"We had a whole biblical story about why this is a bad idea," but that's not stopping VRChat players from building what's essentially the Tower of Babel, one small brick at a time

VRChat Monument tower
(Image credit: VRChat Inc.)

VRChat is no stranger to real-life adjacent shenanigans, from hilarious McDonald's roleplays to wild virtual club nights – but Monument, a new in-game world in which players build a tall tower, might just boast one of the most unique group VRChat activities.

Every player can contribute to the tower in Monument, as long as they make the long trek up all the winding stairs to the top, where they can place their contribution – a brick. The official VRChat account on Twitter shows Monument builders in action in a recent post, dubbing it "the greatest community project" to come of the online game. "In this world, every player can contribute to a single, ever-growing monument synced across all instances of the world."

How do people get started once they've entered Monument? "Start by mining stone with a pickaxe. The stone drops rocks, which you can then chisel into bricks. Place the finished bricks into baskets, and once they're full, they're ready to be carried up the monument." It's a grueling path to the peak of the tower, but it's all worth "going up and up" the steps as "the monument grows taller" with the addition of each mined brick – a true team effort.

As everything is synced across instances, the tower "updates periodically" – and if it reminds you of another tower, perhaps a biblical one, you're not alone. Replies to VRChat's video highlight a variety of hilarious comments from fellow fans, many of which compare the big build to none other than the Tower of Babel. "This reminds me of another famous monument, but that one –," jokes one player. Indeed, that one never came to fruition.

Why? If you're not familiar with the myth, God didn't want it to. As another fan jests in the responses, "We had a whole biblical story about why this is a bad idea."

Others discuss their own experiences in the virtual world. "I was in an instance of this world with like 30 people, all the questies were put to work, and everyone on PC was getting drunk on the tower," writes a player – and as a VRChat frequenter myself, their account sounds about right.

Out of interest, I briefly hopped into an instance of Monument and… between the rainbow crayon chaos and the sheer height of the tower, it was overwhelming at best. Perhaps I'll make the journey to the top tonight and place a brick of my own.

Searching for more fun? Check out our roundup of the best VR games around right now.

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Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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