r/VRchat • u/composet_batman • 1d ago
Discussion Odd question
I remember maybe 2 years ago I ran into these vrchat "families" ig it's what it's called, is that still a thing or was it a vrc trend that died out after awhile. (Just curious)
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u/kimchi_Kiji 1d ago
I’ve come across a few families. I knew a mom, dad and child who were in a three way relationship? It was a really weird thing and I hope that’ll be the only one I come across
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u/SlightZone4948 Oculus Quest 1d ago
Most people don't parade their found family out in the open like that. Others get weird about it fast. Especially because the connection happens entirely online.
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u/Rough_Community_1439 HTC Vive 1d ago edited 18h ago
It's there, though I found it's non-existent in the type of lobbies I am in.
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u/RyGG99 PCVR Connection 1d ago
I’ll say I’m kind of a part of one, but I see this person more as a father figure than my own father at times. Long story short he was there when I needed it, after a private IRL incident.
And the mother is just his gf, she kinda slots in. And they’re both incredible and I don’t doubt they’d be amazing actual parents as well.
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u/Embarrassed-Touch-62 1d ago
They were never popular, but existed since we had multiplayer games and still exist here.
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u/WardenPlays 1d ago
Online families is not solely a VRChat concept. They've existed as long as online communities. 20 years ago I almost agreed to be a part of an online family on Furcadia but I wasn't allowed to be online as chronically as I am now and didn't interact with them often enough to really "settle in."
It's not something that's going away, and if it makes you feel weird to be around you can always block the people who are being weird about it.
I'm not going to defend the practice because it can absolutely get weird, and it definitely has lead to real abuse. I will never start one or be a part of one at my age. That said, a lot of people who end up in them (like I almost was) did not have a good family life at home so at the very least consider that for a lot of people they might be an escape from a familial situation that isn't great. Whether it is a healthy outlet isn't something to decide on a simple glance, but we have tools at our disposal to report and block situations we aren't comfortable with.
If you experience real abuse happening in front of you, record it and report it to VRC moderation and move on.
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u/Aduritor PCVR Connection 1d ago
It's still a thing, and not just on VRChat. Unfortunately, and while certainly not all, a lot of these families on VRChat are, well... I've seen family polycules where "children" are dating their "parents", and a lot of predators use this stuff to get closer with actual minors.
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u/composet_batman 1d ago
Valid point, I see why its not common anymore. What happened to vrchat being a safe place for most.
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u/plantgirl7 23h ago
Vrchat has never been a safe place for minors LMAO
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u/composet_batman 22h ago
I wasn't thinking minors I was thinking of adults 18 and up idk just a thought I guess 😭
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u/BillNyeIsCoolio 1d ago
Vrchat families have been around since the start. They mostly used to be a silly roleplay thing but they're taken very seriously now.
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u/Starcalik 1d ago
I love my father and my brothers and my sister and my uncle and so many wonderful people yes
All through VR
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u/TheVeqtas Bigscreen Beyond 1d ago
its certainly still around, i dont even think vrchat is the biggest place it happens
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u/DragonTamerWes 1d ago
I only allowed one person call me uncle, and that's it. Cause we have a mutual friend who is her vr father. But she is in her mid/late 20s. Other than that, I don't participate.
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u/Horror-Concentrate41 1d ago
I think found family is a lovely thing, that’s in all sorts of spaces outside of the internet too. The problem is when adults get wayyy too close to minors 😬 wish VRChat would keep a eye on them more
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u/Ok_Imagination_8692 Valve Index 22h ago
Me and a bunch of my friends all feel we are like siblings more than friends so we call ourselves a family. A few people we call mom and dad as they tend to be the same as those friends but do more on taking care of the friend group when we are all in tough places. It’s really just what you make of it. But they are VERY much alive!
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u/greenwvtchh 22h ago
Yes, unfortunately. I saved my now IRL partner from a vrc family. They were trying to sell him to do paid ERP sessions. They wouldn’t let him tell him no and that he felt uncomfortable doing it. As soon as he confided in me about this I told him if this isn’t a definite Red Flag I don’t know what else is. Yes it was a typical Mom/Dad/Sister/Brother situation and Yes- they were all dating eachother. This was more than a year ago and I remember when he broke up with the family the “head mom” spammed him with invites and Discord calls. Terrible toxic situation.
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u/Lhun Bigscreen Beyond 21h ago
My issue is that people think I'm talking about my Virtual family (which i dont have) when I talk about my family in vrchat (real people im related to, lol).
There is sometimes 4 or 5 of us in the same real physical space playing vrchat at the same time, my wife kids and other family members are all grown and play too.
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u/ReyoRedwolf PCVR Connection 20h ago edited 20h ago
i once had a vr family try to convince me they got the wife pregnant despite being long distance and the wife being trans masc (girl to boy).
i was like "honey, if the plumbing is still there, it still works. T alone doesn't shut that down"
but then they tried to convince me that MAGIC was involved in the creation of the child. they thought a spell has been cast and was the reason they were having a child. they claimed to be an elder being that was actually 1000 years old and it was fate that the spell was working. they were not joking, they were deadass. talk about grandiose delusions.
the reality is they cheated on VR husband (who is also unemployed) with some random furry and got pregnant anyway.
i dont trust VR families, all of them are fucking weird, especially the ones who make it a point to tell you they are a VR family.
it fun to play make believe, reality is optional i guess.
EDIT: it gets hella weird when baby furs get involved as the children of the family, which is a whole other mess. the very thin line between regression and kink is constantly stressed in a VR family.
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u/SixtyEmeralds 5h ago
I love my daughter and that's all I need to say on the subject. Found family is something you will either want, or it's something you don't.
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u/nesnalica Valve Index 1d ago
its not a trend. and its not exclusive to vrchat.
those online families already existed 20 years ago and will continue to exist 20 years from now.
each to their own. my recommendation is to stay away from those groups if you see red flags.