New Furiends Augmented Reality Game
AUSTIN, Texas (July 30, 2018) – Blue Goji, a health and wellness technology company, is gearing up to launch its new Furiends augmented reality (AR) mobile game, available first for newer iPhones with Android support to come later this year. Furiends will be accessible to U.S., Canadian, and Australian consumers via free download starting in September. Blue Goji will be donating a portion of the proceeds to local Austin animal shelter Austin Pets Alive!.
The Furiends Back Story
Blue Goji developed the Furiends game using augmented reality (AR) technology, allowing players to take their dogs with them wherever they go by blending real and virtual worlds. The immersive technology makes it easy to create a real connection with a virtual pet.
“With our new Furiends mobile game, we are bringing the experience of owning a dog to everyone. At Blue Goji, we enjoy close bonds with our dogs – our employees even bring their dogs to our office. It was our mission to enable others to make similar connections with a pet without worrying about the necessity of care and expenses that come with owning a real live dog,” explained Adam Fung, Blue Goji’s Lead Game Designer and Producer of Furiends.
How to Play the Game
Furiends will launch on AR-capable Apple devices (iPhone 6S and newer) running the latest version of iOS. Blue Goji plans to have a version of Furiends to support Android devices later this year. The game will be free to download and play, with the option of in-app purchases.
The main goal is to take good care of your virtual dogs. You need to play and walk with them, feed them well and make sure they drink plenty of water — the same activities you should do for yourselves. A key component of Furiends is the step-tracking feature: to take care of their virtual pet, players need to be physically active. The game can read the user’s step count from their device and convert those steps into “Fur-coins.” Players are given step goals to achieve or exceed, so that they are consistently motivated to stay active.
Furiends in-app purchase options include fantastic and realistic clothing, collars, leashes, and other virtual products to dress up their virtual pets. A portion of these proceeds will support Austin Pets Alive!.
Aligning with Austin Pets Alive!
“Blue Goji makes products that help others. We have chosen to align with Austin Pets Alive! because it only made sense that a game about virtual pets should benefit real pets in need,” commented Kyra Constam, Blue Goji’s Marketing Associate and Web Designer. “APA! has done great work to maintain its ‘No-Kill’ shelter status and operate at its own extremely high standards. We were touched that APA! was one of the first responder pet rescue programs on the scene when Hurricane Harvey hit the greater Houston area in August 2017 and saved the lives of over 5,000 animals. We want to make sure that their excellent work can continue.”
APA! is leading the No-Kill movement in Austin by energizing the public and maintaining comprehensive, innovative, life-saving programs designed to save the animals who are most at risk in shelters across Central Texas and throughout the nation. Blue Goji is pleased that future purchases from players can support APA!’s important work.
About Blue Goji:
Based in Austin, Texas, Blue Goji develops technology that makes fitness fun through gamification. Blue Goji’s award-winning flagship Goji PlayTM fitness game system transforms conventional cardio workouts into engaging and fun experiences for both adults and kids. Since 2011, Blue Goji has pursued efforts to make getting healthy more interesting and more accessible for all ages. These efforts involve both software and hardware. For more information, please see bluegoji.com.
Furiends, Goji Play, and other products, brands, logos, and trademarks are property of Blue Goji. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
About Austin Pets Alive!:
Austin Pets Alive! is a 501© 3 (nonprofit) organization that is focused on helping the healthy and/or treatable pets at risk of euthanasia in other shelters. Our mission is to promote and provide the resources, education and programs needed to eliminate the killing of companion animals. Since 2008, Austin Pets Alive! has saved the lives of over 60,000 pets and has helped Austin be the largest No Kill city in the country for over seven years. For more information, please visit austinpetsalive.org.
