2026 Momentum: Kickstarter Launch, Teleportal update, Auggie Nomination, AWE Panel & Community Gratitude

We have a lot to celebrate and share this month. From the launch of the Virtual Worlds Museum™ Kickstarter to new articles, panels, nominations, demos, music, and community gatherings, this season has been full of momentum, gratitude, and renewed purpose. Thank you for continuing to believe in the preservation, exploration, and future of virtual worlds.

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Virtual Worlds Museum™ Kickstarter Is NOW Live!

The Virtual Worlds Museum™ Kickstarter has officially launched, and we are inviting our community to help us preserve the stories of world builders, creators, and landmark virtual worlds before they disappear. This campaign supports our Spotlight Series, a growing archive of interviews and cultural documentation focused on platforms such as Rec Room, Horizon Worlds, and other important immersive spaces.

✨ Click Here to Launch and Learn More →

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A New Portal Opens: Introducing the Virtual Worlds Museum™ Teleportal

The Virtual Worlds Museum™ Teleportal is a new gateway for exploring the evolving landscape of virtual worlds. Built as an interactive index and map, the Teleportal helps visitors discover platforms, trace connections, and better understand the history, culture, and future of immersive digital spaces.

We extend our sincere thanks to Steve Van Loon and Lewey Geselowitz for his support and contribution to this important step in bringing the Teleportal to life.

We are also excited to share that BurnerSphere™, the immersive social VR platform and digital gathering space inspired by the culture and creativity of Burning Man, has officially been added to the Virtual Worlds Museum™ Teleportal.

‍✨ Click Here to View the New Teleportal →

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Panel Discussion at AWE XR USA in Long Beach

Julian Reyes will be speaking at AWE USA 2026 in Long Beach on the panel “How We Can Preserve Online Worlds and Why It Matters.” The session brings together Wagner James Au (New World Notes), Neil Barbour of S&P Global Market Intelligence, Evo Heyning of Realitycraft & XR Guide, and Julian Reyes of the Virtual Worlds Museum™ for a timely conversation about preservation tools, AI, spatial computing, creator economies, and the future of culturally rich virtual worlds.

“The Virtual Worlds Museum™ is mapping, preserving, and showcasing the evolving ecosystem of virtual world platforms. This session explores digital archiving, 3D mapping, preservation efforts, and more”

AWE 10% off discount code: SPKR26D

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The Teleportal™ Nominated for a 2026 Auggie Award!

We are honored to share that the Virtual Worlds Museum™ has been nominated for an Auggie Award. Huge thanks to our team, collaborators, supporters, and community for helping bring this project to life.

This nomination reflects our shared mission to preserve, explore, and celebrate the evolution of immersive worlds. Special thanks to Steve Van Loon and Lewey Geselowitz for their help with the Teleportal, our interactive map and gateway to virtual worlds. A new version is already in the works, and we are excited to share more soon.

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Julian Reyes Spoke at UC Berkeley on May 21st

Julian Reyes spoke and demoed the Virtual Worlds Museum™ at UC Berkeley during XR Speaker & Demo Night. The evening featured Avi Bar-Zeev and Botond Bognár as co-hosts, along with Jeri Ellsworth of Tilt Five, and Caitlin Krause of Mindwise.

Demos included BurnerSphere, SecureMR by Pico, Tilt Five, the Virtual Worlds Museum™, and more.

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ManyNames DJ’ing at Pulse Family Gathering in the Fall

ManyNames will be DJing at Pulse Family Gathering 2026, returning September 25 to 27 in Northern California with the theme “Lunar Apex.” Hosted by Pulse California and Sculpted Sounds, this boutique camping festival brings together psytrance, techno, and psychedelic soundscapes for a deep community weekend under the stars.

You can also listen to the new ManyNames track “Concrete Bloom” now on SoundCloud.

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Gratitude round:

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to AWE XR (10% off discount code: SPKR26D) for their endless work in helping our culture grow, and for inviting Julian Reyes to speak and share the mission of the Virtual Worlds Museum™ with the broader XR community. Their continued dedication to advancing immersive technology and bringing people together has helped shape and strengthen the field in meaningful ways.

We are also deeply grateful to Wagner James Au for his continued support, encouragement, and belief in the importance of preserving and exploring virtual world history.

And to all of our Kickstarter donors: thank you! Your contributions are making a tremendous difference. Your support has not only helped bring the Virtual Worlds Museum™ closer to life, but has also helped prompt Kickstarter to recognize our campaign as “one of the most creative campaigns currently on the platform.”

This project exists because of a growing community of people who believe that virtual worlds matter; culturally, historically, creatively, and for the future we are building together.

Let’s work together to preserve what matters 💫

Thanks for your continued support and sharing your thoughts! For our latest updates, you can also follow us on social media by clicking the links below!

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Virtual Worlds Museum’s Facebook • LinkedIn • X

We APPRECIATE YOU! 🙂