Tim Ruse is the CEO and co-founder of Zero Latency, one of the global leaders in immersive entertainment working at the cutting edge of VR and location-based experiences. Under Ruse’s leadership, the company has experienced massive growth, now offering award-winning, mind-blowing adventures in over 20 countries for up to 8 customers at a time. Zero Latency has also partnered with the biggest names in the technology and gaming industry, including HTC, Ubisoft, Microsoft, and HP.
What was your journey like to get where you are?
I have always wanted to build a business. When Scott, Kyel, and I started Zero Latency, we were actually contemplating starting a drone company; we even had the business plan and funding requirements drawn up. But we were just too pumped about the potential of free-roam VR and thought “well, if it all doesn’t take off, at least we will get to play some awesome games.” I think that passion for the product was really key to the success of Zero Latency. We wanted to manifest the dream into reality to play what we built, as much as we wanted to build a business out of it.
In a simpler phrase, what is your company exactly doing?
Zero Latency is offering effortless, immersive experiences to visitors worldwide, allowing them to step into completely different, mind-bending worlds to play collaboratively with up to 7 friends.
What about Metaverse are you most excited for in the future?
While it’s still a work in progress, the metaverse is a fascinating concept. It will be shaped by the technology we use to access it, which could, of course, include virtual reality. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. At the core, both Zero Latency and the metaverse share a core principle: to connect people through unforgettable experiences.
Why should we be paying attention to the Metaverse?
Everyone is talking about Web 3, which reminds me of the early stages of VR technology. There’s a lot we’re still exploring in emerging technologies such as the metaverse – safety, for instance, is something that we really need to pay close attention to. In virtual reality worlds like those offered at Zero Latency, we can guarantee the content and experiences you’ll come across, but it’s different in interconnected spaces. There are measures being taken already to prevent safety threats, of course, and I think we can learn a lot from virtual reality experiences and how the industry has approached these issues.
