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

Hi Richard, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The major theme behind my decision to start my own business revolved around following my instincts, interests, and passions, while also understanding the course of my destiny.

From a young age, I was deeply interested in video games and often connected with friends online. However, my initial career trajectory was in finance. While my family could provide resources in this domain, I felt it stifled my inherent drive for creativity and self-expression. After undertaking internships at several prestigious banking institutions, I realized that the work was monotonous, lacking in creativity, and devoid of innovative opportunities.

This led me to pivot towards the gaming industry. In 2015, I had the opportunity to visit some of the premier VR hardware and software companies in Beijing. Inspired by concepts like Sword Art Online and Oasis from Ready Player One, I became enamored with the idea of creating something similar. I truly believe that this form of immersive interaction has the potential to revolutionize our way of life by fostering deeper connections among individuals.

Fate brought me to USC, the birthplace of cutting-edge VR technology and renowned for its game study program. This advantageous environment enabled me to shift gears, declaring a Game Production minor and networking with like-minded peers.

After a rewarding internship at a B2B VR company in China, TEXA studio, I felt the urge to assemble my own team. My ultimate goal? To work towards the realization of a true “Metaverse.” I dedicated nearly a year to learning, networking, and working simultaneously to find the right collaborators and launch our initial project. Today, after a development phase of one and a half years, we’ve received approval on our first release platform.

What should our readers know about your business?
As of now, our startup is still working on releasing its first product. I would not call it a success in any way or form. However, I have the conviction that we will make it someday.

The story here is about “having a vision that you believe in, but most reject.” Unlike my attitude towards the XR industry, many of my friends and investors I’ve met are not optimistic about the XR industry in general. Many are hesitant and waiting to see a huge boom, similar to what ChatGPT did for AI.

However, I would argue that the true opportunity arises when you believe in something that no one else does. We have to bet on a future for something and invest in the industry before it reaches its peak in order to truly experience its success. XR is one such industry.

Sometimes, I found it hard to gather a team simply because few people were exposed to the true potential of XR. Yet many in my team chose to stay because they enjoyed the fun of immersive interactions. I hope that game-making will become as popular as CS in the future, so more talented individuals will start learning the basics of creating 3D apps instead of the 2D apps we’re accustomed to on our phones.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Griffith Observatory would be my favorite place to chill simply because I love tall views and nature. It is the perfect combination of both.

It’s a great place for a date, or just to watch the sun rise and set. I like to sit on the edge of the Observatory and have deep and meaningful conversations with someone I care about.

Good view, chill mood.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I think there is one book that completely changed my mind and definitely deserves a shout-out: “Tao Te Ching” written by Lao Zi.

It completely altered my attitude towards life and allowed me to understand the world from a viewpoint that few possess. It is a book about philosophy, science, real-life tips and tricks, and self-reflection.

If I were to summarize the part that resonates most with me, it would be, “If one wants to succeed in every aspect of life, he or she must co-exist with Tao (Dao).” Defining Tao precisely cannot be done in just a few words.

I recommend that anyone of any age read this book. It can provide inspiration from many angles.

Website: Here is my blog website: reflections-of-xuande.com; www.starrealmvr.com is the website for our project Star Realm VR

Twitter: @StarRealm_VR

Other: Discord Link is: https://discord.gg/DUqVcPA2cf

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