Burning Man went virtual this year, and we all learned a lot in a hurry. It wasn’t the first festival to go all-online (Outside Inside Lands streamed on Twitch this year, and Glastonbury’s Shangri La went virtual as Lost Horizon), but virtual Burning Man certainly raised the bar for sheer size and audacity. Sure, there were performances, but Burning Man and events like it are about exploring places, art, and people. It’s close, but not there yet for me.

It’s technically been years in the making, but with only two weeks left before Burn Week it’s also time to finalize 3D models, particle effects, and interactions from dozens of theme camps participating in the BRCvr virtual world, as part of the globally-connected virtual Burning Man in 2020.