What Highrise does

Highrise is a mobile-first virtual world platform operated by Pocket Worlds, headquartered in San Francisco. The product enables users to build and customize avatars using a catalog of more than 20,000 items spanning clothing, accessories, hair, makeup, and rarity tiers from common to mythical, create and manage their own virtual rooms through Highrise Studio, and socialize in shared spaces organized around the Crews team system (Crews V2, launched May 2026) with custom roles, trophy seasons, and event requirements. Distribution is cross-platform, with native clients on iOS and Android via the Apple App Store and Google Play, on macOS and Windows through direct downloads, and on Steam through a dedicated Steam Hub with playtime-tracked cosmetic rewards.

The business model is freemium consumer mobile social, monetized through purchase of Gold (the in-app virtual currency), direct in-app purchases of premium items, bundles, and blind-box 'grabs' (with loyalty points and cart bonuses encouraging repeat purchase), and a creator-economy flow via Highrise Concepts, where community-submitted design concepts are voted on, produced, and sold with designer royalties. Revenue is diversified across Gold top-ups, limited-edition fashion drops (with mascot and femme variants split per event), themed events (Pool Party, Runway, Plank, Pride), and brand IP collaborations (Artist Series with independent artists, plus licensed partnerships with Winx/Rainbow and Museum of Ice Cream). The content engine is heavily event-driven and community-led, supported by a public issue tracker, weekly dev diaries, an in-app status page, and a multi-channel social presence across Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, Facebook, and Discord.

The platform serves a primarily Gen Z and young adult audience that skews female-identifying (with roughly one-third masculine or nonbinary), addressing needs for authentic self-expression, fashion-led identity exploration, and digital social connection via rooms, crews, and events. There is a mobile-first differentiator against PC/VR-first competitors, a documented distribution footprint across all major consumer platforms, and a 2018-era seed/early-stage backing from Y Combinator, Bessemer Venture Partners, Canaan Partners, RRE Ventures, BoxGroup, GFR Fund, Sweet Capital, and Duro Ventures. Founded by Anton Bernstein (Co-Founder & CEO) and Jimmy Xu (Co-Founder & Engineer), the company runs a lean team of 11-50 employees.

Name

Highrise

Legal name

Pocket Worlds

Website

https://highrise.game

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Highrise is a mobile-first virtual world platform operated by Pocket Worlds where users customize avatars using 20,000+ items, build rooms via Highrise Studio, and socialize in crew-based communities. It serves a primarily Gen Z and young adult, female-leaning audience across iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Steam.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Virtual World Platform

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Amusement Arcades (713120)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual Worlds & Social Sandbox Experiences (persistent social spaces) (MPAFAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual Goods & Digital Item Commerce (skins, cosmetics, DLC) (MPAFAJAF), Gaming & Interactive Entertainment (Digital Goods, Subscriptions) (CRAFAIAC), Gaming Subscriptions, Gift Cards & Top-Ups Retail (CRACAFAG)

Keywords

• Mobile virtual world
• Avatar customization
• Social gaming platform
• User-generated content
• Virtual fashion

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Virtual Currency (Gold): Players purchase Gold, the primary virtual currency, to buy items, cosmetics, and premium content in the Highrise shop. Revenue generated through direct purchase of currency and premium virtual goods.
2. In-App Purchases (Premium Items): Direct purchases of exclusive items, bundles, blind boxes (grabs), cosmetics, and limited-edition fashion drops. Includes seasonal events with exclusive reward items.
3. Store Loyalty Program: Purchases earn points toward store bonuses, with cart bonuses on checkout. Encourages repeat purchasing behavior.
4. Creator Economy: Player designers submit concepts through Highrise Concepts, with community voting. Selected designs are produced and sold, creating a creator royalty ecosystem.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Highrise is a mobile-first virtual world app where players create avatars using 20,000+ dress-up items, socialize in player-created rooms, join Crews, and participate in recurring fashion-focused seasonal events. The free-to-play experience is monetized through Gold virtual currency and premium item purchases, and players can also design and submit their own virtual fashion via Highrise Concepts. Distribution spans iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Steam with cross-platform account sync.

Product overview

Highrise is a mobile-first virtual world platform operated by Pocket Worlds, combining avatar customization with social connection and user-generated content. The core Highrise app (available on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Steam) offers 20,000+ dress-up items, social rooms, and events. It is supported by Highrise Studio for world-building, the Highrise Shop for in-app purchases, and Steam Hub for desktop rewards. Social features center on the Crews system (redesigned as v2 in 2026), while the Item Catalog and Highrise Concepts enable user-generated fashion content. Special features include Nectar Yard (crew garden events), Artist Series collaborations with independent artists, and diverse weekly event formats including Runway, Style Challenge, Pool Party, and Prank events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Highrise Studio: World-building and creation tools for users to build and customize their own rooms and experiences within the Highrise platform.
• Highrise Creature Club (HCC)

Products and services

• Highrise (mobile virtual world app) Mobile-first virtual world app where players create avatars using 20,000+ items, socialize in player-created rooms, join Crews, and participate in recurring fashion-focused events. Free-to-play with optional in-app purchases of Gold currency and premium items. Available on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Steam with cross-platform account sync.
• Highrise Studio Standalone world-building tool that allows players to create and manage their own virtual rooms and experiences inside Highrise, providing deep customization across room design, environments, and interactive elements.
• Highrise Shop In-app storefront where players purchase Gold virtual currency, exclusive items, bundles, and special offers. Features Best Value offers, a points-based store loyalty program, and cart bonuses on checkout.
• Steam Hub Steam-distributed version of Highrise with native account linking that tracks player playtime and unlocks exclusive Steam-themed cosmetic rewards at 1h, 5h, 10h, 25h, 50h, and 100h milestones, plus a wishlist reward and leaderboard for connected players.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,000 players joined within first hour of House of Poise Pool Party event launch
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Salla LehmusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish 2D Animator and Art Director who previously worked with Janelle Monáe and Ms. Marvel. Collaborated on the first Artist Series Snugglin, accessories, and feature video. Salla's work centers confident female characters, creating limited edition collections adapted for Highrise.
• Winx (Rainbow)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHR x Winx collaboration bringing the world of Alfea to Highrise as an official virtual event. Deep discussion and art collaboration to capture the essence of the Winx brand in Highrise's virtual world.
• Museum of Ice CreamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSweet-treat themed event collaboration creating a whimsical, immersive experience celebrating the art of play in the Highrise virtual world.
• SteamcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPC gaming platform distribution partner. Steam players can link accounts to track playtime and unlock exclusive cosmetics. Rewards include Cweepies Neon Hex Aura (1h), Cweepy Sundae Shake (5h), and other exclusive items at 10h, 25h, 50h, and 100h milestones.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Roblox: Largest UGC-driven virtual world and avatar social platform. Competes directly with Highrise for Gen Z user time and in-game fashion/avatar spend, with overlapping UGC creation and creator economy models.
• IMVU: Avatar-based social platform with deep avatar customization, virtual goods marketplace, and room-based social interaction. Closely comparable business model with virtual currency and cosmetics monetization.
• Zepeto: Mobile-first avatar social platform with fashion-led customization and virtual rooms. Directly comparable target audience (Gen Z, fashion-forward) and monetization via cosmetics.
• Avakin Life: Mobile 3D virtual world with avatar customization, social rooms, and premium currency. Competes for the same fashion/self-expression-oriented mobile social audience.
• Second Life: Long-running UGC virtual world with avatar customization, player-created rooms, and a creator economy. Comparable in core loop but skews older and PC-only.
• Habbo: Iconic social virtual world with avatar customization, rooms, and community features. Similar fashion and social expression positioning though legacy in execution.
• Club Cooee: Avatar-based social chat and virtual world with fashion customization. Similar niche in mobile avatar social with premium currency and cosmetics.

Broad incumbents

• VRChat: Major UGC virtual world with avatar customization and player-created spaces. Comparable conceptually but VR/PC-first rather than mobile-first.

Emerging players

• Rec Room: Cross-platform social gaming platform with avatar customization and player-created rooms. Comparable social/UGC loop but more game-oriented than fashion-oriented.

Others

• The Sandbox: UGC virtual world platform with avatar customization and creator marketplace. Comparable UGC economy and avatar concept, though blockchain-based and more game-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/highriseapp
• Facebookfacebook.com/highrisegame
• Instagraminstagram.com/highrise
• TikToktiktok.com/@joinhighrise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Highrise