Planetarium Labs CEO JC Kim Talks Verse8 – Interview Series

Planetarium Labs is working in collaboration with Jake Song (Lineage, ArcheAge) to broaden the world of AI-generated video games by introducing Verse8—a “groundbreaking platform” that will allow its users the opportunity to build and tailor their own ideas with an integrated button prompt feature. According to the press release, the platform will remove the ties between traditional coding and downloading, and will take full advantage of its own in-house proprietary AI engine, Agent 8, which reportedly handles everything from “code and asset generation to gameplay logic and deployment.”

At the time of writing, Planetarium Labs is aiming to utilize its assets to “reshape” the $80B+ user-generated content market—a move that will ultimately enhance creative freedom and provide newcomers the tools to build full-fledged worlds with the potential to expand via prompts.

Curious to learn more about Planetarium Labs’ efforts to broaden the AI-generated market, I decided to speak with Planetarium Labs’ CEO JC Kim earlier this week to discuss the platform in greater detail.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. Before we touch base on Verse8 and the evolution of AI-generated content, would you mind if we asked you a bit about Planetarium Labs and your involvement with the team?

JC: Absolutely! More than happy to share. I’m one of the co-founders of Planetarium Labs, where we focused on building truly decentralized game ecosystems. One of our biggest milestones was launching Nine Chronicles, a fully on-chain RPG built on Libplanet, our own public blockchain engine. It was one of the first games to run entirely on-chain, no centralized servers, no compromises, and that set the foundation for how we think about player ownership and infrastructure in Web3.

I also led the global Web3 launch of Immortal Rising 2, the sequel to the hit idle RPG Immortal Rising, which combined engaging gameplay with blockchain-based ownership and community governance.

And now, I’ve recently joined Delabs Games as Co-CEO, where I’m leading the charge on building AI-powered games through our new platform, Verse8. It’s a natural next step, combining what I’ve learned in decentralized infrastructure with the creative potential of generative AI.

You’ve said it yourself: Verse8 removes the likes of coding and long-winded installations from the mix in favor of another, more accessible way for developers to bring video games to life. Are we right in thinking that, with AI being capable of picking up the slack on multiple fronts, almost anyone can create a game?

JC: Verse8 is not just an “accessible” tool for developers. It is a platform built so that anyone with an idea can create a game. If you already have a development background, Verse8 can serve as a powerful supplement. It allows you to review and refine code where needed.

Our core vision is to empower people with no technical knowledge at all. Anyone should be able to build a game just by writing a prompt.

Also don’t forget, Verse8 streamlines everything end-to-end meaning it gives you a full ride from development to publishing without setting anything up, all free of charge. It represents a groundbreaking innovation that dismantles the long-perceived barriers to game creation and paves the way for an unprecedented expansion of the content ecosystem. Think of early days of YouTube. YouTube exploded when anyone could start creating videos with a smartphone camera. Game development is no longer reserved for professionals.

Could you tell us more about how it works? How can a single prompt transcend the limits of a specific idea to become a full-fledged (and not to mention playable) experience? Walk us through the process, if you’d be so kind.

JC: Verse8 has a game engine we’ve built over several years, purposefully engineered for modern, AI-assisted game development.

Unlike traditional engines, Verse8 is entirely WebGL-based, meaning that games built with it run natively in the browser with no need for installations or plugins. It offers real-time 3D rendering and multiplayer networking directly in the web environment.

What sets Verse8 apart is its deep integration with Large Language Models (LLMs). The engine is designed to translate high-level natural language prompts into working game code, leveraging the LLM of the user’s choice. This makes game creation not only faster, but dramatically more accessible, even for those without coding experience.

In game development, complex elements like animation logic, terrain generation, and environmental sound design require specialized expertise. Verse8 handles these through a combination of:

• A massive, domain-specific vector database to understand and interpret prompt intent

• Real-time integration with leading generative AI tools for 3D assets, textures, audio, and NPC logic

• A modular architecture that allows easy customization and optimization of AI outputs

Together, this system enables developers to generate high-quality, playable 3D multiplayer games from simple inputs, something previously out of reach with traditional toolchains.

You’ve mentioned that the in-house platform, Agent 8, will accommodate a “wide range of genres, gameplay mechanics, and visual styles.” Does this mean nothing is off limits? Could, say, a single prompt spawn an entire RPG or an MMO?

JC: Of course, with a well-tailored prompt, it’s entirely possible to generate a multiplayer FPS or even a lightweight MMORPG from a single input. But in most cases, once the initial version is created, you’ll likely notice areas that need improvement or refinement.

That’s where Agent8 comes in. It continuously analyzes your game and suggests targeted improvements across gameplay, visuals, and design. As you iterate and polish based on these suggestions, you’ll gradually shape your idea into a fully playable experience.

For example, building a functional 3D multiplayer FPS for 5–6 players typically takes just 3–5 days of part-time work, even for creators without a professional game development background.

Credit: Planetarium Labs

Do you have any words of advice for those who might be interested in launching a career in game development? For those who’ve never touched a game engine before, how would you recommend starting out in Verse8?

JC: Verse8 has opened up an entirely new frontier.

Verse8 makes game creation as intuitive as writing a prompt. There is no need for coding, setup, or complicated tools. You start with an idea, build it instantly, and share it with the world.

For first-time creators, it is a hands-on way to understand the core mechanics of games. You learn about space, rules, logic, and player feedback simply by building and testing your own ideas. As your confidence grows, the platform gives you more room to experiment and evolve.

Whether you are exploring a creative hobby or aiming to build something more ambitious, Verse8 offers a real path forward. What used to take months can now happen in minutes. What once required a team is now possible on your own.

It seems as if the possibilities are endless when it comes to Verse8. That said, is there something that you’re collectively hoping to achieve in particular? What is the endgame that you’re chasing here, if any?

JC: The possibilities with Verse8 do feel endless, but we are actually chasing something very specific.

Smartphone cameras made filming effortless. YouTube turned it into an ecosystem. Using AI, Verse8 is how this story plays out for games.

That is the vision. We are not just making game creation easier. We are building the foundation for a new kind of ecosystem. One where anyone can create, share, remix, and grow games in the same way people did with videos a decade ago. Our goal is to empower millions of people who have never considered themselves game developers to become creators, collaborators, and eventually, part of a thriving creative economy.

The endgame is not just accessibility. It is creative scale. We want Verse8 to be the platform where entirely new genres, formats, and communities emerge. And we believe AI is the key that finally makes that possible.

Of course, video games in general are becoming more and more reliant on AI to construct and fortify their barriers. Out of curiosity, where do you think the gaming industry will be in five years from now? Is AI truly the future?

JC: AI is quickly becoming a core part of the creative process, not just a tool on the side. In five years, I believe using AI in game development will feel as fundamental and natural as using a computer or the internet. It will not replace creativity, but it will remove the barriers that slow it down. AI will empower creators to focus more on their core creative vision.

This is similar to how the simplification of video production led to user generated content on platforms like YouTube and TikTok becoming mainstream. In the same way, the role of user generated content in gaming is set to expand dramatically.

We are moving toward a future where user generated games are not a niche. They will become the biggest part of the industry, driven by diversity, experimentation, and sheer volume of creativity. AI will not just accelerate development. It will fundamentally change who gets to create and what kinds of games the world gets to play.

What is the next step for Verse8, if you don’t mind me asking? With the public launch officially underway, are there any additional milestones that you would want to surpass before year’s end?

JC: As you mentioned, Verse8 is already live and open to the public, which is a huge milestone for us. Right now, we are focused on building momentum and setting up the next phase of the platform.

A lot is in motion. We are actively designing monetization features such as in-game revenue systems and an asset store to give creators more ways to earn and grow. We are also in conversations around IP collaborations with game studios and exploring integrations with other platforms to bring in fans from different genres and creator communities.

Our goal is for Verse8 to become a true creative home, a place where both emerging and experienced creators can build, share, and thrive, whether they are driven by fandom, opportunity, or pure imagination.

Structurally, we have also spun off a new U.S.-based entity for Verse8 and are laying the groundwork for what comes next. We are currently on track to close our first seed round this September, which will help fuel everything we are planning for the months ahead.

How can we stay informed on all of the latest details on Verse8? Are there any important social handles, support networks, or newsletters that we could potentially share with our readers?

JC: Here are our main social channels. Please feel free to join and follow along:

• Official Page : https://verse8.io

• Official Discord : https://discord.gg/verse8-official

• Official Twitter : https://x.com/Verse_Eight

• Contact : [email protected]

• Media Kit : https://bit.ly/Verse8_MediaKit

Thanks again for divulging the details on your latest project — we appreciate the opportunity. Would you like to add any other last-minute comments to this story before we wrap things up on our end?

JC: If you have ever wanted to make a game but felt like it was out of reach, now is the time to give it a try. Verse8 was built to welcome people at all levels. You do not need to know how to code or use a game engine. All you need is an idea. From there, you can build something simple, publish it, and see how people respond. And if you want to go further, the platform will grow with you.

AI makes it easier than ever to start, but the real magic happens when you stay curious. Try things. Learn by doing. Ask how and why things work. That is where growth begins.

We built Verse8 to lower the barrier, not lower the standard. And we are excited to see what happens when more people are empowered to create their own worlds.

Fantastic — thanks, JC.

You can learn more about Planetarium Labs’ Verse8 and its efforts to revolutionize the AI-generated world by following the team on X.