nano
A VR strategy game with a connected classroom system that lets students learn biology together
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problem
Educational games often overload students with instruction and fail to fit real classroom rhythms. Teachers need activities that keep 30 students engaged even when only half can be in VR at a time, without sacrificing actual learning.
solution
Nano combines action-first VR gameplay with a connected web app that lets classmates analyze threats, craft proteins, and support the VR player in real time. The result is a shared, high-energy lesson where students learn biology through action and collaboration.
From the start, the goal was to bridge the gap between education and entertainment. I led the creative vision across both the VR experience and the surrounding classroom flow, shaping the game’s tone, core loop, and visual identity.
We began with a three-week design sprint to “find the fun,” testing prototypes with VR players and full classrooms. Those early sessions made two things clear: the VR experience had to stay action-first to feel engaging, and students outside the headset needed meaningful roles to keep the whole room involved.
To address this, we built a hybrid participation model. VR players fought inside the cell, while their partner used a web app to analyze threats, craft proteins, and advise their player in real time. A moment-by-moment teacher guide tied everything together, helping classrooms move through the lesson as a coordinated group.Inside VR, I designed gesture-based menus, tactile crafting, and diegetic interfaces that made the cell feel alive and intuitive to explore.
After months of iteration with schools, Nano became what we set out to build: learning that happens through action, collaboration, and shared discovery. It launched on Meta Quest in 2023 with a 4.9★ rating and Meta’s “Best App of the Year,” and today the game and classroom system are used together in high school biology programs nationwide.
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