Although many specialists believe VR is the future of gaming and esports, the growth we see in this gaming modality looks relatively slow. So, what is missing? What is keeping VR from going mainstream? Today’s guest, Jonathan Ovadia, can certainly help us clear this doubt.

Jonathan is the CEO and Founder of Aexlab Inc, the studio responsible for creating VAIL VR, the world’s number one VR esports game. He is also a lifelong gamer, an innovative entrepreneur, and a VR enthusiast. 

In this episode, we immerse ourselves into the VR world; Jonathan shows us the way through VR development and programming, from the hardships of hiring developers who can handle VR to solving VR’s programming complicated issues. We explore the differences between programming traditional and VR games and the passion needed to work in VR. Jonathan also talked about Aexlab’s creation, VAIL VR, how the project evolved through the years, and the crucial role its community played in its development and success. 

Resources:

Visit Aexlab’s website: https://aexlab.com/

Join VAIL VR’s Discord: https://discord.com/invite/vailvr

Or connect with Jonathan on social media:

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.ovadia/?hl=es

Full Episode Breakdown:

2:01 – Jonathan talks about how his passion for VR started.

6:13 – Jonathan and John discuss the explosion of games during COVID and the growth of VR during that time.

10:43 – Jonathan narrates the hardships of getting investors and describes the moment when he decided to turn his dream of VAIL VR into a reality.

15:23 – Jonathan talks about VR’s present and future and shares his thoughts on what is stopping VR from going mainstream.

18:03 – Jonathan explains the development process of VR.

23:24 – Jonathan talks about how hard it was for him to get developers for VAIL VR.

28:43 – John and Jonathan talk about the balance of paying attention to interactive details that make a VR game great and putting the effort to create a great game overall. 

32:13 – Jonathan talks about VAIL VR and what makes it a great game.

37:23 – Jonathan talks about what they are doing at Aexlab to take VAIL VR to the next level.

43:09 – Jonathan explains how VR’s viewer experience differentiates from traditional video games’ viewer experience and how VAIL VR differentiates from both.

47:18 – Jonathan shares a bit of what is coming next for VAIL VR in the following months.