Caltech’s Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, and Quantum Realm Games Forge Groundbreaking Partnership in Game Design with LCAD.
LCAD, Caltech, Quantum Realm Games
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) brings quantum physics and interactive media together, launching a Quantum Game Design collaboration to empower students with transformative and educational opportunities.
Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) announced a pioneering partnership with Caltech’s Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM) and Quantum Realm Games (QRG) through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This milestone agreement bridges the cutting-edge world of quantum physics with LCAD’s renowned strengths in game art and interactive media, setting the stage for innovative educational programs and creative projects that make quantum science engaging and accessible to all.
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Under the MOU, LCAD and Caltech’s IQIM – along with QRG, a studio dedicated to integrating real quantum mechanics into gameplay – will collaborate on developing curriculum, research, and public outreach at the intersection of art and quantum science. This will allow students to work hand-in-hand with quantum physicists and game industry experts to create interactive experiences inspired by genuine quantum phenomena. By blending scientific concepts with creative design, the course offers LCAD students a transformative opportunity to explore the subatomic world in a hands-on way – effectively turning mind-bending physics principles into visual, playable adventures.
LCAD President + Game Design Chair
“This collaboration exemplifies LCAD’s commitment to innovation in art and design education,” said Steve Brittan, President and CEO of LCAD. “By partnering with Caltech’s brilliant minds and the trailblazers at Quantum Realm Games, we are opening a new frontier for our students. Quantum physics and interactive media are coming together in our classrooms, sparking creativity across disciplines and giving our students an educational experience unlike any other,” said Tim Pryor, Chair of Game Design MFA at LCAD. The partnership aligns with LCAD’s legacy of forward-thinking curriculum: LCAD’s Game Design program has long been at the forefront of merging art, technology, and storytelling, earning the college a reputation as one of the nation’s top institutions for game design. “We’ve always believed in the power of games beyond entertainment. Now we’re taking it a step further – using games to illuminate the frontiers of science and education,” Brittan added.
Partnership Details
At the heart of the partnership is a shared vision: using games to visualize and explore quantum theory in ways never before possible. Quantum physics deals with phenomena – like particles existing in multiple states at once or being mysteriously entangled across distances – that can be difficult to imagine. Through interactive game design, these abstract concepts can be brought to life. Dr. Spiros Michalakis, a Caltech mathematical physicist and Outreach Manager at IQIM, will serve as a key advisor in the collaboration. Dr. Michalakis is no stranger to bridging science and popular culture – he has consulted on Hollywood films (including Marvel’s Ant-Man series) and helped develop educational games that convey quantum principles. “The quantum realm contains the source code for all that is and all that will ever be. As such, it is the ultimate playground for creativity,” said Michalakis. “By teaming up with LCAD’s talented artists and designers, we hope to demystify quantum science. It’s about making the quantum world accessible, interactive, and fun – so anyone can explore it.”
One shining example of what this partnership aspires to achieve is Quantum Chess, an innovative game that mixes traditional chess with the strange rules of quantum mechanics. Developed by QRG in partnership with IQIM and LCAD faculty, Quantum Chess runs on a true quantum physics engine, which allows pieces to exist in superposition (i.e. in two places at once) or become entangled. The game captured global attention when it was featured in a 2016 Caltech/IQIM video showdown between Stephen Hawking and actor Paul Rudd, demonstrating how complex physics can be translated into engaging, understandable gameplay. Quantum Realm Games, founded by Chris Cantwell (the inventor of Quantum Chess), grew out of that success with a mission to challenge the world to “think quantum” in entertainment. As part of the new MOU, Quantum Realm Games will bring its unique expertise to LCAD – providing mentorship, software tools, and industry insight so that students can create the next generation of quantum games. “For us at QRG, it’s thrilling to see quantum ideas inspiring the next wave of game creators,” said Cantwell. “Games have the power to make the intangible tangible. We can’t wait to see what LCAD students dream up when art and quantum science collide.”
Quantum Game Jam
The partnership is already bearing fruit. Last fall, LCAD, IQIM, and QRG co-hosted a Quantum Game Jam, where small teams of students and researchers collaborated remotely on quantum-themed video games over the course of a week. Guided by physics mentors (including Dr. Michalakis and QRG’s developers), participants crafted game concepts around quantum principles. The success of that event set the stage for the more formalized collaboration now in place. With the MOU signed, the three partners plan to expand these opportunities – from guest lectures and workshops, to joint research in quantum computing visualization, to public events that showcase student-created quantum games.
The Memorandum of Understanding is hailed as a milestone in creativity and interdisciplinary learning at LCAD. It marks the first time the art and design college has partnered with a world-renowned science institute and an independent game studio simultaneously. “This is more than just an agreement on paper – it’s a launchpad for innovation,” said Jason Oualline, Chair of Game Art BFA at LCAD. “Our students will be able to learn directly from quantum scientists, while those scientists in turn get to see their theories come alive through art. It’s a two-way street of inspiration.” Such cross-pollination reflects a broader trend in education: breaking down silos between disciplines to tackle complex topics in new ways. In the words of Dr. Michalakis, “Before we gave them titles and dressed them in fancy clothes, art and science were childhood friends that loved adventuring together. To see creativity unleashed on a quantum level, it’s time we set them free once more.”