Interview, Fireside Chat, Other
Founding Stories: Sandbox VR
- The company anticipates evolving into a new media format by merging game agency with cinematic narrative, expecting the industry to progress from a "silent film era" of low production value to higher quality experiences that define new genres and conventions.
- Near-term plans include launching a next game this summer that replaces gun-based mechanics with non-shooting props and developing experiences focused on character identity and "embodiment" rather than specific settings.
- Future product roadmaps involve expanding the content portfolio beyond existing zombie and pirate themes to include e-sports, competitive, narrative, dance, and training experiences, alongside retail environments with no physical walls accommodating hundreds of players and immersive actors.
- Technological development focuses on investing in deep learning and computer vision to translate body pose, finger location, and audio into non-verbal communication like eye contact and smiles without requiring user-worn cameras, aiming to minimize hardware burden while maximizing expressivity.
- Financial and operational risks include a past 90% loss on a 2016 home VR title due to insufficient users, the immediate necessity of a seed round to prevent dissolution within a month, and the founders' personal financial risk involving their entire nest egg and reduced salaries during a six-month runway.
- The fundraising strategy involved a concentrated effort starting in late January to secure a term sheet by June, utilizing a database of over 400 investors and targeting a "status symbol" effect through social media virality to drive bookings within six months of the store's opening in late June.
- Early investor skepticism regarding motion sickness and business viability was noted, with several investors initially rejecting the pitch or Asian-based funds declining to travel, though some changed their views after experiencing the product.
- The team executed a rapid four-month development cycle from decision to market entry, aiming to prove the concept in Asia before expanding to the US to overcome investor skepticism about translating the idea to different markets.