iOS Closed Beta Launch is Imminent! Very soon™, we’ll be inviting a small group of users to test iOS in a closed beta.

Thank you to everyone that signed up to test, the interest was overwhelming! If you have signed up, keep an eye on your email for an invitation to the Closed Beta via Testflight. We’ll be starting with a small group initially and plan to increase the number of testers over time.

This is a Technical Beta focused on Stability and Bugfixing. Compared to the current Android version, some features may be missing or broken! Also, client updates to the iOS builds may lag behind other platforms for a bit.

Since testing spots are limited, we may consider rotating users out that aren’t actively using the app and/or providing feedback. We’re counting on testers to provide feedback actively via our iOS Closed Beta Canny. We’ll publicize the link when ready!

A Security Update… Update In order to continue making ripping more difficult, we will soon be enforcing stricter rules in local test instances.

This includes using the “Build & Test” button in the SDK as well as using the VRC Quick Launcher.

In such instances, you will only be able to use avatars that you uploaded yourself, or are from the “Public” avatar row. The menu will let you know with a warning message if an avatar is not supported in a local test instance.

We continue to be committed to improving protection against unauthorized access of content. These changes will roll out in the coming weeks and allow us to stack another layer of protection onto all content on the platform.

In addition, in our continuing efforts to address avatar and asset ripping, we have issued a further set of bans targeting accounts verified using tools to rip avatars from other accounts.

“Ripping” is a term for downloading an asset from VRChat that does not belong to you using tools prohibited by our rules. This includes extracting and converting avatars or worlds gathered from your game cache, memory, or our API.

This “ban wave” consists of approximately 2,400 accounts. These bans are being issued to accounts that were validated and verified to have engaged in ripping using unauthorized third-party tools, client modifications, or other methods. Bans have also been issued to accounts associated with those accounts, as it is very common for rippers to use an alt account to avoid bans on their primary account.

As always, our teams will continue to work behind the scenes to protect both VRChat users and their content.

A Quick Note on the SDK Roadmap! We haven’t forgotten! There’s a lot we want to talk about – but you can expect that in the next Dev Update, not this one. We wanted to give a general heads up, however, just in case you thought we forgot.

Ongoing Development Favorite Friends is Now on the Website!