New Games Concept to Tackle Child Obesity
29th July 2008
A Liverpool company is set to help tackle the UK’s growing problem of child obesity through a new games console device with backing from Alliance Fund Managers through the MSIF Liverpool Seed Fund
New Concept Gaming, based at the Liverpool Science Park, has created jOG – an add-on gadget which is compatible with existing games. jOG detects when the player takes a step and projects that movement into the game while the player is jogging on the spot. Direction and all the other functions are still controlled by the standard gamepad.
jOG can be used in conjunction with most existing video games that feature character movement on screen including adventure, children’s and sports games and requires no changes to any game console or software to use. In addition, the unit can be detached and used as a conventional pedometer for running.
Alliance Fund Managers has invested £250k from MSIF’s Liverpool Seed Fund to support the commercialisation of the product and has committed up to a further £450k if the company reaches certain targets. Liverpool Ventures has advised New Concept Gaming throughout the funding process and is continuing to work closely with the business.
The product is the brainchild of New Concept’s managing director Brendan Ludden. He set the business up in 2005 and now runs it with co directors Jaison George, Patrick Slaats. The company relocated from Swindon to Liverpool earlier this year.
Managing Director Brendan Ludden said: “Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in the Western world and many sedentary activities are being blamed, not least playing video games. jOG is a great way to banish those criticisms and help gaming be both fun and healthy. LJMU are undertaking significant research for us to measure the calorie-burn whilst using jOG and this information will be published shortly.
“It is very difficult to secure funding and quality support for early stage businesses such as ours. AFM not only invested money through the Liverpool Seed Fund, they also secured us a games industry expert as a non executive director whose knowledge will be invaluable to us at this critical stage in our company’s development. Through Liverpool Ventures have provided us with advice on everything from our relocation to our strategy development and they will continue working with us as we go forward.”
Malcolm Stewart, managing director of Liverpool Ventures said: “This is a great technology which has a wide appeal and we are confident that jOG will do very well when it hits the market shortly. We will continue to provide support to the business as it enters this next important phase.”
jOG will be released in 2008 and is expected to retail below £20.
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For further information please contact Angela White at AFM on 0151 242 6376.
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Rajesh Sharma (Liverpool Ventures), Brendan Ludden (MD jOG) & Malcolm Stewart (Liverpool Ventures)
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