Some of the most iconic figures in the XR industry are gearing up to address the audience at AWE USA 2025. Among the notable speakers are Palmer Luckey, the mastermind behind Oculus and Anduril, and Jason Rubin, a veteran at Meta and one of the earliest Oculus executives still active, now spearheading Metaverse Experiences at Meta. Adding to this impressive lineup is Vicki Dobbs Beck, who helms ILM Immersive and has played a key role in bringing incredible XR adaptations of blockbuster franchises like Star Wars and Marvel to life.
Known as one of the grandest and longest-running XR conventions worldwide, AWE USA is a cornerstone event in the XR community. This year’s edition takes place in the vibrant city of Long Beach, California from June 10th to 12th. Anticipated to be their most ambitious event yet, organizers are expecting over 6,000 guests, with a lineup featuring more than 300 exhibitors, 400 top-tier speakers, and sprawling across a massive 150,000 square feet of expo space. If you’re keen to join, early-bird tickets are still on sale, and as a Road to VR reader, you can grab a sweet 20% discount exclusively for this event.
Among the eclectic mix of over 400 speakers, prominent figures like Palmer Luckey, Jason Rubin, and Vicki Dobbs Beck stand out. Luckey is renowned for establishing Oculus, the pioneering startup that Meta acquired back in 2014 to push its XR frontiers. After successfully leading the launch of Meta’s Oculus Rift CV1 headset, Luckey’s journey with Meta took a turn following controversial events during the 2016 US presidential campaign. Yet, reconciliation came when Meta invited him to preview its newest AR venture, Project Orion, coupled with a public apology from Andrew ‘Boz’ Bosworth, Meta’s top XR leader. Bosworth acknowledged Luckey’s substantial impact on Meta and VR’s evolution, signalling a forward-looking collaboration.
Despite departing from Meta under difficult circumstances, Luckey forged a new path by founding Anduril, a significant player in the military technology sector. Today, the company is valued around $18 billion, a testament to Luckey’s business acumen, putting him in an elite league of entrepreneurs who’ve built more than one billion-dollar company. Interestingly, Anduril recently stepped into military AR, taking over a project previously led by Microsoft, and we can expect Luckey to delve into this exciting venture at the conference.
The event will also showcase insights from Jason Rubin, who remains a crucial figure at Meta since joining Oculus in 2014. Over the years, Rubin has diversified across roles, primarily focused on gaming content and strategic partnerships. At AWE, his discussions will likely revolve around Meta’s evolving metaverse landscape.
As if that lineup wasn’t impressive enough, attendees will also get to hear from Vicki Dobbs Beck. As the visionary leader of ILM Immersive, she has crafted some of the most celebrated XR titles, with masterpieces like the ‘Vader Immortal’ series and Marvel’s ‘What If…? – An Immersive Experience’ gaining critical acclaim. These projects are among the pioneering productions to feature on the Apple Vision Pro. Fans can anticipate Dobbs Beck to share insights into upcoming projects and discuss the trajectory of narrative-driven immersive experiences as an array of standalone headsets hit the market.
Road to VR, as the Premier Media Partner for AWE USA 2025, is thrilled to offer our audience a special 20% discount on tickets. This partnership aims to enrich your experience and ensure that AWE USA 2025 is an occasion not to be missed.
