We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Ma and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
In 2016, I got my hands on a pair of hololenses and they blew my mind. The ability to incoporate gameplay into object in reality was a next generation experience to me. At that time I was borderline bored with trational video games, because the AAA games that are released each year simply feel like copy and paste products. I decided from that moment that I was going to work on innovative Mixed-Reality technoloies that can massively disrupt the market. As a result of this determination, I created an Arena-Size VR Multiplayer experience using Oculus Quest 2 as my graduation thesis at USC SCA Interactive Media and Game Design. The director of USC Games, Danny Bilson, saw the commercial potential of my thesis, so he put me in a post-graduation incubator program at USC.
During my time in the incubator program, I explored all the existing location-based VR experiences. I went to notable experiences like THE VOID, SANDBOX VR, DREAMSCAPE, and ZERO Latency, and I wasn not impressed. As a hardcore gaming fan who owns 1000+ games on STEAM, owns all gaming platforms and played all the huge hit games, I found the existing location-based VR experience to be tech-demos that try to act as a one-time attraction, instead of an actual game experience that people would devote their time into. I knew I could create an experience that is better in both gameplay design and quality.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The biggest difference is that I see games as an experience, rather than a piece of software. I believe most players play a game to enjoy an aspect of life that is otherwise difficult to experience for them. Thus, the more immersive the experience, the better the quality to players. When I think about the designs of my games, I dont think them features in a computer software. I try to make them as diegetic as possible. For example, in MetaArms, players don’t see User interface when they play. Critical information like their score, round time countdown, etc, are presented through a wrist watch on player’s left wrist. I made this design because people do not see any user interface in reality, and soliders in military actually do wear a wrist watch on their left wrist upsidedown.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Huntington Library! It is beatiful and huge! They also build new locations and are constatly hosting new events!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to Yan Luo for being my business mentor! Shoutout to Mike Fischer for being my advisor!
Shoutout to Danny Bilson for recognizing my works!
Shoutout to my partner Wenzhao Li, for trusting me!
Shoutout to my Mother for supporting me!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisma130/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/VXZyChzRHIQ

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