Peter Walker founded Vircion Inc. to create a device that allows people to play video games remotely over the Internet from any location using mobile devices. His technology enables games stored on home consoles like the PS3 and Xbox360 to be played on the go. Vircion launched its Sero Virtualization Technology in 2008 to positive reviews, and it aims to make remote gaming affordable and social by integrating it with online networks. The product targets consumers and businesses and has the potential to increase access to games without needing additional hardware.

1. Dec. 5-11, 2008 Volume 28 Number 38
Reprinted for web use with permission from the Austin Business Journal. ©2008, all rights reserved. Reprinted by Scoop ReprintSource 1-800-767-3263.
P
eter Walker found inspiration for his
company while watching his teenage son play
video games.
Walker, a computer engineer and found-
er of Vircion Inc., had long been fascinated by the
Internet when it dawned on him that the Web could make
gaming more mobile.
“The future would be where people could connect
from anywhere,” he says. “I envisioned a product which
could allow Matt to play anywhere.”
In 2006, Walker created technology that en-
ables people to play video games across the Internet,
paving the way for a new level of content delivery
and interaction. Users play on their mobile devices
the latest games that reside on their high-end game
consoles, such as the PS3/PS2 and Xbox360.
Vircion’s Sero Virtualization Technology, which has a
patent pending, was launched to positive reviews at the
September 2008 Austin Game Developers Conference.
“Everyone was asking, ‘Where can we buy this now?’”
Walker says.
Customers demand mobility, he says.
“It is what drives today’s generations,” says Walk-
er, who has multiple graduate degrees in computer
science and computer and electrical engineering
from Brown University. “People want to be able to
access their TV shows, games and media content from
anywhere, any time.”
Vircion’s market research shows the product will be
in demand if it’s affordable, Walker says. The company’s
targeted price range is $199 to $300.
Although consumers with game consoles and
broadband networks in their homes are the primary mar-
ket, the company also targets other vertical markets:
■ E-commerce sites that sell or provide video game-
related services and products, and want their customers to
be able to try the games;
■ Game publishers and developers seeking new ways
to get greater visibility of their content;
■ Game testing and development environments. Vir-
cion’s product allows developers to easily share access to
valuable development resources.
Walker has significant experience in high-per-
formance networking, video compression and Web
server development. His career includes years with
IBM Research, where his work resulted in several pat-
ents in computer architecture, and with the startup
Vieo Inc. as principal engineer and staff scientist
serving as the lead design architect for the company’s sys-
tem management product.
Walker credits Oz Becca, who has led the hard-
ware development for the product since joining the
venture as a partner, for the company’s technological
achievements.
Vircion’s targeted solutions help businesses better
reach their customers, while generating revenues from
their investments at hotels, cafés, convention centers,
shopping malls and other retail venues.
“Vircion also integrates the device into a social net-
work — a first, to our knowledge,” Walker says. “Gaming
is social, so we make it even more so.”
The Multi-Player Online Gaming Directory, or www.
mpogd.com, a site dedicated to providing information on
the industry, posted comments about Vircion’s success in
enhancing gaming among friends.
“The real twist that Vircion provides is the
ability to continue gaming sessions with your friends
at home that don’t have the same console,” one post-
er wrote. “Because the software is PC-based, there
is no need to be tied to the same games or consoles
any longer. This simple fact alone will dramatically
increase the user base for the product, and could very well
be cheaper than needing to buy additional games or con-
soles just to play with friends.”
Such accolades reinforce Walker’s living room
inspiration.
“The best ideas are products that bring to reality ideas
that are disruptive, forcing a shift in industry thinking,
and bring values to users that they anticipate would be a
long way off,” Walker says. “The good news is that Sero
is here now.”
TERRI SCHEXNAYDER | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
VIRCION PLAYS THE FIELD
GAMING AWARD
NICK SIMONITE / ABJ
Founder Peter Walker and his team at Vircion.
or his
teen-
ineer
been
wned
ming
could
envi-
Matt to
ology
ames
for a
terac-
es the
h-end
2 and
ology,
nched
2008
e.
an we
ays.
ions,”
duate
puter
and electrical engineering from Brown Uni-
versity. “People want to be able to access
their TV shows, games and media content
from anywhere, any time.”
Vircion’s market research shows the
product will be in demand if it’s affordable,
Walker says. The company’s targeted price
range is $199 to $300.
Although consumers with game consoles
and broadband networks in their homes
are the primary market, the company also
targets other vertical markets:
■ E-commerce sites that sell or provide
video game-related services and products,
and want their customers to be able to try
the games;
■ Game publishers and developers seek-
ing new ways to get greater visibility of
their content;
■ Game testing and development envi-
ronments. Vircion’s product allows devel-
opers to easily share access to valuable
development resources.
Walker has significant experience in
high-performance networking, video com-
pression and Web server development. His
career includes years with IBM Research,
where his work resulted in several pat-
ents in computer architecture, and with
the startup Vieo Inc. as principal engineer
and staff scientist serving as the lead de-
sign architect for the company’s system
management product.
Walker credits Oz Becca, who has led
the hardware development for the prod-
uct since joining the venture as a partner,
for the company’s technological achieve-
ments.
Vircion’s targeted solutions help busi-
nesses better reach their customers, while
generating revenues from their invest-
ments at hotels, cafés, convention centers,
shopping malls and other retail venues.
“Vircion also integrates the device into
a social network — a first, to our knowl-
edge,” Walker says. “Gaming is social, so
we make it even more so.”
The Multi-Player Online Gaming Di-
rectory, or www.mpogd.com, a site dedicated
to providing information on the industry,
posted comments about Vircion’s success
in enhancing gaming among friends.
“The real twist that Vircion provides is
the ability to continue gaming sessions
with your friends at home that don’t have
the same console,” one poster wrote. “Be-
cause the software is PC-based, there is
no need to be tied to the same games or
consoles any longer. This simple fact alone
will dramatically increase the user base for
the product, and could very well be cheaper
than needing to buy additional games or
consoles just to play with friends.”
Such accolades reinforce Walker’s living
room inspiration.
“The best ideas are products that bring
to reality ideas that are disruptive, forcing
a shift in industry thinking, and bring val-
ues to users that they anticipate would be
a long way off,” Walker says. “The good
news is that Sero is here now.”
VIRCION PLAYS THE FIELD
GAMING AWARD
NICK SIMONITE | ABJ
VIRCION INC.
www.vircion.com
INNOVATION: Device that allows
interactive remote game play of any
console game over the Internet.
Vircion
ses by