• 2 min read
Google open-sources its 3D emoji set
Google has open-sourced its 3D emoji as raw .OBJ files, inviting creators to use them in VR worlds, indie apps, and memes.
Image: The Verge
Google is making its 3D emoji set available for anyone to use, releasing the raw .OBJ files as part of its World Emoji Day coverage on Friday, July 18, 2026.
Image: Google
The company also offered a behind-the-scenes look at designing the pictograms. Moving from a 2D illustration to a 3D model raises questions that would otherwise be easy to ignore: Is a smiley face a sphere, a mask, or a flat disc?
Google says the files can be used to create “immersive VR worlds,” indie apps, or memes. The practical appeal of building a VR world from emoji remains unclear, though the company is handing the models to the community without restricting those uses.
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“We’re handing over raw .OBJ files to the community so they can use them to build immersive VR worlds, indie apps or weird memes.”
Google’s Noto Emoji 3D made its debut in May, but the initial response was decidedly mixed—represented by the 😬 emoji. The Verge’s Terrence O’Brien also questioned what users might actually make with the newly released models, joking that the results could resemble The Emoji Movie, “it won’t be good.”
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Yuki believes that a great product is defined by how it feels. She critiques software interfaces, hardware ergonomics, and the philosophy of design in tech. With a background in industrial design, she analyzes the subtle decisions that make tools intuitive or infuriating. She advocates for accessible, human-centric technology.
via The Verge
