How Infinity Games’ New Wellness App Uses Artificial Intelligence to Boost Mental Health
Plus, how Portuguese developer Redcatpig is revving up excitement with its vehicular combat games
Welcome to the fifth edition of Games From Portugal, a monthly publication that brings you the latest updates and news stories from Portugal's video game development sector and creative industries. This newsletter is brought to you by eGames Lab, a unique e-games development and creative industries cluster in Portugal.
This month, we spoke to Portuguese mobile game developer Infinity Games about its new mindfulness app, Chill, which just launched on the Apple App Store and Google Play. This app not only has a unique focus on sound and haptics, but also utilises AI to create fully personalised meditations at the push of a button.
All that rest and relaxation meant we were well-prepared for our check-in with another Portuguese game studio, Redcatpig, which specialises in all things fast and furious. CEO Marco Bettencourt talks us through the studio’s two latest projects, KEO and Hovershock.
How Infinity Games’ New Relaxation App Chill Is Using Artificial Intelligence to Promote Mental Health
One of the biggest technological developments in the past decade has been the rapid advancement in generative AI, with its ability to automate tasks set to revolutionise industries across the board. However, mental health is one area where you might be surprised to hear that AI is having an impact. Chill, an all-new relaxation companion app developed by Portuguese mobile game studio Infinity Games, harnesses AI to create a tailored approach to promoting mindfulness and mental wellbeing.
Robson Siebel, Head of Design at Infinity Games, explains that every user’s personalised journey with Chill, now available via Google Play and the Apple App Store, begins right from the initial setup. Upon launching the app, users are guided through a questionnaire designed to pinpoint the type of uplifting content they want.
That’s important because, as an all-in-one subscription app, Chill offers many ways to help its users manage stress, improve their focus, and relax – with a particular emphasis on haptics and sound. Users can listen to original songs written by the studio’s composer to encourage mindfulness, add ambiances like rain and birdsong to their favourite songs, play gentle mini-games that help them unwind, run through breathing exercises, and more.
Boosting Mental Wellbeing With AI-based Features
But perhaps the app’s most standout feature, and where artificial intelligence comes into play, is its meditations. During early development, Chill initially offered a set library of meditations tailored to common themes people often seek help with, such as coping with ageing, managing work stress, or processing grief.
While these guided meditations were beneficial, many factors can influence an individual’s mental health, meaning many users required a more nuanced solution for the app to make a significant impact. To address this, Siebel and his team introduced generative AI, enabling the app to create personalised meditations that align more closely with each user's unique challenges and experiences.
“The AI meditation feature allows users to pick any subject, no matter how specific to their life, and Chill generates a customised meditation tailored to that focus,” Siebel says. “It’s possibly the most customisable aspect of the app, offering nearly infinite possibilities.”
Alongside the meditations, Infinity Games has also used AI technology to develop a digital therapist, Julia, who has a dedicated personality and is available for users to chat about their problems 24 hours a day. Of course, while Julia can’t replace the experience of speaking to a real-life therapist, Siebel says Julia is effective at helping users make those first steps, encouraging them to self-reflect.
For example, if you tell Julia you’re tired, she might ask you why you think that is – are you simply having trouble sleeping, or is it because you’re going through a tough time at work? Depending on your response, she’ll help point you in the right direction towards different features in the app.
From Mobile Games to Mindfulness
Building Chill was a new experience for Infinity Games’ development team. It is the studio’s first project outside the realm of games, where it has collectively amassed over 250 million downloads. Thankfully, the transition wasn’t as difficult as you might expect, as many of the studio’s past titles, such as Energy and Maze, already incorporate many minimalistic design elements and relaxing features, so it was a natural transition.
Many of the app’s features were based on user feedback, a process not too dissimilar from playtesting. Siebel points to one example from early development, where Chill significantly focused on interactivity. The app recreated retro objects like classic dial phones, with the idea that the mix of nostalgia and physicality would be soothing. While that feature still made it into the final product, Siebel says many users were much more receptive to meditations and breathing exercises, so the app shifted its focus.
Despite having just launched, Infinity Games is already developing new features, such as the Daily Mix, that will launch in the not-too-distant future. These mixes are routines designed to help users relax based on different themes that change every 24 hours. For example, one day might focus on boosting energy, while another could be about unwinding after a hard day’s work.
“The mix is dynamic, offering 30 days of unique routines, each designed to provide something fresh and beneficial every day,” Siebel explains. “These aren’t just limited to in-app tasks either; many prompt users to do something healthy in the real world that aligns with their relaxation goals. We might suggest a meditation in the morning, but by midday, it could be something like a reminder to drink a glass of water or step outside for a short walk.”
Siebel says the studio has more features in the pipeline, such as interactive stories that blend music and interactivity into one mood-boosting experience. For example, one early concept has users heading to the beach, soothed by the crashing waves, and sitting down to light a fire. The developer is also working on new breathing exercises, giving users even more variety in their daily routines.
To better understand Chill's full capability and potential, Infinity Games is also working with PhD students from the Instituto Superior Técnico at the University of Lisbon and the University of Madeira. The PhD student-led study aims to explore the app’s ability to reduce stress and improve mental well-being for different populations worldwide, the results of which will influence how Chill and Infinity Games' future projects evolve.
Twisted Metal Meets Rocket League: Redcatpig’s CEO Marco Bettencourt on Revitalising Car Combat for Today’s Players
What happens when you take the motor-fueled mayhem of Twisted Metal, the competitive car-nage of Rocket League, and throw in an assault of aerial drones? You get Hovershock, the vibrant new multiplayer title from Portuguese developer and eGamesLab consortium member Redcatpig.
Automotive anarchy is something of a trademark for the studio, with Hovershock joined in development by the studio’s other title KEO, which trades the skies for a Mad Max-esque battleground where players zoom around in highly customised vehicles blasting each other to smithereens.
“A lot of our inspiration comes from the fact that we are gamers from the 90s,” says Marco Bettencourt, CEO of Redcatpig. “Back then, there were a lot of shooters that focused on vehicles, with Twisted Metal being the classic example, which are now lacking in today’s market. We began developing these titles because we believe there are still many gamers like us who would love to see that genre make a comeback.”
While vehicular combat still features in many titles, such as Gearbox’s Borderlands or Fortnite’s recent “Wrecked” Season, games solely focusing on this mechanic have largely fallen off the roadside. Many beloved franchises like Destruction Derby, Carmageddon, and Burnout have long sat dormant. Even Twisted Metal’s live-action adaption on Peacock failed to reignite the genre, with some rumours suggesting a new title was cancelled.
Nevertheless, based on the response to KEO, Redcatpig’s intuition was right on the gearstick. The game had more than 100,000 people sign up for the title’s initial closed beta, and since the title entered early access in 2021, there’s been an equally positive response to its nostalgic brand of turbocharged road rage.
And while Hovershock hasn’t released to the public yet, Marco says initial feedback from publishers and feedback has been glowing. One feature he expects many players will be excited to get their hands on is yet another increasingly forgotten part of video games (which is fast becoming a Redcatpig speciality), split-screen, with up to four players able to take to the skies using couch co-op.
Bumps on the Road to Success
The positive response to its titles has been a relief for the studio, especially given how the market for online multiplayer games has become intensely competitive over the past few years. Worries over live-service feasibility have accelerated in recent months, with the recent failure of PlayStation’s Concord said to have sent waves throughout the industry.
That being said, there have been obstacles along the way, particularly during the studio’s early days. Bettencourt remembers when KEO was first released into early access, Redcatpig was only working with a limited budget, which resulted in the touch decision to omit certain features. The decision was made not to include bots to fill empty slots in multiplayer matches, which was met with negativity by some of the community.
The studio prioritises players' needs, so Redcatpig decided to delay the game’s full launch while it gathered feedback from the community and worked hard behind the scenes to provide the experience players wanted. The KEO which is currently available in early access and on track to launch fully next year, now has a wide range of additional features, including intelligent bots powered by AI machine learning.
“We were able to invest in the game and are very happy with the experience we’ve built for players,” Bettencourt says. “With a good product and a strong marketing strategy, I still believe it’s possible to succeed. I don't see multiplayer games as a difficulty. I see multiplayer games as a social tool for interaction. And that's what we believe in, getting people together, playing in the same lobbies, and having fun.”
The lessons Redcatpig has learned have encouraged the studio to begin work on a third title. The new project is still in its initial stages of development, meaning much is still to be confirmed. However, it will adhere to the same fuel-filled multiplayer frenzy the studio is known for and incorporate elements of Web3 technology, something Redcatpig is building with support from the broader eGames Lab consortium.
Portugal: The Next Gaming Hub
The strength of Redcatpig’s portfolio of titles has earned the studio much recognition from the wider industry, earning it various accolades. Just to name a few, these include multiple PlayStation Talents awards, an honourable mention from AICEP, and selection as one of Cision’s Most Mediatic Portuguese Startups. The studio also recently participated at Web Summit 2024 as a Beta Startup – a significant milestone, as it first debuted at the event in 2019 as an Alpha Startup.
All this success has helped Redcatpig to become a key player in the Portuguese gaming industry, expanding from its central headquarters in the Azores to two other offices in Madeira and Lisbon. As part of the Portuguese Association of Game Developers, Bettencourt is proud to have Redcatpig based in a region he describes as a “rising star” in the gaming industry.
When you look at the numbers, Bettencourt makes a good point. Portugal’s video game industry is expected to reach revenues of around 258 million dollars in 2024, with the annual growth rate exceeding 11% by 2027. Figures from Portugal’s Trade and Investment Agency, AICEP Portugal Global, also show that as of 2021, the region had around 7,100 students in areas related to gaming or multimedia – an immense amount of expertise.
"I honestly believe Portugal will be the next gaming hub," Bettencourt says. "Being part of something emerging is always exciting. It gives you a unique opportunity to do something truly different while learning from the best."
Updates from The eGames Lab Consortium
FootAR, a proud partner of eGames Lab, has been listed among Portugal's 25 most promising startups. Highlighted for its innovative use of augmented reality in sports broadcasts, the company continues to shape the future of interactive sports experiences. This recognition reinforces its pivotal role in advancing technology within the eGames Lab consortium.
WalkMe Mobile Solutions, a member of the eGames Lab consortium, will launch an innovative virtual reality game in 2025. This new title will showcase Madeiran talent on the global stage and secure a bright future for the region's creative industries.
eGames ab received an honorable mention in the National Brand category at Exame Informática's Best of Technological Portugal 2024, recognising its contributions to promoting Portuguese innovation and creativity in the tech and gaming industries nationally and internationally.
Startup Madeira, a member of the eGames Lab consortium, hosted GameJam+ Madeira in late October. This global initiative brings together passionate game developers in locations around the world for an intense 48-hour marathon, where participants design a game concept and create a working prototype from scratch.
Business & Gaming Stories Affecting Portugal
For Lisboa Games Week, thousands of gamers descended upon Portgual’s FIL Exhibition Centre. The annual event, held between 20 and 23 November, showcased the best Portugal’s gaming industry has to offer. Mobidictum called the event a “huge success,” with more than 90% of attendees giving it a “Very Positive” rating.
While at DevGAMM 2024, GameReactor spoke to the Lisbon-based developer Whalestork Interactive about its narrative-driven point-and-click adventure game, The Night is Grey. The game is said to blend 2D and 3D art with digital painting and parallax effects to create a dark cinematic atmosphere.
Over 18 million video games were sold across Europe during October, a rise of 12.4% compared with the same five-week period last year. The increase is attributed to the blockbuster success of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, and Super Mario Party Jamboree.
Townseek, a relaxing exploration-trading game from Whale and Games, was named the Best Game from Portugal at the DevGAMM 2024 awards. The studio behind the title was awarded $10,000 for its achievement.
