Khronos Publishes Release Candidate for glTF Gaussian Splatting Extension

• Khronos Group published a release candidate glTF extension that enables storage of 3D Gaussian splats in glTF 2.0.
• The organization opened the specification for industry feedback ahead of expected ratification in the second quarter of 2026.

Khronos Group released a draft update to glTF that adds support for 3D Gaussian splat data. The group said the rapid growth of Gaussian splatting could lead to fragmentation without standardization. The draft is open for industry feedback ahead of final approval.

The KHR_gaussian_splatting extension lets glTF 2.0 carry Gaussian splat data inside mesh primitives, defining attributes such as position, scale, orientation, color, and opacity, and specifying that these primitives are rendered as splats rather than triangles. Khronos described the extension as a way to integrate Gaussian splats into existing spatial data ecosystems, where they need to coexist with meshes, terrain, imagery, and other glTF assets. The specification also defines fallback behavior for viewers that do not support splatting, which Khronos linked to maintaining interoperability as use of Gaussian splats increases.

Several platforms, including CesiumJS, Esri ArcGIS, Niantic Spatial Scaniverse, and XGRIDS Lixel Cybercolor, are planning to support the draft. Khronos said the work was developed with contributions from Autodesk, Esri, NVIDIA, Niantic Spatial, and Bentley Systems, and that the proposal is now open for public review before a final decision by the 3D Formats Working Group.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

This brings Gaussian splatting out of one-off pipelines and into the same delivery layer used by the rest of the 3D ecosystem. If it sticks, it lowers friction between capture, tools, and platforms at a moment when splats are moving from experiments into production.

Source: Khronos Group

Disclosure: Tom Emrich has previously worked with or holds interests in companies mentioned. His commentary is based solely on public information and reflects his personal views.