Creating An Inclusive Metaverse

Loretta Chen is leveraging her expertise as a professor, theatre director, author and consultant to set new gender-neutral standards in the metaverse.

- Adora Wong

A prominent figure in both academia and the entertainment arena, Loretta Chen has cut her teeth as a university professor, theatre director, author and consultant. And now, the 45-year-old is setting up shop in the metaverse with the launch of Smobler Studios, a metaverse design agency headquartered in Singapore with offices in Canada, US and Bhutan.

Together with American reality TV star J.J. Lane, the company will be the first to launch a concert venue in The Sandbox, a metaverse and gaming ecosystem where people can play, build, own, and even monetise their virtual experiences.

J.J. envisioned a venue that would not only host live music experiences, but also serve as a social hub to connect music lovers across the world. We were selected after he interviewed over 10 studios as our team understood what was needed to reinvent an industry, says the co-founder. She emphasises that Smobler Studios is the builder think of them as architects – and not the owner or producer of the venue.

We'd like to think that what we're working on will be the most dope given the scale of our build. There will be Greek- and Roman-inspired amphitheatres, elements of an F1 event and a large-scale aquarium.

BRINGING COMMUNITIES CLOSER TOGETHER

What was it that drew Loretta to this space? As it is, having obtained her doctorate in theatre studies from the National University of Singapore and University of California, Los Angeles, she is currently an adjunct professor and also teaches brand marketing at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan, as well as Leadership, Performing Arts and Peace Studies at the University of Hawaii.