Bobby Voicu, XR influencer, CEO and Co-Founder, MixRift – Interview Series

Bobby Voicu, XR influencer and CEO and Co-Founder of MixRift, leads the company in utilizing mixed reality (MR) technology to enhance the gaming experience. MixRift aims to make gaming more interactive, accessible, and enjoyable for players globally. Its games are designed with intuitive features that seamlessly integrate into users’ daily lives, offering immersive adventures that feel like an extension of reality.

The company focuses on creating impactful gaming experiences while fostering a community of players who are engaged in shaping the future of MR gaming.

You’ve had an impressive journey as a serial entrepreneur, starting businesses as early as 16. How did your early experiences shape your approach to founding gaming and tech companies?

My journey in the industry began with passion for gaming – something I did outside of work to relax. I have spent years immersed in gaming and I previously co-founded a mobile game studio in 2012, called Mavenhut. After a successful exit, I then moved away from gaming in 2016, only to return to the industry with the launch of MixRift, a mixed reality gaming company I co-founded with David Pripas, an official Meta AR Partner who serves as our CPO, and Andrei Vaduva, our CTO.

I’ve been an entrepreneur since I can remember. I started building online projects in 2004 but our venture into mixed reality gaming is the natural evolution of our passion for and expertise in the gaming industry. David, Andrei and I recognised the transformative potential of mixed reality before it became a buzzword.

What motivated you to transition into mixed reality gaming after your successful exit from MavenHut?

MixRift was established with the vision of tapping into the immense potential of the MR gaming market and leading the charge in this rapidly developing sector. We saw a major opportunity: while the demand for MR experiences continues to grow, there’s a noticeable shortage of premium MR games. This gap presents a compelling challenge, and we are well-positioned to address it, as we are innovative, nimble and we focus on accessible, mass-market experiences.

The global MR market is forecast to reach $58.3 billion by 2030, with an impressive CAGR of 71.3%. This growth is largely driven by tech giants like Meta and Apple. A recent study revealed that 52% of consumers express increased interest in AR and mixed reality when associated with Apple, with 38% indicating a likelihood to purchase an Apple offering. Meanwhile, Meta has reportedly sold over 20 million Quest headsets, demonstrating that consumers are eager to embrace this technology when priced appropriately. We expect another huge spike in the conversation when the company launches the Meta Quest 3S, which is rumoured to be cheaper than the original Quest 3.

We’ve spotted a great opportunity in the space: while demand for mixed reality experiences is skyrocketing, there’s a significant lack of standout MR games. This gap is where we want to make our mark. We’re not just looking to ride the wave of innovation — we aim to define it,  crafting immersive, game-changing experiences that push the limits of what’s possible in the industry.

Can you share the vision and initial spark that led to the founding of MixRift? How did your team come together?

Our mixed-reality studio emerged from a shared vision to transform gaming through emerging technology. With core expertise in immersive gaming, we spotted the potential of mixed reality long before its mainstream emergence.

I had previously worked with David and Andrei and we recognised a significant gap in the market: while user demand for mixed reality experiences is surging, there’s a notable scarcity of high-quality MR games. This disparity presented an unmissable opportunity that we’re poised to address.

You mentioned wanting to find the “native mechanic” for mixed reality gaming. How are you approaching this challenge?

You can only find the “native mechanic” by trial and error – so we are fundamentally trialling and testing as many game mechanics as possible. We do this by prototyping quickly and putting the games in the hands of our players to experience new developments and technologies whenever we can. The instant feedback received via the player behavior in our apps allows us to determine what amends are needed, or whether to continue investing time and money in developing a specific game.

You’ve mentioned parallels between the current mixed reality landscape and past tech transitions. What specific trends in gaming make this an opportune time for startups like MixRift?

The landscape is ever-evolving, driven by hardware advancements that can redefine user experiences. With major strides in display technology, enhanced fields of view and increased processing power, innovations like these are pushing the boundaries of immersion. Mixed reality is then becoming ever more seamless, offering users a more engaging environment, blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds and shifting the way we interact with technology.

Another trend is attention towards creating immersive social experiences, where users can play with each other in shared virtual spaces, furthering connectivity and collaboration between people.

Over the next five years, the success of mixed reality gaming is going to lean on the evolution of hardware. Following the bustle around Apple Vision Pro, the market has shown that lack of consumer traction can dull excitement. Mixed reality gaming will evolve separately from traditional gaming, with innovations in hardware and immersive experiences driving key growth. Google themselves recently announced an Android XR platform launching on Samsung’s Project Moohan device showing that there’s more to come in mixed reality.

How do you see smaller, nimble startups like MixRift competing with tech giants such as Apple and Microsoft in the mixed reality space?

Unlike larger, more mainstream tech players, our specialised team of industry experts is deeply committed to unlocking the potential of MR. Our focus is to enrich user experiences and create ‘wow’ moments for gamers—fostering meaningful connections, offering stress relief, and elevating gaming as a truly immersive hobby.

Genuine enthusiasm and dedication empower small startups like ours to make a lasting impact, shaping the industry and driving transformative innovation in ways that larger corporations can sometimes overlook.  

What do you think is the key to bridging cutting-edge technology with mainstream adoption in gaming?

Hardware advancements are helping drive the mixed reality gaming market and can redefine user experience. With major strides in display technology, enhanced fields of view and increased processing power, innovations like these are pushing the boundaries of immersion. Mixed reality is then becoming ever more seamless, offering users a more engaging environment, blurring the lines between the physical and digital worlds and shifting the way we interact with technology.

Another trend is attention towards creating immersive social experiences, where users can play with each other in shared virtual spaces, furthering connectivity and collaboration between people.

Mixed reality games are both easy and accessible, in contrast with traditional and pure virtual reality gaming. By blending the virtual world with a player’s real surroundings, mixed reality games like ours create immersive but familiar, and therefore comfortable, environments. This balance attracts a wider and more diverse audience, from dedicated game enthusiasts to relaxed, occasional players.

The ultimate test of a games’ success is if the player enjoys it.To keep our users engaged, we strive to offer a range of games designed and developed that offer interest to players of different ages and backgrounds. Having a variety ensures our games never become stale, remain exciting, innovative, and maintain the thrill of gaming.

“Hell Horde” and “Fractured” are early examples of your work. Could you describe what these games are and how these games showcase MixRift’s vision for mixed reality gaming?

“Hell Horde,” an adrenaline-pumping, retro-inspired shooter game that redefines the boundaries of mixed-reality combat, whilst “Fractured,” is a mixed reality 3D puzzle game that blends immersive brain-teasing challenges with your environment,

Both titles are available for the Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro platforms.

We’re also excited to share a new game, Crit Attack, designed specifically for a younger audience, just in time for the festive season! Our new release is a perfect example of our commitment to creating experiences that resonate with all ages and interests, offering a fun and engaging adventure for players of every kind.

What role does storytelling play in immersive gaming experiences like those MixRift creates?

We don’t really use storytelling in our games. While we think stories are important, we are focused right now on the raw game mechanics. We will likely add storytelling in our games at some point though, as this is a big part of the user experience

How do you see mixed reality evolving over the next 5-10 years, and what will be its role in entertainment and beyond?

Over the next five years, the success of mixed reality gaming is going to lean on the evolution of hardware. Following the bustle around Apple Vision Pro, the market has shown that lack of consumer traction can dull excitement. Mixed reality gaming will evolve separately from traditional gaming, with innovations in hardware and immersive experiences driving key growth. Whilst Gaming will always remain a central focus, we recognise the potential of MR technology across other realms including education, corporate training, and immersive media.

Cross collaboration within industries will be essential, however, until the technology becomes more mainstream and accessible, the broader gaming market will remain most popular.

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit MixRift.