Should You Make Your Vtuber 2D or 3D?

A big choice to make...

VTubers come in various shapes, colors, sizes and most importantly, mediums. While the lines are blurring between them, 2D and 3D are still very different, meaning there are plenty of considerations to make when creating a VTuber. Here's what you should know:

Are 2D VTubers easy to make?

On a technical level, 2D is much easier to approach, any aesthetic or design you have can be achieved as long as you can illustrate it. Your imagination is pretty much the only limit.

However, 2D VTubers are still composed of images, so not only do they have a much more limited range of motion, but also need extensive and precise rigging to create the illusion that they're volumetric. Fortunately, there are plenty of artists who you can hire to help with that.

3D VTubers, on the other hand, have a much wider range of motion, and can be more expressive, the caveat being that they require more technical steps to create. You might also find that due to performance constraints or just the way topology works, more fantastical designs or unique aesthetics might be harder to achieve in 3D.

What apps can I make my VTuber with?

Compatibility is a big thing to consider. 2D VTubers are almost exclusively built for Live2D, and while there are a couple of alternatives, they are not nearly as popular. 3D on the other hand, has far more options such as VRoid Studio, VR Chat, Rokoko Studio and many more.

The downside being that controlling 3D VTubers tends to require a lot of (often expensive) equipment to stream accurate motion capture in realtime. This might be out of reach if you don't have a dedicated setup for streaming. On the flipside, most 2D VTubing software only requires a webcam/smartphone to operate, and is significantly easier to use on a regular basis.

All that being said, it's best to think of what's most important to the unique voice of your Vtuber and what medium best supports it.