While Ubisoft is usually noteworthy for the classic gaming franchises they make (Assassins Creed, Prince of Persia, Rayman, among others), this time they are in the news for something a little different.
Ubisoft has announced that they are launching their health app, entitled O.zen, to the citizens of Canada. However, what is a video game company doing with a health-related app? Do not worry, those who have no clue what this is all about, it will all make sense momentarily. This is the company’s first connected application that allows people to manage their stress, heart rate and inner calmness with a variety of gamified breathing exercises.
Alongside Ubisoft, Dr. David O’Hare (a heart coherence specialist) helped with the development process. They designed this device to assist with people’s well-being; being extremely beneficial in high-emotion situations. Coach K, the programmed personal trainer, will assist all users so they can create better breathing habits.
The Managing Director of Ubisoft Canada, Olivier Ernst spoke about the opportunity.
“In a society that places increasing demands on us, Quebecers are looking for innovative ways to help them self-manage their stress or anxiety, improve their sleep quality and boost their concentration. This is why Ubisoft created O.zen, a program that’s distinctive thanks to its fun approach, based on gaming and simple, effective exercises that help people integrate heart coherence into their everyday lives,” Ernst mentions. “This is a first for us in the field of well-being, and we are happy to be able to rely on key partners, including a number of health professionals, in bringing this project to fruition.”
The device itself has a few key features that are worth mentioning. For one, users can create their own profile and answer over 600 questions about their physical and emotional well-being. There are also 14 different breathing programs that are spread out amongst 70 levels. In addition, it is designed for daily use (in three to eight-minute sessions).
It is available as an application for both the iPad and iPhone for $149.99.