VR Gaming Platforms

Story telling magic: In this immersive room you and your AI-adjusted shadow become part of a story of shadows. Whole space interacts with your movements and the light you carry.   A project by artist Joon Moon. On view at the G.MAP visual art center, Korea.   Here’s a longer description of the project:   “The viewer’s light moves the shade and shadows of an entire room that is an 8m x 8m x 4.2m immersive projection environment. It’s an interactive narrative in which the story progresses to next stages when the viewer finds and approaches the shadows who call him here and there. The total viewing time is about 14 minutes. The story was written so that all interfaces such as the viewer's light, the shadows, the optical illusion, and the immersive environment could be incorporated into the narrative. It intended the viewer to be engaged completely in the narrative.   The room was installed without any openings not only for surround projection, but also for the beginning of the story. Shadow kids are stuck in this room. They are flat shadows, but they become three-dimensional as the story progresses. Fishes jump out of the plane of the floor and swim in the air. In this optical illusion, the viewer deeply engages with the kids who make eye contact and take a light from the viewer’s hand. Using the light, the kids draw new shades and three-dimensional space. Doors open on the wall, and the kids explore the space hidden behind the room. Between 2D and 3D, they draw a pleasant story that the optical illusion creates.”   I’ve added the website of Joon Moon in the comments.

𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞? Another chance for metaverse thanks to AI? The Future Today Institute's "Technology Trends Report 2024" highlights the integration of AI for smarter virtual environments, advancements in VR/AR hardware, and the growing role of digital twins. It also addresses the ethical and privacy challenges of blending physical and digital worlds, signaling significant impacts ahead for the Metaverse. In a fascinating real-world application, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have brought the “Holodeck” concept from Star Trek to life. 𝐔𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 3𝐃 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬. This breakthrough allows for quick creation of virtual spaces, streamlining the training of AI and robots in diverse settings—from homes to public spaces—enhancing safety and efficiency in human-robot interactions. Breakthrough? #Metaverse #TechTrends #AI #VirtualReality #AugmentedReality #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfWork #Innovation

Imagine AI and AR VR coming together to create experiences so real and adaptive that they reshape entire industries in ways we have never seen before. I still remember the first time I tried an AR demo years ago. It felt magical, like stepping into another world. But once the excitement faded, I realised something important. The experience wasn’t built for me. It was generic, awkward, and didn’t feel practical in the real world. Things are very different today. AI has become the missing piece that makes AR and VR actually useful. It is no longer about putting on a headset just to see something cool. With AI, these experiences can now feel personal, adaptive, and relevant. Why AR VR is becoming the next big growth engine for AI startups • Personalization at a new level AI can make immersive experiences truly unique. A virtual store can rearrange itself based on your preferences, and a training module can change as you learn. • Faster and cheaper development Building AR VR content once took months and large budgets. Generative AI can now create assets and environments in days, making it easier for startups to experiment and launch quickly. • Clear use cases with real impact From trying on clothes virtually to training doctors for surgeries to creating interactive classrooms, these applications are no longer futuristic concepts. They are solving real problems. • Smarter products through better data Every AR VR interaction generates valuable data. AI can analyse this to make products more engaging, improve retention, and open up new ways to monetise. • A space investors are starting to take seriously The combination of AI and AR VR is gaining investor attention as they now see clear commercial value in startups merging intelligence with immersive experiences. I truly believe AR VR is finally moving beyond being just a wow factor. When powered by AI, it has the potential to create experiences that are meaningful, personal, and valuable. The startups that find the right way to combine these technologies will be the ones shaping the next wave of digital transformation. What is one AR VR AI use case you have seen recently that made you think this could really change how we live or work? #Startups #Tech #Innovation #DigitalTransformation

I just posted an epic, 17-episode Voices of VR podcast series on the intersection of XR & AI featuring lots of immersive artists & XR devs who are looking at how generative AI & conversational interfaces via Large Language Models & GPT are revolutionizing production pipelines & experiential design with intelligent NPCs and AI agents. Things are evolving quickly, and this series should help ground some of the promises and perils of AI. Total run time is 13 hours & 50 minutes that contains a survey over the last 4 months from NewImages, Laval Virtual, AWE, & Tribeca Immersive. (Rough transcripts are included) 1253: XR & AI Series Kickoff with Evo H. on a Promptcraft Guide to Generative Media 1254: Using AI to Upskill Creative Sovereignty with XR Artist Violeta Ayala 1255: Using GPT Chatbots to Bootstrap Social VR Spaces with “Quantum Bar” Demo with Christina Christina "XaosPrincess" Kinne & Guillermo Valle Perez 1256: Using GPT for Conversational Interface for Escape Room VR Game "The Unclaimed Masterpiece" with Alizee Calet & Maël Sellier 1257: Talk on Preliminary Thoughts on AI: History, Ethics, and Conceptual Frames with Kent Bye 1258: Using XR & AI to Reclaim and Preserve Indigenous Languages with Michael Running Wolf 1259: AWE Panel on the Intersection of AI and the Metaverse with Amy LaMeyer, Tony Parisi, Alvin Wang Graylin, & Kent Bye 1260: Using ChatGPT for XR Education and Persistent Virtual Assistant via AR Headsets with Javier Fadul 1261: Using ChatGPT for Rapid Prototyping of Tilt Five AR Applications with CEO Jeri Ellsworth 1262: Using in AI in AR Filters & ChatGPT for Business Planning with Educator Don Allen Stevenson III 1263: MeetWol AI Agent with Niantic, Overbeast AR App, & Speculative Architecture Essays with Keiichi Matsuda 1264: Inworld.ai for Dynamic NPC Characters with Knowledge, Memory, & Robust Narrative Controls with Matthew Kim 1265: Integrating Generative AI into Live Theatre Performance in WebXR with OnBoardXR with Brendan Bradley 1266: Converting Dance into Multi-Channel Generative AI Performance at 30FPS with "Kinectic Diffusion" with Brandon Powers 1267: Frontiers of XR & AI Integrations with ONX Studio Technical Directors & Sensorium Co-Founders with Matthew Niederhauser & John Fitzgerald 1268: Survey of Open Metaverse Technologies & AI Workflows by Adrian Biedrzycki 1269: Three XR & AI Projects: "Sex, Desire, and Data Show," "Chomsky vs Chomsky," and "Future Rites" with Sandra Rodriguez Links to all episodes here: https://lnkd.in/gvdDhCdG ICYMI: bonus episodes already published: 1242: Poetic Generative AI Film “In Search of Time” Uses Style Transfer To Explore Childhood Memories with Pierre Zandrowicz & Matt Tierney 1233: Intersection of AI and Spatial Computing for XR Accessibility with Mozilla’s Liv Erickson Thanks & help spread the word! Consider supporting my work on Patreon! Enjoy the series!

The next era of NPCs will no longer be just background characters... They’re becoming generative AI agents: dynamic characters capable of reasoning, remembering, and engaging in real-time with human players. Exciting? Absolutely. Imagine the immersive worlds in upcoming games like GTA 6, populated with advanced NPCs that feel genuinely alive. But in gaming, nothing stays on rails. We all know gamers are masters at pushing boundaries. Players poke, provoke, and push everything to its limits, especially online. We already know what happens when there's no moderation. Now imagine that, but through AI-driven characters speaking live in your open world. People are incredibly creative (trust me, I see this behind the scenes) and relentless in exploring AI boundaries. Without robust guardrails, these intelligent NPCs can swiftly shift from compelling companions to serious liabilities spouting misinformation, offensive language, or even enabling abusive interactions. At ActiveFence, we’ve been working with partners like NVIDIA to bring real-time safety infrastructure to generative NPCs. Not just ''filters'' but context-aware, policy-driven systems that can red team scenarios, moderate live outputs, and keep interactions aligned with player expectations and platform values. Real-time immersion demands real-time responsibility. Because if you’re giving your NPCs the power to think... you’d better be thinking just as hard about how to keep them in check.

Arrowhead Game Studios have leveraged/co opted social media platforms as their own #marketing arm. How they did it, and how you can too. While typical campaigns in the genre revolve around seasonal roadmaps spearheaded and amplified by the developers themselves across social media, Arrowhead opted for a different strategy: 1. Releasing patches to address issues and implement quality of life changes. 2. Arrowhead would announce these fixes and alterations. 3. The patch would also introduce new content. 4. They would then maintain secrecy regarding the specifics of the new content, or if they exist at all. This in practice, done over and over again, achieves the following: ➸ Patches are perceived almost like huge loot boxes: Players anticipate the introduction of some form of new content within each patch, fostering excitement regardless of its significance. ➸ Every update transforms into an Easter Egg hunt, prompting players to eagerly seek out hidden elements. ➸ This excitement extends to content creators, who strive to be among the first to discover and share the new content, fueling their own creative endeavors. ➸ Once uncovered, social media platforms become inundated with player-shared content, contributing to the perception of a game is alive and ever evolving, thus driving players to return to the game if they churned out to see the new content for themselves, or, drive new players into the game. Over two months from the launch of Helldivers 2, and I have yet to see the comment "dead game" thrown out describing the game, which is a feat in and of itself.

🌍 XR: USA vs Europe vs China – Three Different Paths to the Same Future The XR (AR/VR/MR) market is evolving rapidly, but the trajectories differ significantly across China, the USA, and Europe. China: AR and AI Glasses on the Rise In Q1 2025, consumer XR device sales hit 147,000 units (+26.7% YoY). 91,000 AR glasses (+116%) 🚀 56,000 VR/MR headsets (−24%) 📉 71,000 AI glasses (+193%) 🤖 👉 Clear signal: China is betting big on lightweight, intelligent glasses, while traditional VR is losing momentum. USA: Meta Dominates, but “Glasses-First” is the Trend Globally, XR grew +18.1% YoY in Q1 2025. Meta (Quest line) = 50.8% market share 🏆 Trend: smart glasses are eating into traditional VR 🕶️➡️🎮 👉 In the US, big players (Meta, Apple, Google) lead the way, focusing on mass consumer adoption. Europe: XR as an Industrial Ecosystem While precise unit sales are limited, Europe shows strong momentum: - Market value expected between €35–65 billion by 2025 💶 - Up to 2.4 million new jobs (800k directly XR-related) 👩💻👨🏭 - Ecosystem driven by 90%+ innovative SMEs 🌱 👉 Europe’s focus is on sectoral applications (manufacturing, healthcare, tourism, education) rather than hardware battles. ✨ Three Visions, One Future China = scale and AI-first USA = dominance and consumer-first Europe = ecosystem and industry-driven 🔖 Hashtags: #XR #AR #VR #MR #AIglasses #SmartGlasses #Innovation #FutureTech #DigitalTransformation #Metaverse ❓ Question for you: Which model do you think will truly lead the next XR revolution? 👉 China’s AI & AR-first approach 👉 The US consumer-driven market 👉 Or Europe’s industry-focused ecosystem?

🥽 𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧 🌍🙌 What happens when immersive tech creates not just presence, but empathy? 🧭 → 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 ‘𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼’𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 Built for Apple Vision Pro by T Brand Studio for the Gates Foundation, this spatial experience transforms abstract vaccine logistics into something deeply human. You don’t just watch a video you stand inside a real 360° moment. What begins as a scrollable intro leads you into a virtual scene: you’re suddenly in the courtyard of a remote African school, surrounded by voices, textures, and time. It’s not fiction. It’s presence. 🧠 → 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 Cold chain equipment isn’t explained. It appears in front of you – full scale, interactive, immediate. 🎥 → 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝟯𝟲𝟬° 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 You’re standing inside real schools. Real villages. You hear local voices. It’s not a simulation. It’s a virtual experience you feel. 📡 → 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 A final button appears: Take Action. It works because the experience lets you feel before it asks you to think. 💬 → 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘆 Presence is not visual. It’s emotional. Good spatial storytelling isn’t loud. It’s layered. And sometimes, the best way to teach is to let people experience truth directly. 🎧 → 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 & 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 The full breakdown is in the video below – scripted and captured with immersive design awareness in mind. 🤗 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲, Ulrich Buckenlei for more insights into Mixed Reality, immersive learning, and XR strategy. 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗦 & 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 · 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁 · 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲: 𝗨𝗹𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗕𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗹𝗲𝗶 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻: 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘆: 𝗧 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 × 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹 & 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 #MixedReality #SpatialComputing #XRForGood #AppleVisionPro #ImmersiveStorytelling #VirtualReality #PoliosLastMile #3DInteraction #EmpathyDesign #VirtualExperience #BillGates #XRDesign #RealityDesigners

NEWS 24 Magazine THANK YOU!!!! Headline: Victoria Bousis: The Greek American who created the first hyper-realistic and interactive digital copy of a living human in VR! Stay Alive My Son The Cambodian genocide and the true story of a tragic father, told through the emotional complexity of a VR film and a metahuman protagonist, Pin Yathay, who currently lives in France, shares his personal story through his book "Tu Vivras, Mon Fils" ("Stay Alive, My Son"), in an effort (amongst many appeals to the international community) to reunite with his son, whom he was forced to abandon to keep him alive. The faith and dedication he has shown during this quest for reunification was what inspired Victoria Bousis to tell the story, but in a different way. A chance encounter that became an opportunity, coupled with technology, which became the vehicle that conveyed a true, living story and proved that innovation can become a tool of empathy and solidarity. During a trip, our main character's book fell into the hands of the Greek-American (whose family originated from Arcadia) who was inspired by it and turned it into a VR cinematic and interactive masterpiece. It was Victoria’s directorial debut, in which she pioneered the first hyper realistic digital human replica - the elderly Yathay Pin, the first Metahuman in VR - giving her an innovation award and us a unique experience. Feeling human pain through a pair of glasses Through a VR headset you experience firsthand and unfold a real story. In a - technologically flawless - realistic setting, starting from the living room of his house, while a television shows real footage of survivors' testimonies, you hear the personal experience and feel the despair of Yathay, before he transports you to the dystopian terrain of horror. You faithfully follow the main character and you become one with him, as you are choosing his movements. You feel him, you empathize with him, you think you can touch him.The awe you feel of this piece of technology merges with the compassion you feel rising within you, creating an internal battle of emotions. The illusion of augmented reality against the eerie impasse of real human suffering. Digital innovation on one hand and deep sadness on the other. A digital environment on the one hand that is sucking you in and on the other, the revival of a human tragedy unfolding in front of you. Voices, cries, despair for a family that is falling apart, but also anxiety for the fate of the hero you are handling, in a dramatic film that feels more like a video game. Victoria Bousis made something majestic. A modern yet very human narrative, an act of solidarity to keep alive Yathay's hope of finding his son, a righteous and humancentric use of technology offering us some history lessons too. https://lnkd.in/dX7QbWHV

The biggest problem for independent VR studios isn’t product-market fit. It’s market access. You already have a product—just not a market you’ve bothered to knock on yet. Case in point: ASICS x Meta. ASICS wanted in on gaming—but not on a console or PC game that reinforces the stereotype of gamers glued to a couch. Their brand is about movement. So they backed a VR ping-pong game. Fresh. Unexpected. And suddenly kinda relevant. ASICS got culture cred. Meta's Quest audience loves fitness. That’s market access. When I was at Ubisoft, we had this mid fitness game. Pretty decent game but nothing to differentiate it. We hit up Gold’s Gym. No one in gaming had ever called them. They didn’t ask for backend or rev share. They just wanted advertising. Suddenly this “meh” fitness game became Gold’s Gym: Cardio Workout. It blew up. Gold's Gym got exposure to a new audience outside of their gymrat culture. Ubisoft got brand streetcred—and we didn’t pay a single dime for the license. Gold. If your VR game is good but cant get traction out of App Lab, find a brand that together; can smash. Together, you create cultural value and unlock an audience. Most brands are just waiting for someone to show them what’s up. 🔝😎 https://lnkd.in/gS6yAf63 #VR #GamingIndustry #MarketAccess #BrandPartnerships #XR #GameDev #VirtualReality #FitnessTech #Collaboration #MarketingStrategy