Frequently Asked Questions

It’s both! The Outbreak is a team-based health and fitness challenge that unfolds via The Outbreak app. You control your character through your real-world steps and exercise, which are synced into the game via Apple Healthkit, Google Fit, Fitbit, Apple Watch etc.

No problem. A Step Ahead engages gamers and non-gamers alike. Our participation is spread evenly across both gender and age, even the hard-to-engage 40-59 age range.

No. The Outbreak app can pull activity directly from Apple Healthkit on iPhones with a motion coprocessor (iPhone 5S and newer), and via Google Fit on Android smartphones with motion tracking (most modern devices), so while we recommend a fitness tracker for the best experience, employees can absolutely play The Outbreak using just a smartphone.

The Outbreak syncs activity from Apple Healthkit (iOS) and Google Fit (Android) which in turn accept steps and workout data from a wide range of fitness trackers and apps, like Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin and others. Please consult the individual fitness tracker or app to ensure it syncs to Apple Healthkit or Google Fit.

We maintain a list of compatible fitness trackers and apps on our compatible trackers and apps page.

iPhone: iPhone 5S or newer with iOS 10.3.X or higher.

Android: Android version 5.1.1 or higher. Device needs to have at least 2GB of ram, higher with some devices.

You are free to choose your group’s start date.

We provide a comprehensive support portal with how-to topics and a help desk for support tickets.

No. The Outbreak features some very mild cartoon violence (i.e. you want to see your character smash the zombies, right?). The visuals, story and overall tone are lighthearted and appropriate for all ages.

When players start The Outbreak app for the first time, they’re prompted to connect a fitness tracker. Players need only follow the on-screen prompts to select the option that works best for them and grant permission for The Outbreak to import activity data from the source selected.

Once connected, THE OUTBREAK will sync to players’ devices every 30 seconds or so that they have The Outbreak app open on the gameboard.

We maintain a list of compatible fitness trackers and apps on our compatible trackers and apps page.

You and your team are competing against other teams in a challenge where all teams are being chased by a horde of enemies (zombies, malfunctioning robots etc.). Each week starts and ends in a safehouse, with point bonuses being awarded to the teams who make it to each safehouse the fastest.

Your team’s steps move it across the game board. If your team doesn’t get enough steps to stay ahead of the enemy horde, your team members will take health damage. If any team member’s health is reduced to zero, he or she may be turned into a zombie, captured by the robots etc.

Players who have been captured can either earn their way back to their former human team through activity, or remain a part of the enemy horde, where their steps and exercise help make the horde faster and more ferocious.

Along the way, teams will run into obstacles, which can impede progress until beaten using some combination of steps and exercise.

Points are earned at the team level for reaching safehouses, conquering obstacles, maintaining an intact team, and for reaching the daily team step goal. The team with the most points at the conclusion of the challenge wins.

We offer 2 variations of most challenges: a standard prescription and an advanced prescription.

In either prescription, A Step Ahead eases participants in and scales up each week of the challenge.

Participants may need a minimal amount of steps and exercise to survive week one, but will be in for more of a challenge as the weeks progress. In later weeks, teams will want to be averaging 7,000+ steps per team member, per day, with members banking enough Power (through exercise) to pass frequent obstacles.

Team progress is based upon the average of the team’s steps allowing for teams to be made up of athletes and novices, alike.

The game features an interactive overview tutorial that will guide first-time players through the basics, as well as contextual mini-tutorials when players use certain features for the first time.