Google took to their company blog today to out WebVR experiments, and to let the Cardboard-using public know that they can now check out WebVR content. Until today, WebVR content on Android was limited to those who either had a Daydream-capable device, or a Samsung device that could be used with a Gear VR headset. For the time being, WebVR works best on Chrome for Android and iOS, but any browser with at least partial WebVR support will work on some level. The WebVR experiments all use different facets of the WebVR ecosystem, so while they should all work fully on the mobile versions of Chrome, those using other browsers are likely to experience bugs or run into things that are broken or not fully implemented.
There are a total of twelve experiments available as of this writing. Some of the cooler experiments on offer include a voice-controlled trip to faraway lands, a multiplayer game of VR ping pong, a “Musical Forest”, and a quirky romp where you take on the role of a donut. The WebVR experiment collection boasts no small number of titles developed either by or in cooperation with Google’s Creative Lab, but the collection is open for submission right now, giving independent WebVR developers a chance to try their hand at having their own creations added and getting the user traffic boost that comes with the placement.
The experiments work in 2D on just about any device if you don’t happen to have a VR headset lying around. WebVR compatibility on desktop is currently available through some variants of Firefox, but full support in Chrome is reportedly coming some time in the near future. Once it’s ready, both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive will be supported. There was no word on whether Chromebooks would support WebVR; it’s assumed that they would naturally gain support when desktop Chrome does, but Google didn’t make it clear how exactly that would work. Chromebooks’ low-powered hardware and relative lack of ports does not lend itself well to traditional PC-based VR, though a mobile-based or minimal solution of some sort is entirely possible.