Razer has announced that it has Chinese mobile game developer Tencent is beginning to intergrate the Razer Nabu into its games. The initial game to benefit from this is Timi Run Everyday, a side scrolling platformer that is already integrated with – also Chinese – instant messaging platform WeChat. This will allow players to earn rewards for talking, burning calories, and getting a good night’s sleep.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4DvnqfpPeQ&feature=youtu.be
The Razer Nabu is a slightly unusual product for the gaming peripheral manufacturer as it suddenly enters the fitness band market. This partnership with Tencent and Timi Run Everyday appears to indicate what kind of future Razer has in store. Providing in-game rewards for exercise may not appeal to the hardcore gaming crowd that the company usually panders to, but it may convince casual gamers who want extra in-game currency without having to spend money. Whether they will actually buy the Nabu for this capability is a completely different question.
However, this integration shows an interesting method of gamifying wearing a fitness band. One wonders why this idea did not happen sooner; especially with smartphones that are already capable of tracking physical activity. On that note, Sony Smartwatch and PlayStation Vita integration really needs to happen now.
