Matthew Conn, President of Vyersoft on Exercise Your Demons! • Interview Series

Well folks, it appears that Vyersoft’s latest combat-centric mixed reality fitness game Exercise Your Demons! will be bubbling up quite the pot of hellish camaraderie, demonic routines, and intense physical activity. That’s right, even the underbelly of fitness can coerce you into believing that, with a well-oiled program and a good old-fashioned kick up the backside, to boot, even the most unmotivated players can shed a few calories in the pits of the gym. And you know what? We’re all for it.

Anyway, in an effort to learn more about the MR title, I decided to reach out to Vyersoft President, Matthew Conn.

Thanks for speaking with us — we really appreciate it! Please could you introduce yourself to our readers? How did it all start for you, and what brought you to Vyersoft?

Matthew: Hello! I’m Matthew Conn, the president of Vyersoft and creator of Exercise Your Demons! I’ve been in the game development industry for over 15 years, and in recent years, I’ve found myself drawn to the cutting edge of VR and AR. The limitless potential for immersion has been a real thrill.

Prior to this I was the Executive Producer on ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove!, and creator of 2064: Read Only Memories. My journey with Vyersoft began when I saw the opportunity to blend physical movement with virtual reality, creating an experience where players can interact with dynamic worlds with fitness. It’s been an incredible ride, and Exercise Your Demons! is our latest effort to push the boundaries of mixed reality fitness.

Exercise Your Demons! is on the cusp of being inducted into the mixed reality fitness regime on Meta Quest. Let’s talk about it. What are we likely to find in this cardio-centric world?

Matthew: Exercise Your Demons! is an exciting fusion of a combat fitness game and a character-driven narrative. Think of it as a mix between high-energy workouts and a quirky dating sim. As players engage in workout routines, they’ll get to interact with their trainers—Ash and Zephyr—two demon companions who bring a lot of personality to the game. The more you exercise, the more you can gift your trainers, unlocking deeper conversations and unique interactions with them.

Our goal is to make working out fun, engaging, and a little bit chaotic by bopping demons while unraveling the strange, vibrant world they live in.

Exercise Your Demons! will feature a select number of game modes to choose from, too. Could you tell us more about each of these modes and how they work?

Matthew: Absolutely! We’re launching with two core modes: Battles and Trainer Hangouts.

Battles are the core gameplay. These sessions last 10–15 minutes, offering a balanced workout that challenges your cardio, strength, and reflexes. We also have a “custom chaos” mode where players can tailor the length and intensity of their workout, setting parameters like the number of stages or specific challenges they want to tackle.

Trainer Hangouts let players spend time with Ash or Zephyr. You can interact with them, learn about their backstories, and progress through their personal storylines. Gifting them Soul Bars, which you earn from playing, will unlock special conversations, deepening your relationship with your demon trainer. We hope this combination of physical activity and story progression keeps players coming back, not just for the workout but to see how the story unfolds.

Exercise Your Demons! 😈 Experience fitness like never before—battle demons in Mixed Reality and unleash your inner demons.

🏋️ Wishlist Now on Meta Quest: https://t.co/WY1BwRMQlx#VR #VRGames #MR #MetaQuest2 #MetaQuest3 pic.twitter.com/1esrOrYIim

— VYERSOFT ➡️ Meta Connect (@vyersoft) August 29, 2024

Aside from touching gloves with a few demonic foes, what else should we know before dipping into the Underworld? Any words of advice for those who are hunkering down for a bullet-sweltering workout?

Matthew: One thing we noticed at PAX West was how quickly people got immersed in the game. Unlike our previous full VR titles, using AR means people feel more confident moving around—there’s less of that fear of bumping into walls or knocking over things in their space. You’ll still want to clear a bit of space, but it’s great knowing players can move freely. My biggest piece of advice? Be prepared to give it your all! The Underworld’s no walk in the park—things escalate quickly. Just have fun with it and don’t be afraid to get a little wild!

With a world that’s gradually becoming more dependent on mixed and virtual realities, do you think it’s good to have a balance between augmented and physical exercises, or would you say that VR is, more or less, the future of fitness?

Matthew: I don’t think traditional gyms are going anywhere soon—there’s always going to be a need for strength training, weights, and physical spaces where people gather to work out. But I do believe VR and AR fitness will become a major complement to those experiences. Virtual workouts have the unique advantage of being accessible and adaptable, so people can engage in fitness wherever they are, with added layers of gamification that make the process more enjoyable. VR is more about enhancing the fitness journey rather than replacing the gym entirely.

Looking into the foreseeable future, do you think Exercise Your Demons! will likely influence your plans for the next project? Another fitness-centric sequel, perhaps?

Matthew:  If everything goes well, we’d love to expand on Exercise Your Demons! There’s so much room to grow within this universe. We’re already thinking about adding more trainers, enemies, and new mechanics to keep things fresh. Whether that means additional updates or a full-fledged sequel, we’re excited about what the future holds. The response so far has been incredibly positive, and we’re eager to continue exploring the potential of blending fitness with storytelling.

🦇 Wassup, guys! We're so excited to share what's coming to EYD!—thank you so much for your support!

We have now a Discord! Join it to chat with our team & receive exclusive news about our next release ⬇️https://t.co/CFQ9mF05kj

— VYERSOFT ➡️ Meta Connect (@vyersoft) August 31, 2024

We’d love to stay up to date with Exercise Your Demons! and all things Vyersoft. Are we able to share any social channels, streams, or live demonstrations with our community?

Matthew: 

Yeah! You can follow us at the below:

• Facebook (Exercise Your Demons!)
• Instagram (vyersoft)
• Discord (vyersoft)
• YouTube (vyersoft)
• TikTok (vyersoft)
• X (vyersoftvr)
• Bluesky (vyersoft.bskyb.social)

Stay tuned, because we’ve got some really exciting content in the works that we can’t wait to share!

Is there anything you would like to add for our readers?

Matthew: We’re so excited to share Exercise Your Demons! with everyone! We hope that the blend of offbeat characters, intense workouts, and engaging storylines will resonate with players looking to add some fun to their fitness routines. This has been a passion project for us, and we can’t wait to see people bopping demons and sweating it out while learning about the weird, wacky world of our infernal trainers, Ash and Zephyr!

Thanks for speaking with us. We’ll see you in the Underworld!

For more information on Vyersoft’s Exercise Your Demons!, be sure to check in with the team over on their official social channel here. You can also follow the store page for more updates here.