An indie developer is working on a new walking app inspired by the classic MMORPGRuneScapetitledWalkScape.The mobile app will let players complete quests, level up stats, and play through the story of a fantasy adventure just by walking around.
The original version ofRuneScapelaunched in 2001 and continues to have an active community more than two decades later. RuneScape has had a significant impact on MMOs and RPGs in general and likely inspired a whole generation of current game developers. However, most people probably wouldn’t expect that inspiration would lead to someone creating a fantasy RPG walking app.
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WalkScapeis an upcoming app coming to Android devices, with an iOS release on its way further down the road. The game takes place in a fantasy world called Arenum, which features three countries and numerous locations that havesurprisingly deep lore for a fitness game. Players of theRuneScape-inspired exercise app will be able to explore the map, embark on quests, experience random encounters, progress through a main storyline, and level up over 20 different skills just by walking around.WalkScapewill also feature leaderboards, a global marketplace, and other community features.
The developer has also uploaded a few screenshots to Reddit and Twitter, offering some idea of what the game will look like. It shows the player traveling from a location called the Disenchanted Forest to a city called Kallaheim. In addition, it displays information like the Steps Remaining, Steps To Level Up, Actions to Level up, and Success chance. TheWalkScapeTwitter account also shows off some pixel-art sprites and lore about various in-game countries.The mobile fitness gamewill not feature any in-game music or sound effects, but that may change in the future.
WalkScape is solo developed by a computer science student who goes by WalkScaper on Reddit. They describe it as “30% a fitness app and 70% a game” and say it will be free-to-play at launch. However, they are considering a subscription service to cover the server cost once it gets more users. There is no word on price, butWalkScapewill use a similar monetization strategy toOld School RuneScape. Players will be able to experience a significant amount of content for free but will need to pay a subscription fee to access everything.
WalkScapedoesn’t have a set release date, though fans can follow its development on Reddit, Twitter, and Discord. The developer is also planning to release a closed beta for theRuneScape-inspired fitness RPG this summer. Hopefully, theRuneScapeinspiration appeals to fans of the old but still-popular MMORPG.
