Run An Empire - the lowdown on the AR running game...

by Startacus Admin

Augmented reality gaming and physical exercise combined, thanks to Run An Empire, the location-based strategy game for runners and walkers.

One popular genre of video game is strategy, in which the player takes command of an entire civilisation and builds them up from cave-dwellers to all-conquering world powers. Or builds a pretty garden and maintains it. Usually, players sit behind a keyboard and mouse and watch as the tiny digital people run about like ants doing all the work, and the most exercise they get from the game is to their clicking finger.

Obviously, these are not intended to be physical exercise games. But what if they could be? What if you could build up a digital civilisation at the same time as getting fit and healthy?

London-based Location Games has created Run an Empire on that very idea. The location-based app is a fun way to keep motivated to run, jog, or walk using, obviously, gamification.

The idea is simple: you take control of a civilisation and by walking or running in real life, you conquer more territory in the game. Earn in-game rewards and take your civilisation out of the mud and into the stars by leading them through the ages. The more land you conquer, and the more regions that you build on, the more money you earn to expand further. Make decisions for your civilisation as you go. Battle against other players/runners in your area to not only stay levels ahead, but to take control of castles in your neighbourhood.

The game is available for Android and iOS, and it just adds a fun extra to your runs. It sits on your phone or links to your Strava account, so you aren’t trying to run and tap at your screen at the same time. We like that the competitive angle is not only an additional way to keep motivated, but it also stands to help you meet other runners or walkers and make new friends.

Run an Empire released last summer, after raising over £23,000 on Kickstarter, and by the end of the year it already had over 40,000 players. Location Games hopes to make this 10 million by the end of 2019. We don’t know how easy that will be to achieve, but we do know that Run an Empire will give other location-based exercise apps a run for their money!

If you like fitness apps and health startups, you might also want to read up on:

RUNVI - the insole fitness tracker

snap40 - wearable tech for health

 

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• #augmented reality

Published on: 14th April 2019