AltspaceVR was a software startup company based in Redwood City, California that was founded in 2013, and launched its initial product in May 2015.
AltspaceVR software provided meeting spaces in virtual reality, where users could have conversations, watch videos, play games, and browse the Internet. Avatars in AltspaceVR could automatically mimic a user's body language, through the use of Microsoft's Kinect. The software supported eye tracking, but as of 2015 the necessary hardware was not yet available in most consumer VR headsets.
The company used a freemium business model, where the basic software was given away to consumers for free, and the business then charged for more advanced features.
In October 2017, AltspaceVR was acquired by Microsoft.
