European Commission launches the European Partnership for Virtual Worlds

The European Commission has launched the European Partnership for Virtual Worlds, a new initiative designed to coordinate and accelerate research and innovation in virtual worlds technologies across Europe. The partnership brings together industry, academia, research organisations and end-users, reflecting an “ecosystem” approach intended to move developments beyond isolated projects and toward shared priorities and adoption pathways. 

This partnership is described as a key deliverable of the EU Strategy on Web 4.0 and Virtual Worlds. Its stated goal is to help position the European Union as a world leader in virtual worlds technologies, while ensuring that the evolution of these environments reflects EU values and fundamental rights. In policy terms, it places virtual worlds within a broader agenda around Europe’s technological autonomy, not only as an economic ambition but as a governance objective shaping how virtual worlds are designed and deployed. 

The Commission notes that timing is significant. It cites expectations that the global virtual worlds market could grow from €27 billion in 2022 to more than €800 billion by 2030, framing the partnership as a response to rapid market expansion and intensifying global competition. 

Operationally, the partnership aims to boost research, innovation, standardisation, and skills development, while also encouraging the adoption of virtual worlds. By bringing together actors across the value chain and across application domains, the partnership is intended to strengthen Europe’s virtual worlds ecosystem and support coordination in the technologies and standards needed for scalable and interoperable deployments. 

Funding is central to the initiative. The partnership is underpinned by €200 million in financial support under Horizon Europe for the period 2025–2027, with at least €200 million to be contributed by members of the Virtual Worlds Association. This co-investment model is positioned as a way to align public priorities with private-sector capacity and to create a sustained pipeline of innovation and implementation. 

Overall, the Partnership signals a more structured EU effort to shape the direction of virtual worlds technologies—linking competitiveness, skills and standardisation with values-based governance and long-term strategic autonomy.

Source: European Commission launches European Partnership for Virtual Worlds | Shaping Europe’s digital future