Rizwan Virk

Rizwan “Riz” Virk has a B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from the MIT and M.S. in Management from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. He is a successful entrepreneur, venture capitalist, video game pioneer, bestselling author, and indie film producer. He is the founder of Play Labs@ MIT, and Bayview Labs, a Silicon Valley investment fund, and is a mentor/advisor at 500 startups, Griffin Gaming Partners, Ridge Ventures and the MIT $100k Entrepreneurship Competition.
As a video game designer, he was an investor or founding team member at Tapjoy, Service Metrics, Discord, Telltale Games, PocketGems and many others, and created well known games as Tap Fish, Penny Dreadful: Demimonde, Grimm: Cards of Fate, and Bingo Run. Riz’s films have included Thrive: What on Earth Will It Take, The Outpost, Mythica, Sirius, and Knights of Badassdom, among others. His writing is in the intersection of science, science fiction, business and spirituality. His startups, articles and books have been featured on prestigious TV shows and newspapers.
THE SIMULATION HYPOTHESIS
In this book, Rizwan Virk explains one of the most daring and consequential theories of our time. Drawing from research and concepts from computer science, artificial intelligence, video games, quantum physics, and referencing both speculative fiction and ancient Eastern spiritual texts, the author shows how all these traditions come together to point to the idea that we may be inside a simulated reality like the Matrix. The Simulation Hypothesis is the idea that our physical reality, far from being a solid physical universe, is part of an increasingly sophisticated video game-like simulation, where we all have multiple lives, consisting of pixels with its own internal clock run by some giant Artificial Intelligence. Simulation Theory explains some of the biggest mysteries of quantum and relativistic physics, such as quantum indeterminacy, parallel universes, and the integral nature of the speed of light. Video game designer Riz Virk shows how the history and evolution of our video games, including virtual reality, augmented reality, Artificial Intelligence, and quantum computing could lead us to the point of being able to develop all encompassing virtual worlds like the Oasis in Ready Player One, or the simulated reality in the Matrix.
While the idea sounds like science fiction, many scientists, engineers, and professors have given the Simulation Hypothesis serious consideration. But the Simulation Hypothesis is not just a modern idea. Philosophers and Mystics of all traditions have long contended that we are living in some kind of “illusion” and that there are other realities which we can access with our minds. Whether you are a computer scientist, a fan of science fiction like the Matrix movies, a video game enthusiast, or a spiritual seeker, The Simulation Hypothesis touches on all these areas, and you will never look at the world the same way again!

Publication/Status: Published in 2020 by Bayview Labs (USA), in November 2021 by Éditions Extraordinaire (France) and in December 2021 by Citadel (Brazil), which placed this title on Non-Fiction bestseller lists. Sold to China Machine Press (China), and Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co. (Japan). [332 pages]
THE SIMULATED MULTIVERSE
Do multiple versions of ourselves exist in parallel universes living out their lives in different timelines? In this follow up to the bestseller The Simulation Hypothesis, MIT Computer Scientist and Silicon Valley Game Pioneer Rizwan Virk explores these topics from a new lens: that of simulation theory. If we are living in a digital universe, then many of the complexities and baffling characteristics of our reality start to make more sense. Quantum computing lets us simulate complex phenomena in parallel, allowing the simulation to explore many realities at once to find the most “optimum” path forward.
Could this explain not only the enigmatic Mandela Effect but provide us with a new understanding of time and space? Bringing his unique trademark style of combining video games, computer science, quantum physics and computing with lots of philosophy and science fiction, Virk gives us a new way to think about not just our universe, but all possible realities.

Publication/Status: Published by Bayview Labs (usa) in October 2021. Sold to Brazil (Citadel). [512 pages]
ZEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Based on a true story, this book is about succeeding in life while walking a spiritual path. It follows the travels of a young entrepreneur as he starts and grows a multimillion dollar business, only to discover that real success is tied to the hidden worlds and learning the tenets of being a Career Warrior. This book is not just for entrepreneurs, but for anyone who wants to find their work and place in life, who wants to bring more integrity into their work and be more successful personally and financially.
Publication/Status: Published by Bayview Labs (USA) in 2013. Sold to Brazil (Citadel). [291 pages]