Kurt Lorey on Blending Creativity and Technology to Shape the Future of Interactive Storytelling

What is your prototyping or iteration process? How do you validate tech-driven ideas early (user test, simulation) before heavy build?

I start by building the smallest version that can prove the idea’s value. That might be a simple WebGL build, a Unity simulation, or even a Figma prototype with timed motion. The goal is to test the feeling and flow, not the polish. Once it communicates the core interaction, I share it with creative, UX, and production partners to see how it lands. If it sparks curiosity or makes people smile, we refine it. If it causes confusion or feels forced, we adjust the direction before investing in a full build.

When innovation fails or users hate it, how do you manage those failures (recover, learn, iterate) and how do you present that to clients or stakeholders?

Failure is part of the process, especially when you are working at the edge of what is possible. The key is to treat it as data, not disappointment. I document what went wrong, what surprised us, and what worked better than expected. Then I reframe it for clients or stakeholders as insight that moves the project forward. Showing that we learned something concrete builds trust and keeps momentum. The best teams are not the ones that never fail, but the ones that recover quickly and apply what they learned to make the next version stronger.

As a next-gen leader, how do you mentor or elevate others (designers, junior devs) to fluency in creative technology?

I try to make technology feel approachable rather than intimidating because when people feel safe to explore and fail fast, confidence and fluency grow quickly. Mentorship, to me, is about building curiosity and momentum, not just teaching skills.

Which emergent platforms (spatial computing, mixed reality, generative visuals, AR wearables) do you believe will shift experience design in the near future and how are you preparing for them now?

I believe generative visuals breaking out of two dimensions and into three will be one of the biggest shifts in experience design. Once generative systems can create, adapt, and animate in spatial environments, they will power the next wave of mixed reality. Instead of designing static scenes, we will be designing living worlds that respond to people, context, and data in real time.

To prepare, I am building pipelines that connect AI-driven generation directly into real-time 3D engines. That includes experimenting with procedural geometry, generative materials, and adaptive lighting that reacts to the user’s environment. The goal is to move from pre-rendered visuals to responsive, spatial experiences that feel alive and uniquely personal every time they are seen.

How do you manage trade-offs of performance, load, fallback, cross-browser/device compatibility while pushing ambitious interactive experiences?

It starts with clear priorities. I define the emotional core of the experience first, then decide what technical compromises can be made without losing it. From there, we build performance budgets, test on a range of devices, and design graceful fallbacks that still tell the same story.

Looking ahead: what is your moonshot vision for interactive storytelling (perhaps ambient, AI + spatial, cross-device narrative) and what foundational work are you doing now to enable it?

I want to see stories that unfold seamlessly across physical, digital, and spatial spaces, guided by context and emotion rather than screens and clicks. Imagine narratives that respond to where you are, what you are feeling, and who you are with. To get there, I am focusing on real-time graphics pipelines, generative AI systems, and sensory computing experiments that make experiences feel alive.

Do you have any particularly exciting projects in the pipeline that might be contenders for the awards in 2026?

On October 28th in Los Angeles Huge hosted our first Make.exe, a live Gen-AI creative battle where artists, designers, and technologists came together to create the future in real-time. No safety nets, just fearless creativity meeting intelligent technology. The event wasn’t about proving what AI can do, it was about showing what passionate, super-talented creatives can do with it.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to take home their own accolade next year?

Build the thing that you wish existed, and let your curiosity lead. Share your process, collaborate openly, and keep learning.

This interview was originally published on Creativepool and it was conducted by their editorial team.