Phone Tag

Today in the WSJ, there's an interesting article about new mobile games.  One of the cooler ones is called PhoneTag, developed by LivePlanet, that is like an urban capture-the-flag game.  It will be available on Amp'd mobile.

Here's how it will work: Amp'd Mobile users will be able to invite a circle of friends to join in a game of PhoneTag by sending text invitations to their cellphones, or to participate in a game with strangers. When a game starts, players will be given a target--another player-- that appears on their cellphones screens as a dot on a virtual map. The game can be played on almost any territory, whether a college campus or a city.

At the same time hunters are pursuing their quarry, they themselves are being hunted by other players. When players get close to their prey, typically within a few yards, they virtually "tag" them hitting a button labeled "capture" on their cellphones. LivePlanet also plans to sell sponsorships that allow, say, Starbucks to turn its cafes into "safe havens" that let players temporarily cloak themselves on their opponents' maps while they're enjoying a latte.

Starbucks: World's largest network of public restrooms and now safe haven for crazy teens running around the city.