Apr 20, 2026 || Day-by-day forensic chronology of VRChat's first viral moment. 428% CCU growth; 20,212 peak (Jan 13–14). Full creator cascade table. GFR Fund Series A consequence. VRChat Open Letter text referenced.
| HTC Vive XR Elite || HTC Store || Supported headset
|-
|-
| '''[[VRChat Creator Economy]]''' || πŸ’° System || Apr 20, 2026 || Complete system documentation. VRChat Credits, 50/30/20 split, Tilia LLC, three store types, Avatar Marketplace (May 14, 2025), Furality Udon IDs (prod_e61eea8e, prod_5b9a4cc6, prod_4518ac83), Great Pug store sourced to owlboy's GitHub.
| iOS || App Store || Full release October 24, 2025
|-
|-
| '''[[VRCat]]''' || 🐱 Character || Apr 20, 2026 || Mascot history from Dec 4, 2020 through April 2026. Trogdor connection confirmed (Parzeval YouTube, Aug 2024). Quick Menu dialogue reference table (6 meme citations). Full VRRat April Fools mythology (2024 text adventure; 2025 world takeover of 60 worlds).
| Android (non-Quest) || Google Play || Full release October 24, 2025
|-
|-
| '''[[Furality Online Xperience (F.O.X.)]]''' || πŸŽ‰ Event || Apr 20, 2026 || Complete history of all 9 F.O.X. conventions. F.O.X. Portal technical documentation. $219,835+ charity record. F.8 Somna world breakdown. F.9 Ultra (Jun 4–7, 2026) preview. Cross-linked to tupper, Graham Gaylor, Rexouium, Mayu, Wickerbeast.
| Desktop mode (all platforms) || No VR headset required || Mouse/keyboard; the mode that enabled the January 2018 surge
|}

=== VRC+ Subscription ===

Launched December 4, 2020. VRChat Inc.'s primary subscription revenue product. Monthly and annual billing. Key perks: increased avatar slots, nameplate customization, gallery uploads, [[VRCat]] Quick Menu companion, Creator Economy access, and automatic Impostors. See [[VRC+ Subscription]] for full documentation.

=== VRChat Creator Economy ===

Launched November 30, 2023. The integrated commerce system allowing approved creators to sell world features, group subscriptions, and avatars using VRChat Credits. Powered by Tilia LLC. Revenue split: 50% creator / 30% platform (Steam/Meta/Google) / 20% VRChat + partners. See [[VRChat Creator Economy]] for full documentation.

== Key Technical Systems ==

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
! System !! Introduced !! Purpose || Current Status
|-
| VRChat SDK2 || 2017 || Original world and avatar creation toolkit || Deprecated August 2023; legacy support only
|-
| Avatar 3.0 (SDK3) || 2020 || Expanded avatar expression; Action Menu; state machines || Active β€” current standard
|-
| Udon || April 2020 || Node-graph visual scripting for worlds || Active; replaced all prior scripting approaches
|-
|-
| '''[[VRChat Inc.]]''' || 🏒 Company || Apr 20, 2026 || Full company profile. All 10 funding rounds ($96M). Complete organizational timeline 2013–2026. EAC controversy. 2024 layoffs and severance. All major technical systems documented.
| UdonSharp || 2020 || C# compiler for Udon; community-developed (Merlin_VT); later officially adopted || Active
|-
|-
| '''[[Jesse Joudrey]]''' || πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Creator || Apr 19, 2026 || VRChat Co-Founder & CTO. The man who introduced avatar customization on March 16, 2014 (v0.3.5) β€” the single most consequential technical decision in VRChat history.
| VRChat Creator Companion (VCC) || 2022–2023 || Unity package manager for SDK installations || Active
|-
|-
| '''[[Graham Gaylor]]''' || πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Creator || Apr 19, 2026 || VRChat Co-Founder & CEO. Full origin story, all funding rounds, 2024 layoff email (full text preserved), avatar customization paradox. The foundational figure in the archive.
| PhysBones || April 21, 2022 || Native physics bones; replaced Dynamic Bones; enabled avatar interactions || Active β€” platform standard
|-
|-
| '''[[Wickerbeast]]''' || 🦑 Species || Apr 19, 2026 || Open regulated species (2013, Daemon_Lady β†’ PineWarden Jan 2022). Full biology, 8 subtypes, Jin A's avatar specs, full ecosystem (Krunk's, Robo Wickerbeast, face tracking add-on, accessory matrix).
| Open Sound Control (OSC) || 2022 || External device/software integration protocol || Active
|-
|-
| '''[[Mayu (Kemono Feline Avatar)]]''' || 🐱 Avatar || Apr 19, 2026 || Kemono feline base by AzukiTiger. v1–v3.5.5 changelog. PhysBones, AudioLink, face tracking, HRtoVRC. Public avatar IDs (Tora: avtr_8bac0b9b; Oyama: avtr_a262d2c7). Full ecosystem table.
| Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) || July 25, 2022 || Anti-modification client security || Active; controversial (see below)
|-
|-
| '''[[Furry Community in VRChat]]''' || 🐾 Culture || Apr 19, 2026 || Comprehensive cultural overview. History 2017–2026. Six avatar creator roles. Species ecology. World and event ecosystem. Community glossary. The essential context document for the archive.
| Impostors || January 2024 || Auto-generated avatar fallbacks for cross-platform viewing || Active
|-
|-
| '''[[Japan Shrine]]''' || 🌍 World || Apr 19, 2026 || wrld_736bad27 by ITOAR (March 2019). Shinto shrine environment. Originally by RootGentle (2018). Full technical specs, world history, and the identity of the rarely-credited original creator.
| Age Verification (Persona) || November 2024 || 18+ instance gating via third-party identity verification || Active
|-
|-
| '''[[SDK2 to SDK3 (Udon)]]''' || βš™οΈ System || Apr 19, 2026 || Platform technology transition. SDK2 (2017) β†’ Udon public beta (2020) β†’ SDK2 EOL (August 2023). UdonSharp by Merlin_VT, VCC, full migration timeline.
| Udon 2 ("Soba") || 2025–2026 || Next-generation scripting; showcased NYE 2026 event || In development / early deployment
|}
|}


<hr/>
== Controversies ==


=== Easy Anti-Cheat (July 2022) ===
== πŸ—οΈ About This Project ==


VRCHistory was founded by [[Kingsley Vega|King (KΜΆiΜΆnΜΆgΜΆ)]], a 7-year VRChat veteran and Trusted User based in Alaska. The archive began with a simple recognition: VRChat's history has no central home for preservation.
The most divisive decision in VRChat Inc.'s history. On July 25, 2022, the company announced the implementation of Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) β€” a client-side anti-modification system used in major games including Apex Legends and Fortnite.


Unlike the platform itself β€” which evolves constantly and retires old content β€” VRCHistory is a '''permanent record'''. A place where a world that no longer loads, a creator who moved on, or an event that happened years ago can still be found, read about, and remembered. Every page is built from primary sources: VRChat API data, Steam statistics, funding records, original creator statements, and the memories of people who were there.
The stated goal was preventing malicious modified clients. The community's response was immediate and severe:


This is not a Wikipedia clone. It is a museum β€” built with the rigor of a museum, for subjects that deserve to be taken seriously.
* VRChat was '''review-bombed on Steam''', driving its overall rating to "Mostly Negative" within days
* EAC blocked all client modifications β€” including accessibility tools that had filled gaps in VRChat's native feature set (speech-to-text, UI scaling, motion sickness reduction)
* A portion of users relocated to competing platforms (ChilloutVR, Resonite)


<div style="background:#111827; border:1px solid #2a3040; border-radius:6px; padding:1em 1.2em; margin-top:0.9em; color:#8890a8; font-size:0.9em; font-style:italic; line-height:1.6;">
[[VRChat Inc.]] did not reverse EAC but responded with an accelerated accessibility roadmap β€” the fastest period of accessibility feature development in company history. Features including a native EarMuff system, personal mirrors, and Horizon Adjust were fast-tracked.
"Think of it like the [[wikipedia:Smithsonian Institution|Smithsonian]] β€” but for virtual worlds. We don't own the exhibits. We just make sure they aren't forgotten."
</div>


<hr/>
For full documentation, see [[Easy Anti-Cheat Controversy (July 2022)]].


== ✏️ Contribute to the Archive ==
=== The June 2024 Workforce Reduction ===


This wiki is built and maintained '''entirely by the community'''. If you remember something worth saving β€” a world you visited, a creator you know, an event you attended β€” your contribution belongs here.
On June 12, 2024, [[Graham Gaylor]] announced a reduction of approximately 30% of VRChat's workforce. In an act of unusual corporate transparency, the full email to all employees was published publicly on the VRChat Ask Forum by [[tupper]], with no redactions.


{| style="width:100%; border-collapse:separate; border-spacing:10px;"
Gaylor identified four root causes: delayed management hiring, over-hiring of individual contributors during 2021–2022 growth, insufficient runway, and changing role needs for the platform's next phase.
|-
|style="width:33%; background:#1a2e1a; border:1px solid #3a7a3a; border-radius:6px; padding:1em; vertical-align:top;"|
'''πŸ“– Getting Started'''


New to wiki editing? VRCHistory's documentation standard is learnable. If you can type, you can contribute. Every article in this archive started with someone who remembered something.
<blockquote>
|style="width:33%; background:#2e1a1a; border:1px solid #7a3a3a; border-radius:6px; padding:1em; vertical-align:top;"|
"Jesse and I take full responsibility for the decisions that brought us here."
'''πŸ“‹ [[Project:Wanted Pages|Wanted Pages]]'''
<br/>β€” <i>[[Graham Gaylor]], CEO, VRChat Inc. β€” Layoff email, June 12, 2024</i>
</blockquote>


High-priority gaps in the archive. Worlds with no page. Creators with no profile. Events undocumented. Your memory might be exactly what's missing.
Severance included 12+ weeks of pay, up to 6 months of healthcare, extended stock option windows, lifetime VRC+ subscriptions, and preferential Creator Economy revenue share for departing employees who became creators.
|style="width:33%; background:#1a1a2e; border:1px solid #3a3a7a; border-radius:6px; padding:1em; vertical-align:top;"|
'''πŸ“Έ Upload Evidence'''


Historical screenshots, world thumbnails, event footage. Even low-resolution images from old eras are valuable primary sources. Every pixel is a timestamp.
The full email is preserved at: ask.vrchat.com/t/an-email-from-our-ceo/25060
|}


=== Ways to Help ===
== The Avatar Customization Paradox ==


* '''Document a world''' β€” Write about any world you remember. Its creator, its history, its community, why it mattered.
The foundational tension in VRChat Inc.'s business history, acknowledged publicly by [[Graham Gaylor]] in multiple interviews:
* '''Verify existing entries''' β€” Fact-check dates, user IDs, world version numbers, and creator attributions.
* '''Upload screenshots''' β€” Historical screenshots are irreplaceable. The older, the more valuable.
* '''Share your story''' β€” Were you in VRChat in 2017? Did you attend Furality 1? Were you a Knuckles tribe member in January 2018? Write it down.
* '''Nominate articles''' β€” Add high-priority missing topics to [[Project:Wanted Pages]].


<hr/>
The decision to allow fully open avatar uploads (March 2014, Jesse Joudrey, v0.3.5) is simultaneously the single most important contributor to VRChat's cultural identity and its most persistent monetization challenge.


== πŸ“… Archive Update Log ==
* Open avatars created a vast, loyal community and made VRChat irreplaceable for millions of users
* But that community built its avatar economy entirely outside VRChat β€” on '''Gumroad''', '''BOOTH''', and '''Jinxxy''' β€” with zero revenue flowing through VRChat Inc.
* The [[VRChat Creator Economy]] (2023) and [[VRChat Creator Economy#The Avatar Marketplace (May 14, 2025)|Avatar Marketplace]] (2025) are the company's attempt to create a parallel sanctioned monetization layer β€” without disturbing the open external economy that built the culture


{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; font-size:0.9em;"
As the community summarized after the 2024 layoffs:

<blockquote>
"You cannot put the asset genie back in the bottle for VRChat."
<br/>β€” <i>qDot, community member β€” post-layoff discussion, 2024</i>
</blockquote>

== Concurrent User Record History ==

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
! Date !! CCU Record !! Context
! Date !! Update
|-
|-
| '''April 20, 2026''' || Second major batch: [[VRC+ Subscription]], [[Easy Anti-Cheat Controversy (July 2022)]], [[Ugandan Knuckles]] (with 4 primary visual exhibits), [[The January 2018 Viral Surge]] (forensic day-by-day chronology), [[VRChat Creator Economy]] (Avatar Marketplace, Tilia, Furality Udon product IDs, Great Pug store), [[VRCat]] (tupper origin confirmed, VRRat mythology), [[Furality Online Xperience (F.O.X.)]] (complete F.1–F.9 history, F.O.X. Portal documentation), [[VRChat Inc.]] (full company profile), [[Graham Gaylor]] (updated with layoff email), [[Jesse Joudrey]].
| January 13–14, 2018 || 20,212 || [[The January 2018 Viral Surge|Ugandan Knuckles viral surge]]; Steam top 30 by CCU
|-
|-
| '''April 19, 2026''' || Founding batch: [[The Great Pug]], [[Furry Hideout]], [[Lt_Shadow]], [[Justifire]], [[Kingsley Vega]], [[Classicβ„’]], [[Nerbs]], [[Tonicc]], [[tupper]], [[Rezillo Ryker]], [[The Rexouium]], [[AzukiTiger]], [[Mayu (Kemono Feline Avatar)]], [[Wickerbeast]], [[Furry Community in VRChat]], [[Japan Shrine]], [[SDK2 to SDK3 (Udon)]], [[ITOAR]], [[Furry Talk and Chill]], [[The Blackcat]].
| Halloween Weekend 2020 || 24,000+ || Quest 2 launch + VRChat Spookality event
|-
|-
| '''April 19, 2026''' || VRCHistory officially launched. Founding editor: [[Kingsley Vega]].
| December 31, 2020 || 40,000+ || New Year's Eve; server outage from DDoS misidentification
|-
| 2021 (post-Series D) || 40,000+ (sustained) || COVID-era peak; cited at Series D announcement
|-
| March 2026 || '''158,192''' || Japanese anime concert event; all-time record
|}
|}


<hr/>
== Connection to VRCHistory Archive Subjects ==


<div style="text-align:center; padding: 1.6em; background:#0d0d1a; border-radius:8px; border:1px solid #1e1e36; margin-top:1em;">
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
<span style="color:#8070a8; font-style:italic; font-size:1.1em; letter-spacing:0.04em;">"Preserving the metaverse, one instance at a time."</span>
|-
<div style="margin-top:1em; padding-top:1em; border-top:1px solid #18183a;">
! Subject !! Connection !! Archive Article
<span style="color:#3a3a5a; font-size:0.8em;">
|-
VRCHistory.org is an <strong style="color:#4a4a6a;">unofficial</strong>, independent community archive &nbsp;Β·&nbsp;
| [[Graham Gaylor]] || Co-Founder & CEO; built VRChat Inc. from prototype; all major decisions trace to him || [[Graham Gaylor]]
Not affiliated with [[VRChat Inc.]] &nbsp;Β·&nbsp;
|-
[https://vrchat.com vrchat.com] &nbsp;Β·&nbsp;
| [[tupper]] || Head of Community; hired January 2018; promoted by Gaylor; inspired [[VRCat]] || [[tupper]]
All trademarks belong to their respective owners
|-
</span>
| [[VRCat]] || Official mascot; launched with VRC+ December 4, 2020; inspired by tupper's cat Trogdor || [[VRCat]]
</div>
|-
</div>
| [[The January 2018 Viral Surge]] || Defined VRChat Inc.'s public identity; triggered GFR Fund investment; tupper hired || [[The January 2018 Viral Surge]]
|-
| [[Ugandan Knuckles]] || The avatar that caused the surge; exposed the open upload system's viral potential || [[Ugandan Knuckles]]
|-
| [[Furality Online Xperience (F.O.X.)]] || Commercial partner of VRChat Inc.; F.O.X. Portal operates under a formal licensing agreement || [[Furality Online Xperience (F.O.X.)]]
|-
| [[The Great Pug]] || One of VRChat's oldest third-party worlds; survived all 12 Unity SDK migrations; opened Creator Economy store || [[The Great Pug]]
|-
| [[VRChat Creator Economy]] || VRChat Inc.'s integrated commerce system; 2023–present || [[VRChat Creator Economy]]
|-
| [[Furry Community in VRChat]] || The largest and most creatively active subculture; enabled entirely by the open avatar decision || [[Furry Community in VRChat]]
|-
| [[Kingsley Vega]] || Founder of this archive; 7-year VRChat veteran; documents VRChat Inc.'s history || [[Kingsley Vega]]
|}

== See Also ==

* [[Graham Gaylor]] β€” Co-Founder & CEO; the primary decision-maker behind VRChat Inc.'s history
* [[Jesse Joudrey]] β€” Co-Founder & CTO; introduced avatar customization in March 2014
* [[tupper]] β€” Head of Community; public face of VRChat Inc.'s staff presence
* [[VRCat]] β€” Official mascot of VRChat; introduced with VRC+ December 2020
* [[VRC+ Subscription]] β€” VRChat Inc.'s primary subscription product (launched December 4, 2020)
* [[VRChat Creator Economy]] β€” VRChat Inc.'s commerce infrastructure (launched November 2023)
* [[The January 2018 Viral Surge]] β€” The event that first brought mainstream visibility to VRChat Inc.
* [[Ugandan Knuckles]] β€” The avatar phenomenon at the center of the January 2018 surge
* [[Easy Anti-Cheat Controversy (July 2022)]] β€” VRChat Inc.'s most divisive platform decision
* [[Furality Online Xperience (F.O.X.)]] β€” VRChat Inc.'s largest formal community partner
* [[Furry Community in VRChat]] β€” The cultural ecosystem most shaped by VRChat Inc.'s open avatar philosophy
* [[Kingsley Vega]] β€” VRCHistory founder; the archivist documenting VRChat Inc.'s history

== External Links ==

* [https://hello.vrchat.com VRChat Inc. β€” Official Business Site]
* [https://vrchat.com VRChat Platform]
* [https://creators.vrchat.com VRChat Creator Documentation]
* [https://ask.vrchat.com/t/an-email-from-our-ceo/25060 Graham Gaylor's June 2024 Layoff Email β€” Full Text (VRChat Ask Forum)]
* [https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005073/en/ Series D Announcement β€” Business Wire (June 25, 2021)]
* [https://gfrfund.com/company-highlight-vrchat GFR Fund β€” VRChat Company Highlight (origin story)]
* [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamgaylor/ Graham Gaylor β€” LinkedIn]
* [https://medium.com/@vrchat/an-open-letter-to-our-community-1b7aa5d9026f VRChat Open Letter to the Community (January 9, 2018)]

== References ==

* GFR Fund β€” Company Highlight: VRChat; origin story and prototype documentation
* Business Wire β€” VRChat Series D Announcement (June 25, 2021); $80M and valuation figures
* Road to VR β€” "VRChat Reaches 2 Million Installs" (January 15–19, 2018); CCU data
* Road to VR β€” "VRChat Series C" (September 2019); $10M, Makers Fund confirmed
* Road to VR β€” "VRChat $80M Series D" (June 2021); Anthos Capital confirmed
* Road to VR β€” "VRChat Record 24,000 Concurrent Users" (November 4, 2020); Halloween CCU
* Tracxn β€” VRChat funding history; all 10 rounds; 8 investors; Rothenberg Ventures seed
* Grokipedia β€” VRChat platform history; January 2018 CCU data (20,212; Dec avg 1,745; Jan avg 9,223)
* VRChat Wiki β€” Platform history; team page; EAC controversy timeline
* VRChat Ask Forum β€” "An Email from our CEO" (June 12, 2024); full Gaylor text; published by tupper
* VRChat Wiki β€” PhysBones launch (April 21, 2022)
* VRChat Legends Wiki β€” VRChat chronology
* Voices of VR Podcast #1666 β€” Graham Gaylor at Meta Connect (September 30, 2025)
* Last documented: May 8, 2026


[[Category:VRChat]]
[[Category:VRCHistory]]
[[Category:Companies]]
[[Category:Project Pages]]
[[Category:Platform History]]
[[Category:Foundational Articles]]
[[Category:2014 Founding]]
[[Category:San Francisco Companies]]

Revision as of 00:55, 9 May 2026

πŸ“Ό VRCHistory

Preserving the metaverse, one instance at a time.

πŸ“„ 32 Articles 🌍 5 Worlds Documented πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» 12 Creators Profiled 🦊 5 Avatars & Species πŸ“… Founded April 2026

⚠ UNOFFICIAL β€” Fan-Made Archive Β· Not affiliated with VRChat Inc.

Disclaimer: VRCHistory.org is an unofficial, fan-operated digital archive and is in no way affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by VRChat Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. All trademarks, world names, avatar names, and platform references belong to their respective owners. This project exists purely as a community effort to document and preserve the cultural history of virtual social spaces. No commercial claim is made over any documented content.

Welcome to VRCHistory

VRCHistory.org is a community-driven archive dedicated to preserving the culture, worlds, creators, avatars, and defining moments of VRChat.

The metaverse evolves fast. Worlds break with Unity updates. Creators move on. Events that thousands attended exist now only in screenshots and fading memory. VRCHistory was built for the moments that deserve better than that β€” documented, searchable, and open to anyone who wants to remember.

Whether you were there on January 13, 2018 when the platform hit 20,000 concurrent users for the first time, or you're a newcomer tracing the roots of the avatar you wear every day β€” you're welcome here.

πŸ›οΈ A Digital Museum for a World That Never Stops Changing

VRCHistory is not a news site or a live tracker β€” it is a museum. Its purpose is to hold still the things that time would otherwise carry away: the worlds that no longer load, the creators who moved on, the events that thousands attended and that exist now only in memory.

We believe these moments deserve a permanent home β€” not locked behind a login or buried in a Discord scroll, but documented, searchable, and open to everyone.

🌟 Featured Articles

πŸ† Landmark Articles

The event that changed VRChat permanently. In four weeks, the platform surged from 1,745 to 20,212 peak concurrent Steam users β€” a 428% increase driven by Ugandan Knuckles, PewDiePie, VideoGameDunkey, and Jameskii. Every day, every creator, every downstream consequence documented β€” including the GFR Fund investment, the Open Letter, and the Sonic corporate tweet.

πŸ“… Dec 22, 2017 – Feb 2018  Β·  Peak: 20,212 CCU  Β·  Platform Event

The world's largest furry convention β€” virtual or in-person. From 2,692 at F.1 (2020) to a record 26,405 at F.8 Somna (2025). $219,835+ raised for charity across nine events. Full forensic history: F.O.X. Portal infrastructure, VRChat commercial partnership, five-world structure, Somna's fictional language Somnatus, and what F.9 Ultra will bring in June 2026.

πŸ“… Founded May 2020  Β·  Record: 26,405 attendees  Β·  Annual Convention
🍺 The Great Pug

One of VRChat's oldest surviving worlds. A bar-themed social hub created January 19, 2017 by owlboy. Over 28 million visits, 113,000+ favorites, and version 1,131 as of April 2026. The Great Pug witnessed the January 2018 surge, survived 12 Unity migration cycles, opened a Creator Economy World Store, and was taken over by VRRat during April Fools 2025. A living primary document.

πŸ“… Created: Jan 19, 2017  Β·  v1,131  Β·  wrld_6caf5200  Β·  PC Only
πŸ§‘β€πŸ’Ό Graham Gaylor

Co-Founder and CEO of VRChat Inc. β€” the man whose 2013 dorm-room experiment became the platform this entire archive documents. Full origin story (Oculus Kickstarter β†’ VRChatroom β†’ Jesse Joudrey), all 10 funding rounds totalling $96M, the avatar customization paradox, and his unredacted 2024 layoff email β€” one of the most transparent executive communications in tech.

Role: Co-Founder & CEO  Β·  Vanderbilt '14  Β·  $96M raised across 10 rounds

πŸ“¦ More Highlighted Articles

🦎 The Rexouium
The most widely-used avatar base in VRChat's furry community. Created by Rezillo Ryker in 2020. Full species lore, technical specs, King Caretakers mythology, and ecosystem documentation including EvoRex HD and the HTC commercial appearance.
🐱 VRCat
VRChat's official orange-cat-in-a-box mascot. Inspired by tupper's real cat Trogdor (confirmed Aug 2024). Launched Dec 4, 2020 with VRC+. Quick Menu dialogue reference table, pettable Early Supporter badge, and the full VRRat rivalry and April Fools mythology documented.
A forensic museum artifact. The avatar that caused the January 2018 surge. Four-layer genealogy (Gregzilla β†’ tidiestflyer), behavioral script documentation, color-type taxonomy (Red/Blue/Gold Kommanda), Gaztons lore, and four archived primary visual exhibits.
VRChat's integrated commerce system (launch: Nov 30, 2023). VRChat Credits, the 50/30/20 revenue split, Tilia LLC onboarding, Avatar Marketplace (May 2025), Furality's three Udon product IDs, and The Great Pug's store opening β€” all sourced from primary documents.
The broadest cultural overview in the archive. Avatar economy roles (6 creator types), species ecology, world ecosystem, event timeline 2017–2026, and a community glossary. The essential context document for understanding who VRChat's most creative community actually is.
🦑 Wickerbeast
Open regulated species created 2013 by Daemon_Lady; transferred to PineWarden Jan 5, 2022. Full biology (150–200yr lifespan, locking jaw, blood matches eye color), all 8 subtypes, Jin A's avatar specs (~67K poly), and the complete third-party ecosystem including face tracking add-ons.

πŸ—‚οΈ Browse the Archive

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5 documented
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12 profiled
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5 documented
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3 documented
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7 documented

πŸ“° Recently Added

Article Type Date Added Summary
VRC+ Subscription πŸ” System Apr 20, 2026 Full history of VRChat's subscription service. Announced Nov 19, 2020; Steam launch Dec 3, 2020. All tiers, perks, VRCat integration, and connection to the Creator Economy.
Easy Anti-Cheat Controversy ⚑ Event Apr 20, 2026 VRChat's most divisive platform decision. Build 1213 (Jul 25, 2022). Steam review-bombing, accessibility mod loss, community fragmentation, and the accelerated accessibility roadmap that followed.
Ugandan Knuckles πŸ“Ό Avatar Apr 20, 2026 Forensic artifact. Four-layer genealogy, behavioral script table, color-type taxonomy, Gaztons lore, Uganda world history (Fredsoldaten; 2021 account compromise), four primary visual exhibits archived.
The January 2018 Viral Surge πŸ“… Event Apr 20, 2026 Day-by-day forensic chronology of VRChat's first viral moment. 428% CCU growth; 20,212 peak (Jan 13–14). Full creator cascade table. GFR Fund Series A consequence. VRChat Open Letter text referenced.
VRChat Creator Economy πŸ’° System Apr 20, 2026 Complete system documentation. VRChat Credits, 50/30/20 split, Tilia LLC, three store types, Avatar Marketplace (May 14, 2025), Furality Udon IDs (prod_e61eea8e, prod_5b9a4cc6, prod_4518ac83), Great Pug store sourced to owlboy's GitHub.
VRCat 🐱 Character Apr 20, 2026 Mascot history from Dec 4, 2020 through April 2026. Trogdor connection confirmed (Parzeval YouTube, Aug 2024). Quick Menu dialogue reference table (6 meme citations). Full VRRat April Fools mythology (2024 text adventure; 2025 world takeover of 60 worlds).
Furality Online Xperience (F.O.X.) πŸŽ‰ Event Apr 20, 2026 Complete history of all 9 F.O.X. conventions. F.O.X. Portal technical documentation. $219,835+ charity record. F.8 Somna world breakdown. F.9 Ultra (Jun 4–7, 2026) preview. Cross-linked to tupper, Graham Gaylor, Rexouium, Mayu, Wickerbeast.
VRChat Inc. 🏒 Company Apr 20, 2026 Full company profile. All 10 funding rounds ($96M). Complete organizational timeline 2013–2026. EAC controversy. 2024 layoffs and severance. All major technical systems documented.
Jesse Joudrey πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Creator Apr 19, 2026 VRChat Co-Founder & CTO. The man who introduced avatar customization on March 16, 2014 (v0.3.5) β€” the single most consequential technical decision in VRChat history.
Graham Gaylor πŸ§‘β€πŸ’» Creator Apr 19, 2026 VRChat Co-Founder & CEO. Full origin story, all funding rounds, 2024 layoff email (full text preserved), avatar customization paradox. The foundational figure in the archive.
Wickerbeast 🦑 Species Apr 19, 2026 Open regulated species (2013, Daemon_Lady β†’ PineWarden Jan 2022). Full biology, 8 subtypes, Jin A's avatar specs, full ecosystem (Krunk's, Robo Wickerbeast, face tracking add-on, accessory matrix).
Mayu (Kemono Feline Avatar) 🐱 Avatar Apr 19, 2026 Kemono feline base by AzukiTiger. v1–v3.5.5 changelog. PhysBones, AudioLink, face tracking, HRtoVRC. Public avatar IDs (Tora: avtr_8bac0b9b; Oyama: avtr_a262d2c7). Full ecosystem table.
Furry Community in VRChat 🐾 Culture Apr 19, 2026 Comprehensive cultural overview. History 2017–2026. Six avatar creator roles. Species ecology. World and event ecosystem. Community glossary. The essential context document for the archive.
Japan Shrine 🌍 World Apr 19, 2026 wrld_736bad27 by ITOAR (March 2019). Shinto shrine environment. Originally by RootGentle (2018). Full technical specs, world history, and the identity of the rarely-credited original creator.
SDK2 to SDK3 (Udon) βš™οΈ System Apr 19, 2026 Platform technology transition. SDK2 (2017) β†’ Udon public beta (2020) β†’ SDK2 EOL (August 2023). UdonSharp by Merlin_VT, VCC, full migration timeline.

πŸ—οΈ About This Project

VRCHistory was founded by King (KΜΆiΜΆnΜΆgΜΆ), a 7-year VRChat veteran and Trusted User based in Alaska. The archive began with a simple recognition: VRChat's history has no central home for preservation.

Unlike the platform itself β€” which evolves constantly and retires old content β€” VRCHistory is a permanent record. A place where a world that no longer loads, a creator who moved on, or an event that happened years ago can still be found, read about, and remembered. Every page is built from primary sources: VRChat API data, Steam statistics, funding records, original creator statements, and the memories of people who were there.

This is not a Wikipedia clone. It is a museum β€” built with the rigor of a museum, for subjects that deserve to be taken seriously.

"Think of it like the Smithsonian β€” but for virtual worlds. We don't own the exhibits. We just make sure they aren't forgotten."

✏️ Contribute to the Archive

This wiki is built and maintained entirely by the community. If you remember something worth saving β€” a world you visited, a creator you know, an event you attended β€” your contribution belongs here.

πŸ“– Getting Started

New to wiki editing? VRCHistory's documentation standard is learnable. If you can type, you can contribute. Every article in this archive started with someone who remembered something.

πŸ“‹ Wanted Pages

High-priority gaps in the archive. Worlds with no page. Creators with no profile. Events undocumented. Your memory might be exactly what's missing.

πŸ“Έ Upload Evidence

Historical screenshots, world thumbnails, event footage. Even low-resolution images from old eras are valuable primary sources. Every pixel is a timestamp.

Ways to Help

  • Document a world β€” Write about any world you remember. Its creator, its history, its community, why it mattered.
  • Verify existing entries β€” Fact-check dates, user IDs, world version numbers, and creator attributions.
  • Upload screenshots β€” Historical screenshots are irreplaceable. The older, the more valuable.
  • Share your story β€” Were you in VRChat in 2017? Did you attend Furality 1? Were you a Knuckles tribe member in January 2018? Write it down.
  • Nominate articles β€” Add high-priority missing topics to Project:Wanted Pages.

πŸ“… Archive Update Log

Date Update
April 20, 2026 Second major batch: VRC+ Subscription, Easy Anti-Cheat Controversy (July 2022), Ugandan Knuckles (with 4 primary visual exhibits), The January 2018 Viral Surge (forensic day-by-day chronology), VRChat Creator Economy (Avatar Marketplace, Tilia, Furality Udon product IDs, Great Pug store), VRCat (tupper origin confirmed, VRRat mythology), Furality Online Xperience (F.O.X.) (complete F.1–F.9 history, F.O.X. Portal documentation), VRChat Inc. (full company profile), Graham Gaylor (updated with layoff email), Jesse Joudrey.
April 19, 2026 Founding batch: The Great Pug, Furry Hideout, Lt_Shadow, Justifire, Kingsley Vega, Classicβ„’, Nerbs, Tonicc, tupper, Rezillo Ryker, The Rexouium, AzukiTiger, Mayu (Kemono Feline Avatar), Wickerbeast, Furry Community in VRChat, Japan Shrine, SDK2 to SDK3 (Udon), ITOAR, Furry Talk and Chill, The Blackcat.
April 19, 2026 VRCHistory officially launched. Founding editor: Kingsley Vega.

"Preserving the metaverse, one instance at a time."

VRCHistory.org is an unofficial, independent community archive  Β·  Not affiliated with VRChat Inc.  Β·  vrchat.com  Β·  All trademarks belong to their respective owners

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