Building a Business Out of Play — Matt DuPlessie

Matthew DuPlessie, Founder & CEO of Level99 and 5 Wits, joins Charlie Melcher to explore a different approach to immersive experience design.

Level99 is built as an open world of short, high-intensity challenges. Guests move through it in small teams, choosing where to go, repeating rooms, and improving over time. Progress carries across visits, so the experience evolves the more you engage with it.

Matt shares why they moved away from traditional narrative, and what changes when storytelling takes a step back and participation takes the lead.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org.

To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.

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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

124 West 13th Street

New York, NY 10011

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman