Arturas Velutis is a hopeless romantic and a real gamer, employed with the legendary game corporation Blizzard Entertainment Inc. since 2011. Besides that, Mr. Arturas is an Asgardian mayoral candidate of Cork. In an interview with Asgardia Space News, he talks about his favourite constellation, his dreams ...
Arturas Velutis is a hopeless romantic and a real gamer, employed with the legendary game corporation Blizzard Entertainment Inc. since 2011. Besides that, Mr. Arturas is an Asgardian mayoral candidate of Cork. In an interview with Asgardia Space News, he talks about his favourite constellation, his dreams coming true, and plans for his children to receive Asgardian residence
Mr. Velutis, as a child, did you wonder what the Universe was, and how it had formed? What was your reaction when you learned that in 1961, man first traveled to space, and then, 1969 to the Moon?
I remember, as a kid, standing in the street and looking up at the constellations. I experienced an incredible sensation of the Universe drawing me into itself. The first constellation I distinguished was the Ursa Minor – and you need to have really good eyesight for that. My favourite constellation is the Ursa Major. I rarely get to look at the stars these days – it's either that I get too busy, or the Irish sky gets overcast. Perhaps I could call myself a romantic, since I believe in magic and wonder. Many of the things that have happened in my life are nothing short of a miracle. Oftentimes, I have lucid dreams where I see myself flying rockets. Some of my dreams have been prophetic. For example, before I ever heard of Asgardia, I dreamed I was standing in a spacious room with a big window, looking at the Earth – and the room was part of a spacecraft in the Earth's orbit! Perhaps, it is indeed true that each of us contains an entire Universe in his mind.
And what’s your dream of space?
I would like to go live in space! My conviction is that the very origin of life is in space, that is why we always want to go there. Life in space would be incredible - but most people on our planet still find it hard to believe this. Sometimes, when I talk to others about Asgardia, I get weird looks, like, are you crazy or something? And I just have to keep on, using my gift of persuasion. I mean, if we could, hypothetically, find another planet suitable for living, but not yet occupied by anyone else - why not settle there?
Would you pay $250.000 for going on a suborbital flight as a space tourist?
If I had such amounts of money on my hands, I would probably give it a thought, but, honestly, I’d first build my children a house each, and then, if I still had the $250 left, I’d spend that on a suborbital flight any time. I am confident that for anyone who sees the Earth from up there, personal and international problems would seem unimportant, instead putting the focus on humanity as a whole, and its safety on this planet.
If you had the choice of asking one question, and were guaranteed a 100% reliable answer, what would that question be?
If I had such an opportunity I would probably want to know why I am here on this Earth, and what my mission here is.
Since 2011 you have been working in the legendary game corporation Blizzard Entertainment Inc. When you first got the job, was it a dream coming true, or just a rational decision to make a living?
As any employee, I signed a non-disclosure agreement with the Company, and can, therefore, say only what is publicly known. All that I can say otherwise about the company is my own opinion.
How I got the job is one of those miracle stories in my life. I made a wish for my 15th or 16th birthday to work for Blizzard someday. I try to be careful with what I wish for, because my desires have a way of materialising. This one was no exception: in 2011, I started work at Blizzard's customer support department
Among all the games released by the corporation, do you have a favourite? Which one, and why?
I spent my childhood gaming. I would say Diablo is the game I like best.
How did you first learn about Asgardia?
I would say it was magic again, as, I don't know exactly how, I ended up on Asgardia's web page and learned that there was a Space Kingdom!
You very active on vk.com, sharing news and information on Asgardia...
That’s eight. Asgardia promises us life in space, and I am convinced that everyone should know about it. So, to spread the word, I use all means available.
What made you choose to become an Asgardian resident?
For me, Asgardia is not just a new country or an association of people pursuing a common goal. Asgardia is the next stage in the development of our earthly civilization. I'm honoured to be a part of it.
Can you please share some plans for the near future? What are the main goals of your work as a mayoral candidate?
Being Mayor is probably like being a headman in a class. I have no experience as a mayor, but one of my main goals is to attract as many people as possible to join us in Asgardia. And also, to help connect the people of Asgardia, its Nation.
I also know that you have already registered your children on Asgardia's site and are planning for them to receive the resident status. What are the steps you have taken so far?
Indeed, I registered both my children. Before doing that I asked them if they wanted to become residents. They said they were willing to become Asgardians. I wrote to the email address from Asgardia’s page and got a prompt reply saying I should contact the minister directly, which I did. The minister wrote back saying my request was being processed.
What other digital and virtual states do you know? What makes Asgardia to be a different?
Besides my citizenship in Asgardia, I’m a citizen of the virtual state of Freeland. But, while Freeland is more like a game, Asgardia is something I take very seriously. Asgardia is forever. I look forward to the day I receive the Asgardian passport.
