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Third party convinces Google to make abandoned VR app open-source in revival project

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By Abdullah Asim

Published: Jul 17, 2024, 6:26 PM

Third party convinces Google to make abandoned VR app open-source in revival project

The Icosa Foundation, a community of artists and developers, has convinced Google to make Google Blocks open-source. Icosa Foundation will be reviving the abandoned app under a new name: Open Blocks. Open Blocks will be coming to modern VR platforms and headsets, like the Meta Quest 3.

Google Blocks was a 3D model design app for Virtual Reality. It presented users with six simple tools to create 3D models in VR. These tools were:

Shape
Stroke
Paint
Modify
Grab
Ease

The Icosa Foundation makes open-source replacements for creative products from Google, namely Google Poly and Tilt Brush. In classic Google fashion, Google Blocks was abandoned shortly after release. Google Poly also stopped seeing updates a few years ago. Tilt Brush is currently still available for purchase, and is another VR-focused creative app.

The Icosa Foundation first reached out to Google asking the company to make Google Blocks open-source when it was abandoned but were told it couldn’t happen. It recently tried again and got a positive response, and now will be using the open-source code to develop a replacement.

Google Blocks makes 3D modeling easier, simpler and more accessible. | Video credit — Google

The idea of designing 3D models in VR sounds really cool to me. It’s somewhat similar to what Campfire offers: being able to see models as if they were in front of you. I think it’ll also make 3D model design more fun for people who don’t want to learn the intricacies of Blender.

Google Blocks is far from the first product Google has discontinued. In fact, there’s an entire site dedicated to chronicling everything Google has abandoned. So I truly appreciate the Icosa Foundation’s efforts.

Especially now that the AR and VR industries are predicted to grow exponentially. And this growth is supposedly going to be led by non-gaming use cases. Like 3D model design, for example.

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Abdullah loves smartphones, Virtual Reality, and audio gear. Though he covers a wide range of news his favorite is always when he gets to talk about the newest VR venture or when Apple sets the industry ablaze with another phenomenal release.

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