The Obscura Society started with a compelling question — what happens when you turn one of the internet’s most beloved curiosity engines into a place you can actually step inside? Working with New Canvas, I led development on a persistent, browser-based social world built for Atlas Obscura and hosted on Viverse — their first foray into immersive, always-on digital spaces.

The entire experience runs in the browser using Three.js via React Three Fiber, with real-time multiplayer powered by LiveKit and Socket.IO, and a custom AI backend. There’s no app to download — visitors connect instantly from mobile, desktop or VR and share the space together.

The bartender isn’t a gimmick. It’s a fully conversational character that draws on Atlas Obscura’s archive to serve globally-inspired drinks — each one tied to a real story, a real place, a real tradition. Order a Fröccs or a Panther Milk and you’ll get the history behind it. It turns what could be a novelty into something genuinely engaging — a reason to stay, to ask another question, to come back.

Beyond the bar, the space is dense with detail. Atlas Obscura contributor photography lines the walls, an interactive world map connects to the full Atlas Obscura database, and portals link out to the Atlas Obscura VR app, articles, books and other experiences. It’s a space designed to reward exploration the same way Atlas Obscura’s editorial does — by making every corner worth investigating.

The Obscura Society is built as a living world. It evolves over time, with new content, conversations and discoveries surfacing with each visit. It was featured on The Verge and represents the first public release of New Canvas’s broader Lounge framework — a foundation for persistent, social worlds tailored to media and cultural brands.

All images courtesy of New Canvas.