London based experience designers PAN Studio have created a new app that overlaps the spheres of\r\nhealth, location and gaming; the creators refuse to describe it as a ‘gamified\r\nhealth app’ instead posing the question, ‘what’s to stop this idea becoming a sport, if sport is a subcategory of gaming?”\r\nAfter all, Run An Empire addresses all sport’s prerequisites; it’s competitive,\r\nmulti-player, it involves entertainment and skill, and even the most\r\ncontentious point, it’s centred around physical activity. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n

To self proclaim Run An Empire a new sport maybe pushing it, so\r\nPAN Studio are suggesting an entirely new typology of physical play (New Sport if you will) with a unique\r\napplicability and purpose. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n

Working with the\r\nphone’s in-built GPS, Run An Empire works by mapping the route of your run.\r\nEverybody plays using the same map, which means nearby players can capture land\r\nfrom you.  All they have to do is run\r\naround your most vulnerable turf; much like Risk, but for runners.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n

As part of the Play Report in the last Protein Journal we\r\nfeatured Six to Start, another design studio who have turned to game mechanics, and this time virtual zombies,A str to get us off the sofa and into a pair of running\r\nshoes.