Don and Ben sit down with Nathan Anderson and Wadooah Wali from New Canvas, a leading immersive media studio shaping the future of interactive storytelling and social VR gaming. The conversation explores how New Canvas approaches narrative worldbuilding and game development in XR, from initial creative concept to final platform deployment. They discuss the development process behind Pop and Drop, an accessible, cross-platform VR game, and share stories about collaborating with external creators, navigating platform quirks, and adapting pipelines to support both mobile and headset users.

🌍 Cross-platform XR storytelling: Web, mobile, and headset accessibility

🎮 Behind the scenes of Pop and Drop: Game mechanics, design decisions, and platform selection

🤝 Creative collaboration: Partnering with outside studios and creators to bring ideas to life

📱 Designing for accessibility: Building experiences that reach beyond core VR audiences

🔮 The future of immersive experiences: How New Canvas envisions the evolving VR/AR landscape

🛠️ Tools of the trade: Quill, Horizon Worlds, and choosing the right medium for the story

Whether you're a VR worldbuilder, immersive storyteller, or XR game developer, this episode offers deep insights into the art and craft of creating compelling, inclusive experiences in the spatial computing era.

~~~Connect With Us!~~~

Don's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkianian/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.dfk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dkianian

Website: https://dkianian.com/

Ben's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-veaner-7643a980/

Discord: https://bit.ly/HABITXR

Website: https://habitxr.net/

New Canvas Links

Website: https://newcanvas.co/

Nathan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanchrisanderson/

Wadooah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wadooah/

Pop & Drop: https://horizon.meta.com/world/700494979810910/

New Canvas Linktree: https://linktr.ee/NewCanvas

NC Play Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nc_play2025/

New Canvas Discord: https://discord.gg/f5meKUSNDp

New Canvas YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRqtp2GUr5KO1ynWmdy_4RA

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special midseason recap, co-hosts Don and Ben go guest-free to reflect on the evolution of the immersive tech landscape and forecast what's ahead for VR, AR, and AI-powered creation. They revisit highlights from earlier episodes featuring top creators like Emorgul, Arturo Perez (Kluge Interactive), and Jelitza Cintron—while connecting those conversations to major industry shifts happening right now.

Topics include:

🔮 The future of mixed reality (XR) and the pivot from VR headsets to mobile-first AR platforms

🤖 Generative AI in VR development: How tools like Meta’s AI-powered builders are reshaping game creation

🎮 Single-player vs. multiplayer in immersive games, including thoughts on the upcoming Deadpool VR release

🧠 XR for enterprise and business: Could 360° video and mixed-reality webinars find new life in B2B media?

🌱 Community-driven world-building: From Horizon Worlds hits like Plants & Bugs to collaborative storytelling

🎥 Content creation and platform culture: Why creators are gravitating toward Roblox, VRChat, Horizon, and beyond

🔥 Teasers for upcoming episodes with studios like New Canvas and reflections on standout moments from past guests

Whether you're a VR developer, immersive storyteller, AI enthusiast, or just curious about where spatial computing is heading, this episode is your pulse-check on the state of the industry in 2025.

📲 Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes featuring cutting-edge creators, toolmakers, and platform innovators shaping the worlds beyond.

~~~Connect With Us!~~~

Don's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkianian/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.dfk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dkianian

Website: https://dkianian.com/

Ben's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-veaner-7643a980/

Discord: https://bit.ly/HABITXR

Website: https://habitxr.net/

Yeet Yourself: https://horizon.meta.com/world/10162537277428570/

Pop & Drop: https://horizon.meta.com/world/700494979810910/

Bots!: https://horizon.meta.com/world/10163038930628570

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Don and Ben welcome Arturo Perez from Kluge Interactive, the acclaimed immersive game studio behind Synth Riders, Final Fury, and other hits spanning Apple Vision Pro, Oculus, PSVR, SteamVR, and more. Arturo dives deep into the philosophy and practical challenges of developing cross-platform VR games that are both genre-defining and widely accessible.

They explore the origins and evolution of Synth Riders, Kluge’s unique approach to carving out a niche in the crowded rhythm and fighting game genres, and how the team balances long-term player engagement with the desire to innovate. Arturo also shares lessons learned in adapting games across platforms, designing for different hardware constraints, and the growing importance of mobile-first and multiplayer-friendly VR experiences.

The episode also touches on the future of XR: ethical use of AI in game dev, trends in community-building, and the emerging divide between casual AR experiences and deeply immersive VR worlds.

Whether you're a VR developer, gamer, or just fascinated by the future of interactive entertainment, this episode is packed with insights from the front lines of immersive game design.

~~~Connect With Us!~~~

Don's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkianian/ 

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.dfk 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dkianian 

Website: https://dkianian.com/ 

Ben's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-veaner-7643a980/ 

Discord: https://bit.ly/HABITXR 

Website: https://habitxr.net/ 

Arturo's Links

Kluge Interactive Website: https://klugeinteractive.com/

Kluge Games TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@klugegames 

Synth Riders TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@synthridersvr  

Final Fury TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@finalfuryvr 

Chicken Tag: https://horizon.meta.com/world/659765143878855/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Don and Ben are joined by Eugene Morgulis—known in Horizon Worlds as Emorgul—a prolific creator recognized for his diverse, genre-spanning VR experiences and deep community engagement. Eugene discusses his creative journey on the platform, from building fantastical worlds to crafting more grounded, relatable experiences.

The conversation explores the evolution of creator tools in Horizon, including Meta’s new AI-powered mesh generation features, and how they’re reshaping workflows and accessibility for developers. Eugene shares his take on integrating AI into the creative process without losing the human spark, and where these tools fit into his “jack of all trades” approach to development.

They also dive into topics like mobile-friendliness, cognitive accessibility, world interactivity, and maintaining creative momentum. The episode wraps with a thoughtful discussion on building meaningful communities within virtual spaces and advice for new creators entering the world of Horizon.

Whether you’re a VR enthusiast, developer, or someone curious about the future of immersive experiences, this episode offers rich insights from one of Horizon’s standout voices.

~~~ Connect With Us! ~~~

Don's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkianian/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.dfk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dkianian

Website: https://dkianian.com/

Ben's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-veaner-7643a980/

Discord: https://bit.ly/HABITXR

Website: https://habitxr.net/

Eugene's Links

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emorgulis

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

Discord: https://discord.gg/qm9F8w4rGA

Website: https://www.emorgul.com/worlds

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Worlds Beyond Podcast, Don and Benjamin sit down with Scott Harris, also known as "Ubi," a veteran in the VR, XR, and AR industry. Scott Harris, a.k.a. "Ubi" in Horizon Worlds, has designed and created a number of immersive VR games and experiences, including Ubi'z Game Grid, Lore of Ubi, Petra, Ubi'z Diner Rush, and more. His experiences and worlds were some of the first, and most popular, attractions to the Horizon Worlds platform, cementing him as an influential force in how creators develop experiences in Horizon. Beyond that, he has also developed a number of interactive experiences for the likes of the Museum of Natural History, Toyota, and more.

Links mentioned in this episode

Scenery App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scenery-spatial-experiences/id6472496817

Table Soccer (Apple Vision Pro): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/table-soccer-azb-games/id6739331256

Table Soccer (Meta Quest): https://www.meta.com/experiences/table-soccer/26349748918004829/

Game Grid (Horizon Worlds): https://www.oculus.com/vr/3078778455555837/

Vizcom AI: https://www.vizcom.ai/

RecRoom Layoff Announcement: https://www.geekwire.com/2025/seattle-gaming-startup-rec-room-lays-off-16-of-staff-read-ceos-memo-to-employees/

RecRoom Memo to Employees: https://www.reddit.com/r/RecRoom/comments/1j2tg18/rec_room_lays_off_16_of_develop_team_with_notable/#lightbox

~~~ Connect With Us! ~~~

Don's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkianian/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.dfk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dkianian

Website: https://dkianian.com/

Ben's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-veaner-7643a980/

Discord: https://bit.ly/HABITXR

Website: https://habitxr.net/

Scott's Links

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

Website: https://scottharris.info/ 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing The Worlds Beyond Podcast, where we take a look behind the scenes at your favorite Mixed Reality experiences.

This monthly podcast is hosted by Don Kianian and Ben Veaner. In each episode, we'll look at some of the details that go into making immersive, fun VR worlds, featuring unique worlds and voices from across the creator community. Subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes!

In this episode of The Worlds Beyond Podcast, Don and Benjamin explore immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences and the creative processes behind them with guest, Jelitza Cintron, a talented designer with a strong background in fine arts, 3D modeling, and digital sculpting.

Jelitza shares her journey into VR, detailing how she transitioned from traditional art to designing virtual spaces. She discusses her collaboration with Benjamin on the Horizon Worlds platform and how she became involved in developing immersive environments. The conversation covers the evolution of VR design, the challenges of creating engaging experiences, and insights into the creative process behind world-building in digital spaces.

This episode provides a fascinating look into the intersection of art and technology, highlighting the future of virtual reality as a medium for creativity and interaction.

~~~ Connect With Us! ~~~

Don's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkianian/

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.dfk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dkianian

Website: https://dkianian.com/

Ben's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-veaner-7643a980/

Discord: https://bit.ly/HABITXR

Website: https://habitxr.net/

Jelitza's Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelitza-cintron-a082aa93/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Introducing The Worlds Beyond Podcast, where we take a look behind the scenes at your favorite Mixed Reality experiences.

This monthly podcast is hosted by Don Kianian and Ben Veaner. In each episode, we'll look at some of the details that go into making immersive, fun VR worlds, featuring unique worlds and voices from across the creator community. Subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes!

Connect With Us!

Don's Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dkianian/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dkianian/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.dfk
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dkianian
• Website: https://dkianian.com/

Ben's Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-veaner-7643a980/
• Discord: https://bit.ly/HABITXR
• Website: https://habitxr.net/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.