Guitar Hero producers turn to mobile fitness games

Kai and Charles Huang, the founders of Guitar Hero-producer RedOctane, have announced plans to launch a new company, creating tablet fitness games with peripheral attachments.

Blue Goji will combine tablets and smartphones with cardio-vascular work-out equipment like treadmills, stationary bicycles and elliptical machines. The games will provide gameplay, achievement goals and performance tracking as well as friend-networking functions. They are connected to the player via Bluetooth and on-body tracking and motion devices.

"Our goal is to help people lead healthier and more active lives by providing anyone across all fitness levels with a fun way to work out, one that is accessible and compelling to use," said co-founder and CEO Kai Huang. "With Blue Goji, we're developing a platform to support a variety of entertainment content that enables people to immerse themselves in their workout routines for a more enjoyable and social experience."

RedOctane was founded in 1999, specializing in game peripherals and dance pads. In 2005, the company teamed up with Harmonix to produce the smash hit Guitar Hero. Activision bought RedOctane in 2006, eventually closing the company in 2010.

In January this year, former CCP president Mike Tinney announced plans to create Utilifit, an MMO, based partly on Eve Online, that aims to gamify training.

Blue Goji's products are currently in test-phase, with more information promised "in the coming months." In an interview with AllThingsD, Kai Huang said he hoped that the devices would be ready by the end of this year.