Find all the latest press releases, blog posts and recent coverage of the Metaverse Standards Forum In The News. A list of presentations and videos is also available. Subscribe to the newsletter.
Press Releases and Reports
Metaverse Standards Forum Introduces Sneeze, the World’s First Open Metaverse Browser Engine
Beaverton, OR — June 15, 2026 — The Open Metaverse Browser Initiative (OMBI), created by the Metaverse Standards Forum™ in collaboration with RP1, today introduced Sneeze, the first open metaverse browser engine (MBE). Available immediately as open source under the...
Accessibility in the Metaverse Working Group Q2 Report
In Q2 2025, the Accessibility in the Metaverse Working Group held 6 general meetings, expanding to 60 members, and began updating its long-term vision.
Metaverse Standards Forum 2024 Annual Report
The Metaverse Standards Forum marked a significant milestone in April 2024 by celebrating its first anniversary as an independent, non-profit, industry consortium. As we reflect on our journey, we want to share the Forum's accomplishments and milestones throughout...
Blog Posts
Announcing the Web of Worlds Whitepaper: A Concrete Path to the Open Metaverse
The 3D Web Interoperability Working Group of the Metaverse Standards Forum is proud to announce the release of the Web of Worlds (WoW) whitepaper. This document outlines a practical, open framework for an interoperable metaverse built directly on the proven principles...
Metaverse Standards Forum and RP1 Create the Open Metaverse Browser Initiative – Join Us in Building the Next Open Ecosystem
As AI-enabled AR glasses and VR headsets go mainstream, there is an urgent need to evolve today's web infrastructure to deliver spatial services to these next-generation devices. The race is on to establish the open standards required to make this transition possible...
Good Intentions, Real Barriers: Investigating Accessibility in XR Workflows
This project, conducted in collaboration with XR Access and the Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF), investigates why accessibility in eXtended Reality (XR) often breaks down between intention and execution—and what tools or systems could help bridge that gap. As XR technologies evolve, ensuring accessibility requires not just awareness, but practical, embedded support that fits real-world workflows.
In the News
Gamesbeat: Exclusive Interview – Metaverse Standards Forum Introduces Sneeze
“The Open Metaverse Browser Initiative (OMBI), created by the Metaverse Standards Forum in collaboration with RP1, today introduced Sneeze, the first open metaverse browser engine (MBE). If this is successful, then you may need to get ready for a world without app stores.”
Forbes Features Sneeze in AWE 2026 Recap
“A new metaverse broswers engine, named Sneeze. Think of it as Blink and WebKit reimagined for spatial computing. This browser allows a company to self-host spatial content, publish 3D content like a website, deliver proximity-based scene loading, seamless service integration and real-time spatial co-presence.”
OMBI Finalist for Most Ethical Product Auggie Award
At this year's Augmented World Expo (AWE 2026), OMBI had the honor of being nominated for the most ethical product Auggie Award. Being recognized in the Most Ethical Product category reflects OMBI's core mission: that the foundational decisions shaping spatial...
Open Metaverse Academic Alliance (OMAA)
The Open Metaverse Academic Alliance (OMAA) is an initiative led by the University of Rochester’s Center for Extended Reality (CXR), dedicated to shaping open standards for spatial computing — the infrastructure that will underpin augmented reality, mixed reality, and the next evolution of the internet.
Their current focus includes the Open Metaverse Browser Initiative (OMBI), an open-source project under the Metaverse Standards Forum developing the foundational architecture for a spatial web browser.
Introducing Sneeze: The Browser Engine for Spatial Computing
The Open Metaverse Browser Initiative, under the Metaverse Standards Forum built a metaverse browser engine. Sneeze is a new browser engine built for the metaverse. Architected by RP1, Sneeze is hosted at the Metaverse Standards Forum, and developed alongside the open...
MSF a Catalyst for glTF Gaussian Splatting Extension
In January 2025, the Metaverse Standards Forum initiated a series of public Town Halls to explore whether Gaussian splatting was ready for standardization. Stakeholders identified strong overlap across use cases and interoperability challenges that could be meaningfully addressed through open standards—specifically by enabling splat storage in glTF assets.
Open Standards, Shared Vision, Limitless Possibility
On the Brand Called You podcast, Stephen Ibaraki and Neil Trevett deep dive into Neil’s extraordinary journey through 3D graphics, GPU evolution, open standards, and the creation of the Metaverse Standards Forum—uniting global stakeholders to build an open,...
UnitedXR: The State of the Metaverse Standards Forum, Standards for AI and what about Apple? with Neil Trevett
In this conversation, we dive deep into three key topics: the current state of the Metaverse Standards Forum, Apple’s role in XR—and the tension specifically between the USD and glTF file formats, and how standard organizations are handling the explosion of AI assets and new tech like Gaussian splatting.
Taking Yourself Into the Metaverse
Moving forward there will be a number of key “standardization” elements for avatars, such as body type, allowing avatar vendors to maintain their own IP, whilst enabling avatar interoperability with a myriad of Metaverse experiences. Organizations working on this include MSF, IEEE, and VRM.
OMA3 expands effort to make standards for the Open Spatial Internet
In 2023, OMA3 announced the start of work on the Inter World Portaling System (IWPS), the 3D hyperlink for the spatial internet, and released the initial specification draft for public comment in 2024 during a public forum on the specification with the Metaverse Standards Forum.
Is Gaussian Splatting Ready for Standardization?
Geo Week News reports on Metaverse Standards Forum’s Gaussian Splats Town Hall held in January.
Metaverse Org Declares the Technology Is Accelerating in Spite of Rise of AI
A new report from the Metaverse Standards Forum (MSF) declares the technology initiative is alive and well, despite skyrocketing attention paid to artificial intelligence.