Multiplayer Sandbox

Initiator: XR Zone Internal R&D Team Duration: Short-term (Presented at TU Delft Teaching Lab Open Day) Platform: Multiplayer VR with cross-platform support (desktop, mobile, VR headsets) Focus: Exploring the potential of multiplayer environments in VR

The Multimodal Sandbox was an internal research and development project created by the XR Zone team to explore the capabilities of real-time, multi-user virtual environments. At a time when VR was still largely associated with single-user experiences, this project aimed to break that barrier.

Participants were invited into a shared digital playground where they could build structures, interact with virtual objects, and experiment with spatial design together — regardless of whether they were using a VR headset, a laptop, or even a mobile device. This emphasis on cross-platform access was key: the project wanted to show that VR doesn’t have to be isolating — it can be inclusive, collaborative, and social.

Unveiled during a TU Delft Teaching Lab Open Day, the sandbox functioned as both a technical demonstration and a vision-setting experience. It illustrated how future virtual platforms could support group design sessions, education, and co-creative learning. Internally, it also served as a testbed for multiplayer architecture, allowing the XR Zone to gain critical experience in synchronization, interaction logic, and multi-device compatibility.

While the project was small in scope, it marked a pivotal step in TU Delft’s move toward scalable, participatory VR environments — especially for teaching, prototyping, and real-time collaboration.