Leonam Max is the co-founder of Outrun Digital, a media & content production startup focused in VR Esports with its first league, called High School Heroes Esports League. Made exclusively for high schools worldwide, it’s mission is to present educators with the various use cases for virtual reality as an upgrade in classrooms as well as a healthy and pandemic-safe extra-curricular activity for students during these trying times. Leo was born in Brazil and has been living in the United States for over 5 years, working exclusively in the VR Industry for the past 4 years. Leo also manages the Hero Hangout VR Arcade in San Mateo, CA and works as a VR LBE Consultant for other VR arcade owners.
How did you get started in the industry?
I got started in VR by working for a company that no longer exists now but rented VR booths for corporate events, happy hours and birthday parties. It was a really great time and a wonderful learning and networking opportunity and I would do it all again.
What drew you to VR specifically?
The immersion and connection that is as close as possible to reality are definitely the main points that draw me into VR. The possibility of doing anything you do in real life as well as some things you could never do -flying like Superman for example- are the ones that draw me into VR Gaming specifically. After I started playing VR Games it’s been really hard to go back to “flat”, or as we call it, “pancake” games.
What does your work aim to say?
Through my VR esports league for high schools I aim to show educators that VR can be applied in almost all classrooms and is an effective tool that all schools should have to be prepared should they ever need to go remote again, avoiding the “zoom fatigue” we all know and suffer from now. For parents and fans I aim to show them VR Gaming is a perfect alternative to exercising that is equally immersive and attractive both to players and viewers.