# Developer Update - 9 April 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** Dev Updates\ **Created:** [April 9, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173 "2026-04-09T18:19:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![EksCelle](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/ekscelle/32/38401_2.png) [@EksCelle](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/EksCelle)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/23 "2026-04-09T18:47:36Z")
> [@strasz](#): > > ## Avatar Performance Gated Group Instances It’s about damn time. Now please add hard limits for uploaded avatars and maybe this game might have a chance of having decent performance. ---
**Author:** ![Reimajo](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/reimajo/32/1084_2.png) [@Reimajo](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/Reimajo)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/24 "2026-04-09T18:47:59Z")
Performance-gated instances will make hosting big events so much easier! We wasted 99% of our moderators’ time telling people to switch avatars, so this is a huge improvement for us. As others pointed out already, we also need some handling regarding cross-platform events. People can have an avatar that is good on PC but very poor on Quest, or vice versa. The current VRChat UI does not show you your performance ranking on different platforms. Having the ability to set different limits for Quest and for PC would be the best solution for us. We care about the limits on PC, not so much on Quest. We do, however, care about Quest users having a PC avatar with a good performance rank. Quest users who have a “Very poor” PC avatar are common, and they don’t even know that this is the case. How can people know which avatar is ok to use both on PC and on Android? The menu would have to show them that. ---
**Author:** ![mackandelius](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/mackandelius/32/12228_2.png) [@mackandelius](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/mackandelius)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:48pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/25 "2026-04-09T18:48:04Z")
The point of the feature to me is not needing to control what I see, if everyone is forced to poor then I will most likely be able to show everyone without any serious performance issues. While VRC isn’t hard forcing people to use more optimized avatars, it is a _heavy_ nudge to know that your very poor avatar is only visible to you. ---
**Author:** ![codel1417](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/codel1417/32/7462_2.png) [@codel1417](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/codel1417)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/26 "2026-04-09T18:49:29Z")
It sorta is “hard forcing” people to use “optimized” avatars since there is no local control ---
**Author:** ![valenvrc](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/valenvrc/32/45296_2.png) [@valenvrc](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/valenvrc)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:50pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/27 "2026-04-09T18:50:25Z")
Amazing update! Now that we have this could you consider exposing avatar performance ranking to udon? it would be nice to allow/restrict access to specific zones that may be too crowded or have heavy visuals ---
**Author:** ![moonorama](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/moonorama/32/20314_2.png) [@moonorama](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/moonorama)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:50pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/28 "2026-04-09T18:50:44Z")
Loving the new avatar perf restrictions. Question, can it be toggled on after the instance is made? Like an item/print? I would assume it’s like age verification. Just wondering. ---
**Author:** ![dark](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/dark/32/40325_2.png) [@dark](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/dark)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:53pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/29 "2026-04-09T18:53:46Z")
> [@strasz](#): > > After your instance is created, any user that attempts to join your instance with an avatar that violates the performance limit will see a warning pop-up. The user is still free to join the instance in their current avatar, but from other player’s perspectives, they’ll appear as their fallback avatar or an impostor. I’m surprised this is the default behavior. I guess it makes sense, but I would’ve also expected the option to just prevent someone from joining outright. This is primarily useful for event organizers trying to curate an experience, since fallbacks/impostors can distract from that experience. > [@skyispoggers](#): > > That sucks, I probably won’t use this in group events I host then. I’ll also probably not attend events where I can’t control what I see. To be clear: It’s a “one bad apple ruins it for the bunch” scenario. Just because you might have a very poor that is optimized and have a good PC that can handle other VPs, doesn’t mean the entire instance will be that way. The point of this feature is to enforce and consistent experience. Users overriding this feature, as they mentioned, would entirely defeat the point of this feature existing. I see this as a really important step to encouraging people to create optimized avatars. My most recent avatar is one that I did not really care about optimizing that well and has some clothing options and other choices, and is still medium. > [@Nanochip](#): > > inb4 Group Publics enforce poor or better, but only their patrons/donators can bypass the restriction. Calling it now. 😬 I do agree and find legitimate concern in this. Without considering the scope further, I’d argue that paying for access to this feature should be a violation of the platform rules, since it is in bad faith and ruins the point of the feature. That money could instead be spent towards avatar creators who make optimized avatars. > [@EksCelle](#): > > Now please add hard limits for uploaded avatars and maybe this game might have a chance of having decent performance. They semi-recently already did. Primarily, there is a 500 MB uncompressed limit on avatars. > [@valenvrc](#): > > Amazing update! Now that we have this could you consider exposing avatar performance ranking to udon? it would be nice to allow/restrict access to specific zones that may be too crowded or have heavy visuals Make sure to maky a canny post about it and share it. That’s the best/only way to get features implemented. ---
**Author:** ![NGenesis](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/ngenesis/32/23586_2.png) [@NGenesis](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/NGenesis)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:54pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/30 "2026-04-09T18:54:35Z")
If I can’t disable the performance gating locally this is a terrible addition to the platform, I want control over what I can see at all times regardless of how good or bad performance may be. ---
**Author:** ![dark](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/dark/32/40325_2.png) [@dark](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/dark)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:55pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/31 "2026-04-09T18:55:22Z")
> [@NGenesis](#): > > If I can’t disable the performance gating locally this is a terrible addition to the platform, I want control over what I can see at all times regardless of how good or bad performance may be. Event/Group organizers should and do have a right to enforce an experience for their instances above what the users desire. If you are joining someone else’s experience, it is YOUR duty as a person to respect those decisions. If you don’t agree, you can simply _not attend_. ---
**Author:** ![WubTheCaptain](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/wubthecaptain/32/43797_2.png) [@WubTheCaptain](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/WubTheCaptain)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:55pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/32 "2026-04-09T18:55:23Z")
> [@strasz](#): > > ## Avatar Performance Gated Group Instances Will the avatar SDK be updated to include a warning about potential performance blocking of Medium rated avatars in these instances? Currently, the SDK only shows a warning about Poor & Very Poor avatars may be blocked by users, therefore this is a change of expectations for creators (and users). ---
**Author:** ![Nanochip](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/nanochip/32/29011_2.png) [@Nanochip](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/Nanochip)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:55pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/33 "2026-04-09T18:55:23Z")
> [@dark](#): > > I do agree and find legitimate concern in this. Without considering the scope further, I’d argue that paying for access to this feature should be a violation of the platform rules, since it is in bad faith and ruins the point of the feature. That money could instead be spent towards avatar creators who make optimized avatars. 100% agreed. ---
**Author:** ![SketchFoxsky](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/sketchfoxsky/32/45297_2.png) [@SketchFoxsky](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/SketchFoxsky)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:55pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/34 "2026-04-09T18:55:47Z")
Everything seems to be looking good! I will still love to see some work on a new character controller. With how often we’re doing space jams it would be nice to have a character controller that can actually have directional gravity! Or at least a new VRC station that doesnt destroy the IK and lock desktop players in a pose that way we can at least make our own in the current state of the game. ---
**Author:** ![Ericbazinga](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/ericbazinga/32/27355_2.png) [@Ericbazinga](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/Ericbazinga)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:55pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/35 "2026-04-09T18:55:52Z")
> [@strasz](#): > > That said, **you are not allowed to override the instance level restrictions to make other’s appear, even if you force-show their avatar or are friends.** This is to prevent the slightly awkward dynamic of players asking others to show their avatar, thus defeating the point of the feature. I think this is a good idea on paper but players **should** have the ability to override it. I think adding a performance rank symbol or a warning popup to the “show avatar” button to indicate they’re wearing a Very Poor would be enough to deter most users. You should be able to force-show your friends’ avatars, period. They’re your friends, you trust them. ”No” is a perfectly acceptable answer to “hey man, show my avi”. ---
**Author:** ![Husker\_XIII](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/husker_xiii/32/45850_2.png) [@Husker\_XIII](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/Husker_XIII)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/36 "2026-04-09T18:58:06Z")
So you’ll allow others to gate keep people for using avatars they love all because people for some reason are ignorant of safety settings. Avatars are an expression of oneself and now you’re letting people tell others they can’t be themselves by implementing this. My group will not use such a draconian feature and shame on the people cheering on such a violation of identity. ---
**Author:** ![Reimajo](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/reimajo/32/1084_2.png) [@Reimajo](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/Reimajo)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/37 "2026-04-09T18:58:45Z")
> [@strasz](#): > > I (personally!!!) think that this sort of system creates social pressure to optimize your avatar. If all of your friends can simply turn on your avatar, what pressure is for you to actually fix the inherent issues with your avatar? 🙂 As someone who hosts events, I wish the feature would go even further and not even allow people to join the instance without switching avatar first. And once you are in the instance, you cannot switch to a poor performance. Why? Well, we tried the popup message already. People cannot and won’t read. A popup message is quickly closed. Worlds have no access to performance ranks via Udon, so they cannot remind the user until they will switch avatars. Some events, like ours, want to show all avatars in a livestream and not their imposters or fallbacks. There will be people who don’t switch and then they are disappointed to learn later that only their fallback was shown in the stream (this happened when our stream user blocked people based on performance). ---
**Author:** ![RainyVR](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/rainyvr/32/28602_2.png) [@RainyVR](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/RainyVR)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:59pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/38 "2026-04-09T18:59:09Z")
Love how the music scene can complain about something for 1-2 weekends on social media and get a feature added for them. How about adding exceptions for stream camera alts to age verification bypass? Like we’ve been asking for since before the feature was implemented. ---
**Author:** ![dark](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/dark/32/40325_2.png) [@dark](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/dark)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:59pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/39 "2026-04-09T18:59:10Z")
> [@Ericbazinga](#): > > I think this is a good idea on paper but players **should** have the ability to override it. I think adding a performance rank symbol or a warning popup to the “show avatar” button to indicate they’re wearing a Very Poor would be enough to deter most users. > > You should be able to force-show your friends’ avatars, period. They’re your friends, you trust them. > > ”No” is a perfectly acceptable answer to “hey man, show my avi”. I understand the point. However, I’d argue that it still defeats the purpose of the feature. The point of this feature, to my understanding, is for the event organizers to enforce an expectation of the experience they are curating. If half of the instance is your friends and they are all in Very Poor avatars, then it entirely defeats the purpose of having the restriction in the first place. People will not have incentive to swap to a better avatar. I just really do not think this feature would work if there was any way to bypass it _except_ for group administrators having the ability to hand out permission for it. Remember: The limits are optional and how it is enforced is still mostly up to the group themselves. ---
**Author:** ![codel1417](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/codel1417/32/7462_2.png) [@codel1417](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/codel1417)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:59pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/40 "2026-04-09T18:59:18Z")
Is a user using a fallback/imposter that detrimental to the experience? ---
**Author:** ![WubTheCaptain](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/wubthecaptain/32/43797_2.png) [@WubTheCaptain](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/WubTheCaptain)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 6:59pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/41 "2026-04-09T18:59:22Z")
> [@strasz](#): > > ## Avatar Performance Gated Group Instances Are there current plans to extend blocking of Medium rated avatars to the “Block Poorly Optimized Avatars” setting, to a minimum of Good rated avatars? Currently, the available options are “Don’t Block”, “Very Poor” and “Poor and below” on Windows. ---
**Author:** ![Sai](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/vrchat/user_avatar/ask.vrchat.com/sai/32/22188_2.png) [@Sai](https://ask.vrchat.com/u/Sai)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2026, 7:00pm UTC](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173/42 "2026-04-09T19:00:54Z")
> [@Patroll](#): > > Will take this opportunity to ask: > Any official info on this or is it not an official event? This is an official meetup that is co-hosted by us at TwitchCon. We’ll have a few developers at the con. [Previous page](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173.md?page=1) [Next page](https://ask.vrchat.com/t/developer-update-9-april-2026/48173.md?page=3)