02/04/2026: The Next Evolution of Exercise & Workout Routine

Patrick Ascolese is a seasoned technology and game industry entrepreneur best known as the founder of Dark Arts Software, a Seattle-based independent virtual reality, gaming, and immersive technology studio he established in 2014.

Before founding Dark Arts Software, Ascolese built a substantial career in immersive media and game technology. He spent nearly a decade at Microsoft where he worked as a software development engineer and designer on flagship game and platforms, including Xbox 360, Kinect and Hololens and contributed to numerous games including Halo, Flight Simulator and many more. Following his time at Microsoft, he co-founded Camouflaj, a game studio recognized for titles including Republique and Iron Man VR, which was later acquired by Meta. He has also served as an AR/VR design consultant at Meta, contributing to the development of augmented reality headsets and also led development of Interactive Immersive entertainment products and systems for Vulcan Inc (now Vale Group) founded by Paul Allen Co-founder of Microsoft.
Across his career, Ascolese has focused on pioneering immersive experiences that bridge technology and interactive entertainment, underpinned by a deep technical and creative foundation, and sustained leadership in game and software development.

Founded in 2014 Dark Arts Software specializes in cutting-edge AR/VR entertainment, software and technology, with its current focus on developing Trip the Light : Let's Dance, a novel and high-end AR / VR dance game that blends immersive gameplay with realistic physical interactions and partner dance lessons for salsa and (soon) others. In Trip the Light players dance hand in hand with AI powered virtual dancer partners, delivering a magical and compelling experience only possible on modern XR headsets. Trip the Light has received overwhelmingly positive response since its initial public debut in 2024. Ascolese's favorite metric is that "Everybody Smiles" when they play it. The game was recently released on the Meta Horizon store and has 4.9 / 5 stars, last year at AWE 2025 it won Best in Show 'Gaming'. Trip the Light is currently available for the Meta Quest 2, 3 and 3s headsets.