“This was never my idea”
Chris Skaggs, COO of Soma Games and founder of the Imladris Community, didn’t plan on entering the gaming world—he was drafted. In 2005, amid controversy surrounding Grand Theft Auto, he stumbled upon a Christian Game Developers Conference. “You just feel the Holy Spirit ring, and you’re like, that’s supposed to be me,” he said. That Holy Spirit nudge launched him into a new calling—not just to make games, but to create community and catalyze kingdom vision.
The Artist Behind the Screen
Though Chris never saw himself as a gamer, he was always a creative—writing fiction, building worlds, and acting on stage. “Acting changed my life... it let me find my personality, let me find my voice.” Today, he brings that same creative heart into game development, not just to entertain, but to explore deeper truths.
Interactive Entertainment: The New Art Frontier
Chris is passionate about reframing how we think about video games. “Let’s stop calling them video games,” he urged. “Call it interactive entertainment.”
He’s seeking to refute the common perception that video games are for kids, and thus, don’t really contribute to the “adult” realm of artistry.
Chris is actively redefining games as high art, capable of delivering story, emotion, and transformation.
Building a Kingdom in Gaming
The Imladris Community, the community Chris founded for connecting Christians who work in the gaming industry, was born out of a question from God: What if you were the king of the games industry? That vision led Chris to discover a hidden population of Christian developers who felt isolated and invisible. “The most valuable thing in a kingdom is its people,” he said. Imladris is now over 1,500 strong and growing.
“If you can get healthy people, they will make healthy, beautiful art.”
He’s healing wounded creatives. He’s advocating for educational pipelines. Chris is building a 100-year vision for Christian presence in the arts—where beauty, faith, and creativity flourish together.
Let’s Build Together.
Are you fascinated by the stories of everyday people using their gifts to bring glory to God? Do you have a story of what God is doing in and through your life?
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