Boehringer Ingelheim has announced the beta launch of its first social game
on Facebook, called Syrum. Syrum will be a new and evolving platform for the
research-driven pharmaceutical company to inspire and educate in a changing
digital world. In development for more than two years, Syrum has been
specifically designed to demonstrate the complex processes around medicine
research and development through gaming mechanics. It aims at promoting science
and innovation to the digital community in a fun and engaging way.
"The use of gaming in education has been put to effective use all over
the world as more organisations appreciate that humans are better motivated and
stimulated by interaction, fun and engagement", says Dr Jez Rose,
behavioural psychologist from Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. "Syrum is a
fantastic example of how fun gaming can be used to provide educational
delivery, whilst maintaining interest and engagement through a logical,
platform learning style."
Syrum allows players to create and run their own pharmaceutical company,
using a virtual laboratory to discover and develop imaginary medicines to
improve the health of the world. Molecular compounds can be developed and then
traded with other players. In each ‘chapter’, the player has to solve a
particular problem, whether a disease or a pandemic. The goal is to
discover cures by first creating a stable medicine, conducting a clinical trial
and finally bringing the medicine to the market.
"The research driven pharmaceutical industry is immersed in education
- whether aimed at medical or pharmaceutical professionals or providing
information directly to the public," says John Pugh, Director of Digital
at Boehringer Ingelheim. "Gaming is an experimental way for Boehringer
Ingelheim to do this. The challenge is to do this in a truly engaging,
educational and entertaining way that immerses the player."
Syrum is built on Facebook, and has already generated a high level of
interest, both within the pharmaceutical industry and amongst gamers. More than
1,000 people have already signed up to play in advance of the launch via the
website www.syrum-game.com.
The game is launched first in a beta format outside the US and Canada to
actively encourage feedback from the players and will be constantly developed
based on the players’ ideas and thoughts.
The official global launch of Syrum is planned for 2013.