Reflecting on a Year of Virtual Wonders: Highlights from Somnium Space in 2025

We’ve entered 2026 and Somnium Space continues to redefine the boundaries of VR with mind-bending immersive social experiences. 2025 has been a pivotal one for the platform, marked by groundbreaking updates, community-driven innovations, and unforgettable moments that have strengthened its position as a prime destination. From going 18+/adults only, introducing the Somnium Tip Jar and native VR-to-VR and VR-to-IRL video calls, to collaborative events that brought users closer together, 2025 has solidified Somnium Space as a vibrant hub for creativity, connection, and exploration.

For this article, we’ve reached out to Meloz, Somnium Space Community Manager, and Libellule, community member and Somnium Space ambassador, to share their personal highlights of the year. Their insights offer a diverse perspective on what made 2025 truly special, from technological milestones to heartfelt community stories.

The question we asked them is this: looking back on an extraordinary 2025, what stands out to you as the greatest highlight for Somnium Space this year?

Meloz, Somnium Space Community Manager

In 2025, Meloz’s standout moments in Somnium Space were packed with creativity and community vibes.

In my view, the Magic Mirrors World stole the show, alongside the influx of worlds uploaded by other talented creators, bringing fresh landscapes and experiences to explore. One highlight that gave me chills was Libelulle’s epic Halloween event in the Spooky Beats World, blending spooky atmospheres with immersive fun.

Meloz in Thad Magic Mirrors world

Meloz continues:

What I also consider a highlight is the many music events that dominated the year, fueling non-stop energy. From the hosting B-Complex to all the spotlight sessions and countless other DJ performances, Somnium Space has been turned into a pulsating hub for electronic beats and live sets. I really couldn’t get enough of these shows.

But that’s not all according to Meloz:

Another highlight is the technical upgrades. We rolled out stunning new stages, freeing events from the constraints of the city center and allowing for grander spectacles. And then the audio reactive system, with its dynamic lighting, was a game-changer, syncing visuals perfectly to the music for breathtaking shows.

Topping it off was the surprise visit from live streamer Roflgator, who dropped in to experience Somnium Space firsthand. That crossover moment was pure fire!

Libellule, Community Member/Somnium Space Ambassador/Academy Coordinator

When we asked Libellule, a highly active creator in Somnium Space, to reflect on 2025, she had no problems listing a whole bunch of highlights.

Libellule at the Somnium Tavern

I joined Somnium Space in April 2025, at a moment when the platform already showed strong potential, but what truly excited me was how quickly that potential turned into something concrete and alive.

Within just a few months, Somnium Space evolved at an impressive pace, driven by constant and open dialogue between creators and developers. From my very first weeks on the platform, I was able to share very concrete creative needs related to immersive scenography, live performances, and music-driven experiences. What followed wasn’t a slow roadmap or abstract commitments, but real tools and workflows taking shape through direct creator–developer feedback loops. That dynamic was incredibly energizing.

World Building

My first world on the platform was A Fall in the Jungle. At that time, audio-reactive tools didn’t exist yet, so the experience was built entirely around atmosphere, visual composition, and environmental storytelling. In hindsight, this limitation became a strength: it allowed me to focus on emotion, rhythm, and immersion in a purely visual way, and to clearly identify what I wanted to push further next. As conversations with the developers continued, the need for deeper audio integration naturally emerged. This led to the development of the Audio Reactive System (ARS), designed to allow environments to genuinely respond to sound in real time through visual and atmospheric parameters such as light, color, intensity, and overall mood.

A Fall in the Jungle, by Libellule

Orbital Dance then became my first experimental playground once the ARS started taking shape. It was conceived as a test space to explore how music could influence visual behavior, lighting, and ambient intensity in real time. This phase was essential, both artistically and technically, as each experiment directly fed into refining and improving the system.

That approach matured with Tsuki Onsen, where audio reactivity became more subtle and deeply integrated. Rather than producing obvious effects, sound began shaping the atmosphere as a whole, reinforcing immersion and emotional coherence.

Tsuki Onsen, by Libellule

All of this work led to Spooky Beats, conceived not as a one-off world, but as a true visual performance framework. The intention was to build a reusable, modular environment designed specifically for artists, a space where musicians and DJs can host performances in which visuals evolve in real time with the music, creating atmospheres that are never exactly the same. This project reflects my long-term vision: developing artist-centered tools and spaces that grow alongside performers, adapt to their creative needs, and encourage experimentation, rather than confining artists to fixed formats or static stages.

Spooky Beats, by Libellule

Somnium and Community Events

Alongside world-building, official Somnium Space events were a major highlight of my 2025 experience. These events weren’t just showcases, they were genuine meeting points for the creative community. It was during these official events that I met musicians and performers such as Solarfunk and Sickmund Floyd, with whom I am now planning future collaborations. These encounters really captured the collaborative spirit that makes Somnium Space feel unique.

Somnium Tip Jar

Another meaningful milestone in 2025 was the introduction of the Tip Jar. While it may seem like a simple feature, it represents something much bigger: a direct and immediate way for visitors to support creators. For artists building worlds, hosting events, or experimenting with new formats, this kind of tool makes a real difference. It reinforces the idea that creative work has value, and that the community can actively participate in sustaining it. To me, the Tip Jar is a strong signal that Somnium Space is thinking not only about creation, but also about long-term sustainability for its creators.

Somnium Tip Jar

Beyond my own projects, I was also struck by the growing diversity and ambition of worlds across Somnium Space. Experiences like Dino Park, the first world in a series centered on iconic moments from cinema, demonstrated how immersive storytelling and shared cultural references can come together in powerful ways. At the other end of the spectrum, projects such as Annihilator showcased a very different direction. As a full shooting game, Annihilator highlighted how far gameplay-driven experiences have progressed on the platform, demonstrating Somnium Space’s ability to support fast-paced action, solid mechanics, and performance-optimized gameplay alongside more artistic or performative worlds.

Libellule summed up 2025 as transformative:

What makes 2025 so exciting for me is not just how much changed, but how fast it all happened… That combination of creative freedom, technical progress, and community energy is what makes me genuinely excited about the future of Somnium Space, especially as a platform built with artists, not just for them.

Final Words from Artur Sychov, Founder and CEO of Somnium Space

None of the things Meloz and Libellule mention would exist or be possible without Artur Sychov’s vision and drive. So it only makes sense we close off with Artur’s words from Somnium’s December newsletter.

As we wrap up this incredible year, I find myself reflecting on how far Somnium Space has come and how profoundly grateful I am for the journey we’ve shared. From groundbreaking updates to the VR1 headset that redefined immersion, to the explosion of user-created worlds and events, 2025 has been a testament to our collective progress.

We’ve welcomed countless new friends into our community, forging connections that span the globe and turn strangers into collaborators, innovators, and lifelong allies. Yet, as Somnium Space continues to grow, I’m constantly inspired by the heart of our journey: you, our vibrant community of creators, innovators, and trailblazers. Every new feature, world, and shared moment reflects your boundless imagination and relentless drive to redefine what virtual reality can be.

We’re not just crafting code, we’re co-creating a dynamic, living space fueled by your creativity, ingenuity, and authentic connections. What we’ve achieved together this year is extraordinary, yet it’s merely the foundation for what’s to come. Your ideas, passion, and voices shape every step we take. Together, we’re showing the world that social VR isn’t a far-off dream. It’s alive, thriving, and expanding with every moment we share.

Thank you for embracing this vision and joining us in reshaping how we live, create, and connect in virtual reality. Here’s to an even brighter 2026. Let’s keep building the future, one shared experience at a time