UploadVR
UploadVR is an independent San Francisco-based digital media publication founded in 2014 that covers the VR and AR industry through news, reviews, video, newsletters, and its annual UploadVR Showcase event, monetizing via advertising, sponsored content, and reader memberships for a global audience of VR/AR consumers and industry advertisers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What UploadVR does
UploadVR is an independent digital media publication founded in 2014 and headquartered in San Francisco, dedicated to covering the virtual reality and augmented reality (XR) industry. The publication produces editorial content spanning news, hands-on reviews, hardware coverage, and feature articles, and is widely cited as a leading VR trade media outlet. Its content platform is built on the Ghost CMS and is complemented by a YouTube channel (88,000 subscribers), a Twitter/X presence (153,000 followers), a Bluesky account, a weekly email newsletter, and a podcast recorded in a VR studio. The site attracts over 1,000,000 monthly pageviews.
UploadVR monetizes through a mix of display advertising, sponsored content, homepage takeover packages, and a self-serve reader membership program offering an ad-free experience. It also operates the annual UploadVR Showcase, an industry event featuring VR game announcements and hardware reveals. The audience is dual-sided: consumer readers (VR gamers and hardware enthusiasts) and B2B advertisers (VR game developers/publishers and VR hardware manufacturers including Meta, Sony, Apple, Valve, and Samsung). UploadVR raised approximately $5.75 million across two funding rounds — a 2015 seed led by Shanda Group with Presence Capital, and a 2017 round led by Colopl Next with participation from General Catalyst, NetEase Capital, Mana Ventures, Outpost Capital, Sparkland Capital, and UnityVC. The team size is 11-50 employees and the publication serves a global audience across the Americas, Europe, and Oceania.
UploadVR firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UploadVR
- Legal name
- UploadVR
- Website
- https://uploadvr.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- UploadVR is an independent San Francisco-based digital media publication founded in 2014 that covers the VR and AR industry through news, reviews, video, newsletters, and its annual UploadVR Showcase event, monetizing via advertising, sponsored content, and reader memberships for a global audience of VR/AR consumers and industry advertisers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UploadVR industry classification
Industry- Product category
- VR/AR Digital Media Publication
- NAICS
- Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)
- akta.pro primary industry
- VR/AR Game Publishing & Distribution (MPAFABAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Virtual, Hybrid & Livestream Event Coordination (HSACAAAO)
Keywords
Where UploadVR is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
UploadVR business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Display Advertising: UploadVR sells display advertising including banner options across their website, which receives over 1,000,000 pageviews per month.
- Sponsored Content: The publication offers sponsored content options for companies looking to promote VR titles, content, or industry-related events.
- Homepage Takeovers: UploadVR offers homepage takeover advertising packages as part of their advertising offerings.
- Membership/Subscription: UploadVR offers a membership program providing an ad-free experience and supporting independent journalism.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
UploadVR product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UploadVR is a digital media publication delivering VR, AR, and XR industry news, hardware reviews, game reviews, and event coverage to a global audience of VR enthusiasts and professionals. Its product mix centers on the editorial website and email newsletter, with a dedicated Game Hubs feature, a YouTube video channel, the in-person UploadVR Showcase event, and monetization through display/sponsored advertising plus paid newsletter subscriptions.
Product overview
UploadVR is a media publication focused on VR/AR news and reviews, not a product company. The organization's offerings center on editorial content including its core news website providing coverage of VR games, hardware, and industry events. The platform features Game Hubs for major VR titles like Golf+, Gorilla Tag, Beat Saber, and Walkabout Mini Golf. UploadVR operates the annual UploadVR Showcase event for VR game announcements. Revenue is generated through advertising services offering sponsored content and display advertising to VR companies. Editorial coverage extends to Meta's Horizon+ subscription service games.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- UploadVR Showcase: UploadVR's annual VR games showcase event featuring announcements and hands-on previews of upcoming VR titles.
Products and services
- UploadVR News & Reviews Website The flagship editorial website delivering daily VR, AR, and XR news; in-depth hardware reviews; game reviews; and dedicated Game Hubs where readers can follow specific titles. Built for VR/AR enthusiasts, gamers, and industry professionals seeking authoritative coverage of the sector.
- UploadVR Premium Newsletter Subscription Paid email newsletter offering exclusive editorial content to subscribers who want curated, deeper-dive VR/AR coverage delivered by email beyond what is available on the free website.
- UploadVR Advertising Services B2B advertising product suite — display ads, sponsored articles, and homepage takeovers — sold to VR/AR companies that want to reach the UploadVR audience of VR/AR enthusiasts, gamers, and industry professionals.
- UploadVR Showcase In-person industry event programming centered on hands-on demos of VR games, hardware, and XR experiences, complementing the editorial channels and strengthening advertiser relationships.
Companies that use UploadVR
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
UploadVR technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
UploadVR partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
UploadVR competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Polygon: Vox Media-owned gaming publication covering VR titles, hardware reviews, and industry news; competes for VR gaming readers and overlapping advertiser categories.
- GameSpot: Major games media outlet with VR game reviews, previews, and hardware news; an established competitor for VR gaming audience attention and gaming ad revenue.
- The Verge: Major technology and consumer electronics publication with extensive VR/AR and smart-glasses coverage; competes for both VR enthusiast readership and OEM hardware-launch ad budgets.
- Kotaku: General gaming publication with significant VR game coverage; competes for VR gaming traffic and is part of the same broad-gaming-media advertising pool as UploadVR.
- IGN: Large mainstream gaming and entertainment publisher that maintains a VR gaming vertical; competes with UploadVR for VR-related traffic and gaming advertiser dollars despite much broader coverage scope.
Direct peers
- Road to VR: Dedicated VR news, reviews, and hardware coverage publication operating in the same niche as UploadVR, with overlapping audience (VR enthusiasts and developers) and similar ad-driven business model.
- Mixed News: XR-focused publication covering VR, AR, and mixed reality news and reviews, with a similar editorial remit and audience overlap to UploadVR's VR/AR coverage.
- VRScout: VR-focused digital media outlet covering news, reviews, and immersive experiences, with a comparable audience profile to UploadVR's VR gamer and hardware enthusiast base.
- VRFocus: Long-running VR/AR/XR news site covering games, hardware, and industry events; competes directly with UploadVR for VR enthusiast traffic and OEM/developer advertising spend.
Emerging players
- Tested: Tech and maker media brand (Adam Savage's platform) producing deep-dive VR/AR hands-on content and reviews; partially overlaps with UploadVR's hardware-review and showcase-style coverage for an enthusiast audience.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
UploadVR social profiles
Digital presenceUploadVR financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UploadVR leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
UploadVR funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UploadVR M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UploadVR
What does UploadVR do?
UploadVR is a digital media publication delivering VR, AR, and XR industry news, hardware reviews, game reviews, and event coverage to a global audience of VR enthusiasts and professionals. Its product mix centers on the editorial website and email newsletter, with a dedicated Game Hubs feature, a YouTube video channel, the in-person UploadVR Showcase event, and monetization through display/sponsored advertising plus paid newsletter subscriptions.
Is UploadVR a public or private company?
UploadVR is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was UploadVR founded?
UploadVR was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is UploadVR based?
UploadVR is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does UploadVR make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Display Advertising is the primary driver. The others are sponsored Content, homepage Takeovers and membership/Subscription.
Who are UploadVR's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Polygon, GameSpot, The Verge, Kotaku and IGN. Direct peers are Road to VR, Mixed News, VRScout and VRFocus. Tested is listed as an emerging player.
Does UploadVR have an API?
No public API is recorded for UploadVR.
What industry is UploadVR in?
UploadVR's product category is VR/AR Digital Media Publication. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFABAK, VR/AR Game Publishing & Distribution, with a secondary code of HSACAAAO, Virtual, Hybrid & Livestream Event Coordination. Its NAICS code is 516210.