Read case study Spirit of Place
Director · Writer · Creative technologist
My directorial debut: a nonlinear, open-world VR story, in competition at Venice VR Expanded 2021.
Dale P.Deacon
I bring worlds online. Festival venues, story worlds and AR apps, with hundreds of thousands of visitors so far.
Four defining projects · 2021—2026
Worlds with a point of view.
From my directorial debut, in competition at Venice in 2021, to building the festival’s virtual site since 2024.
Read case study 
Read case study Red Sea Immersive
VR worldbuilding · Production
A collection of VRChat worlds we built for Red Sea Immersive’s international festival programme.
Read case study Mormoverse: Under the Pillow
VRChat lead development · Worldbuilding
A family-friendly VR adventure with Kitten Mormitten. Best Immersive Narrative at Raindance Immersive 2023, then Venice Immersive’s 2024 Best of Worlds.
Read case study Venice Immersive
VR worldbuilding · Design · Production
I’ve been the official worldbuilder for Venice Immersive’s virtual festival site since 2024. It’s where people around the world walk into the competition and Best of Worlds programme.
29 credits · 2020—2026The wider body of work.Browse every creditCollapse index
Every credit since 2020: indie worlds, cultural projects and commercial jobs, and who I made them with.
- 2026Venice Immersive 2026VR worldbuilding · Design · Production · La Biennale di Venezia
- 2025The Cradle of HumankindProduction · Design · Development · Cradle of Humankind
- 2025Venice Immersive 2025VR worldbuilding · Design · Production · La Biennale di Venezia
- 2025Strangeways — ViverseProduction · WebVR adaptation · ShtikXR · HTC Viverse
- 2024Strangeways - VRChatLead development · VR worldbuilding · Production · ShtikXR
- 2024Venice Immersive 2024VR worldbuilding · Design · Production · La Biennale di Venezia
- 2023Mormoverse: Under the PillowVRChat lead development · Worldbuilding · Film XR
- 2023Emily GPTDesign · Development · UX · Production · Team Epic
- 2023GoEast: Tales From the BathhouseDigital art · Worldbuilding · Production · GoEast Film Festival
- 2023Life of ConfidenceEnvironment art · Worldbuilding · Sanlam · King James Group · Black Ginger
- 2023Made in the CapeProduction · Development · Technical advisory · Wesgro · V&A Waterfront
- 2023ABSA Renewable.co.zaWebVR · Worldbuilding · ABSAopens in a new tab
- 2023A Quantum Symphony of BiologyImmersive production · PuzzlexArchive only
- 2022OxymoreTechnical supervision · Avatar creation · Jean-Michel Jarre · VRrOOm
- 2022BloodbathTechnical supervision · Production · ZViT
- 2022GorillARAR development (Unity) · Production · GorillAR
- 2022The Property ShowVirtual production · The Property Showopens in a new tab
- 2022The Goethe SpaceVR worldbuilding · Production · Goethe-Institutopens in a new tab
- 2022The FVRM (ABSA)Worldbuilding · Unreal Engine · ABSA
- 2022Bonkerz GardensVR worldbuilding · Production · ShtickXR · TeamEpicopens in a new tab
- 2022The Africa XR ReportCo-lead author · Researcher · Editorial team · Community initiative
- 2021Spirit of PlaceDirector · Writer · Creative technologist · TeamEpic
- 2021Bliss in the Ear of a StormWorldbuilding · Production design · Production · ShtikXR · TeamEpic
- 2021Red Sea ImmersiveVR worldbuilding · Production · Red Sea Immersive · Team Epic
- 2021MyceliaWorldbuilding (collaborative contribution) · Nanotopia · Metaverse Crew
- 2021Origins Centre ARAR development (Unity) · Production · Origins Centre
- 2020A MAZE. Train StationVR world creation · A MAZE. · Metaverse Crewopens in a new tab
- Year not listedSiemens × Bentley SystemsVirtual production · Siemens × Bentley Systemsopens in a new tab
- Year not listedLucid Motors × King Abdullah Economic CityVirtual production · Lucid Motorsopens in a new tab
535k+ visits across 34 VRChat worlds · worldbuild.io ↗ opens in a new tab
Selected awards & distinctions.
A few of the festivals and juries that have backed the work. None of it was a solo effort.
- 2024
Venice ImmersiveStrangewaysIn competition - 2024
Venice ImmersiveMormoverse: Under the PillowBest of VRChat Worlds Gallery - 2024
Raindance ImmersiveStrangewaysNominee · Best Art World - 2023
The Loerie AwardsLife of ConfidenceSilver - 2022
The Webby AwardsOxymore · technical supervision · avatar creationNominee (Music) · Honoree (Installation) - 2022
MONA — Renaissance of the MetaverseWith Chris Bianchi and Adam LieberDesign Award
The practice
Hi, I’m Deac.
I’m a South African worldbuilder and director, and I run worldbuild.io, an XR studio focused on VRChat worldbuilding and immersive storytelling.
I’m fascinated by how the places we inhabit shape who we are, which pulls in holism, transhumanism, complexity theory and meta-narrative. Day to day, that means virtual production, spatial storytelling, avatars and digital twins. I also put time into community work in Johannesburg, my hometown: the weAReVR.Jozi meetups and the Africa XR Report.
- Practice
- Worldbuilding, direction, virtual production
- Community
- weAReVR.Jozi, Africa XR Report, mentorship
“Myths are public dreams, dreams are private myths.”
Seen in good company.
Festivals, exhibitions and communities that have hosted the work.
La Biennale di VeneziaFestival showcase
Raindance ImmersiveFestival showcase
GoEast Film FestivalFestival showcase
VRConXR community showcase
NewImages FestivalFestival showcase
Fak'ugesi FestivalFestival showcase
PlaytopiaFestival showcase- MONAExhibition showcase
DFFDeutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum
weAReVR.JoziXR community
Africa XR ReportCommunity research
Interviews · Profiles · Coverage
The work, on record.
What festivals, journalists and podcasts have said about the work, plus a few conversations with me.
La Biennale di VeneziaVenice Immersive — VRChat Worlds Gallery and Best of Worldsopens in a new tabLa Biennale di VeneziaVenice Immersive — VRChat Worlds Gallery and Best of Worldsopens in a new tabForbesVenice Immersive 2025: community, island, and Best of Worldsopens in a new tabApp StoreCradle of Humankind — official UNESCO site app with AR visualiseropens in a new tabVIVERSEStrangeways — WebVR on HTC Viverseopens in a new tabSheffield DocFestDOLLHOUSE for Queer Imaginaries — UK premiereopens in a new tabGCRO / NIHSSGauteng as a Village of 100 People — Best DH Visualisationopens in a new tabVoices of VRTransforming 2D art into an immersive VRChat journey with Strangewaysopens in a new tabUploadVRVenice Immersive: visit the Venice International Film Festival in VRChatopens in a new tabLa Biennale di VeneziaStrangeways — Venice Immersiveopens in a new tabRaindance ImmersiveStrangeways — Best Art World nomineeopens in a new tabLa Biennale di VeneziaMormoverse: Under the Pillow — Venice Immersiveopens in a new tabIDIDTHATWesgro Made in the Cape Market — Loeries 2024opens in a new tabRaindance ImmersiveMormoverse: Under the Pillow — Best Immersive Narrativeopens in a new tabBizcommunityMade in the Cape market gives exporters an immersive stageopens in a new tabNews24Sanlam makes history with SA’s first media launch in the metaverseopens in a new tabBizcommunitySanlam hosts SA’s first fully immersive media briefing in the metaverseopens in a new tabCFO South AfricaMan vs. machine: navigating the business landscape of the next decadeopens in a new tabFuture Cities AfricaHow the metaverse could change the purpose and feel of citiesopens in a new tabThe Radioactive BlogThe Africa XR Report has arrivedopens in a new tabIQOQOXR in South Africa: shaping a new realityopens in a new tabLa Biennale di VeneziaSpirit of Place — Venice VR Expandedopens in a new tabLa Biennale di VeneziaBliss in the Ear of a Storm — Venice VR Expandedopens in a new tabRaindance ImmersiveMyceliaopens in a new tabVarietyVenice Film Festival unveils VR Expanded lineupopens in a new tabGeekulchaDale P. Deacon — changing the VR gameopens in a new tab
How can I help?
Let’s build something.
Pick what fits and your email opens with the right questions. Not sure I’m the right person? Ask anyway. If I’m not, I’ll point you to someone who is.