Talofa Games Secures $6.3M for Interactive Running App
Run Legends has been a hit with gaming and workout enthusiasts, indicating that gamified fitness can be simple yet effective
San Francisco-based Talofa Games has raised $6.3 million in seed funding for its mobile fitness and future initiatives, after garnering over ten million downloads for its free app, Run Legends.
The funding round was led by Chamaeleon and included participation from A16Z Games Speedrun, Basis Set Ventures, Insight Partners and 1Up Ventures.
Founded in 2019 by CEO Jenny Xu, a marathon runner and fitness enthusiast, Talofa Games recently launched Run Legends 1.0, a narrated competitive fitness game.
Using a gamified approach, Run Legends encourages players to take the game outside, opting for running or walking. Unlike other immersive games, Run Legends doesn’t require a high-priced headset — headphones, supportive shoes and comfortable clothing are all that are gently suggested to enjoy the fitness game.
The interactive game consists of engaging “missions” and allows users to set their own pace as they play alone or alongside their friends, unlocking rewards and new missions. The pace is entirely self-directed, with players able to speed up or slow down to change their skill to combat enemies they encounter along the way. Although they are enemies, the characters are humorous — with players running into a “hyper-competitive Chad,” a quite muscular and rage-filled enemy.
Aside from its entertainment and fitness value, Run Legends is notably easy to launch and user-friendly. The app also allows users to enable step tracking and opt to receive notifications for in-game events and to claim rewards.
“I began making games when I was 12. Today, we’re announcing Talofa’s $6.3M funding!” Xu posted on LinkedIn.
“Having shipped over 10 games like Animatronic Jumpscare Factory and Five Tries At Love as a teen, I dreamed of combining the two things I love the most (fitness and game development!) into something bigger,” she continued. “As a long-distance runner that heard so often that running ‘sucks’ or is boring and painful, I set my sights on creating a game experience that makes not just this activity but other forms of wellness compelling and accessible.”
While Run Legends uses a relatively simple concept, it’s had impressive health benefits for its players.
“We’ve had players telling us they lost five or 10 pounds in a single month. So I think just the impact has been pretty clear,” Xu told VentureBeat. “Fitness and gaming do not need to be mutually exclusive, and we are extremely proud to build a game that enables players to improve their health while having fun and playing with friends. We look forward to working with our players to scale this new social fitness experience and create a happier, healthier world.”
Talofa is now searching for a senior product manager to join its team, the company has said.
