5 and Go! app: Where mental health meets gamification

Meet 5 and GO! — a visionary US company that targets the growing crisis of disconnection among young people.

In 2018, recognizing the increasing social isolation caused by digital technology, 5 and Go! set an ambitious goal: create an app that would encourage people to interact in real life via short, fun, playful challenges. Its aim was to prompt meaningful social interactions that reduce feelings of loneliness and increase a sense of belonging.

Without an in-house development team, 5 and Go! sought a technology partner who could fully realize their vision. Yalantis stepped in, taking complete ownership of the development process.
We’ve been working closely with 5 and Go! for several years, adapting the app as we learn more about what users want and need.

Fast-forward to today, and the results of our collaboration with 5 and Go! show the power of technological innovation and user-friendly design. Together, we’ve developed an iOS game with geolocation that encourages positive social interactions and healthy habits. The app has:

• daily challenges that prompt positive habits, boosting users’ moods and reducing feelings of isolation
• pair challenges that foster new friendships and strengthen existing ones
• location-based tasks that encourage exploring places (museums, parks, and more), combining physical activity with cognitive stimulation and social interaction
• a Social Fitness Score that motivates consistent social engagement
• in-app video recording for sharing memorable moments and completed challenges
• animated characters (including quirky options like a pickle) for a fun, personalized experience
• regular content updates with new challenges to keep the experience fresh

Our users’ enthusiasm reflects these achievements:

But how did we get here? Let’s rewind and relive the adventure.

Every great app starts with an idea. The best ones evolve to meet changing needs. The 5 and Go! journey is a perfect example of this adaptability:

1. Initial concept: Connect students on campus through fun and quick games.
2. Evolving vision: User feedback and market research revealed a broader opportunity to combat digital isolation among youth in general.
3. Refined challenge: Expand the initial concept to:
    – foster real-life interactions among a wider audience
    – offer diverse, entertaining tasks beyond campus settings
    – incorporate features supporting mental health and well-being

Yalantis is proud to be part of this socially important project, providing technical expertise and helping 5 and Go! refine their vision. Our focus has been on creating features that not only engage users but also actively improve their mental health through increased social connections, physical activity, and positive habit formation.

Balancing complex functionality with user-friendly design, 5 and Go! and Yalantis created an app that encourages real-world social engagement. Here’s how our technological solutions drove business value:

1. Bringing the digital world to life with augmented reality

To blend the digital and physical worlds, we used augmented reality (AR). Think of it as adding a fun, interactive layer to what you see around you:

• We created playful elements like virtual high-fives using AR and 3D tools (ARKit, RealityKit, and SceneKit). They make social interactions less intimidating, especially for users with social anxiety.
• We created a collection of 3D models that are randomly assigned to players for a unique experience each time.
• We set up an efficient caching system so models load faster after their first use.

This approach makes the app fun, fast, and future-proof:

• It’s efficient: Each 3D model only needs to be downloaded once, saving data and keeping costs down as more people use the app.
• It’s secure: We protect 5 and Go!’s unique AR assets with authorized-only access to model downloads.
• It’s ready for the future: Different parts of the app are built as independent modules. So if we want to add a new AR filter or a location-specific challenge, we can simply create a new module and plug it into the existing structure. The app’s core remains untouched, making updates faster and less risky.

2. Keeping chats flowing with real-time communication

A key element for engaging gameplay is syncing game updates and challenges across all players. For that, we use AnyCable, a high-performance WebSocket technology. It functions like an instant messaging service for 5 and Go! challenges:

• Imagine a group chat where game updates are messages, appearing on every player’s screen the moment they’re sent.
• Our chat room grows as more players join. AnyCable hosts up to 10,000 connections without a hiccup.
• AnyCable uses little memory and reduces CPU load. It lets the app handle more simultaneous players without slowing down, just as a well-run chat room stays orderly even as it gets busier.

3. Simplifying sign-ups and evaluating user behavior with multi-platform authentication and analytics

First impressions matter — a lot. That’s why we integrated authentication through Apple and Google for frictionless sign-ups to the 5 and Go! community. Once users are signed in, our advanced analytics tools (Google Analytics, SKAdNetwork) help us understand and improve their experience by:

• tracking the user flow through the app to identify potential drop-off points
• analyzing feature usage patterns to prioritize improvements
• measuring retention rates to assess the effectiveness of engagement strategies

We also used the Branch SDK to connect different ad partners (TikTok, Google Ads, and others) and track ad campaign performance. This lets us pinpoint top-performing ad channels, tailor ads to user preferences, and optimize ad spend.

4. Ensuring a safe and positive user experience with NSFW content moderation

To create a safe, positive environment and promote healthy online interactions, we implemented a NSFW (not safe for work) content moderation system. It works like a vigilant but invisible guardian by:

• using Apple’s CoreML technology to spot inappropriate content (in images and videos) quickly and privately
• keeping a watchful eye on user-uploaded photos and group avatars in real time
• respecting user privacy and maintaining app speed

5. Building for the future with scalable system design

We’ve built 5 and Go! to grow smoothly as more people join. This will cut future development costs and allow for quick adaptation to user needs and market trends. Think of 5 and Go! as a smart city that absorbs newcomers with seamless efficiency:

• We use cloud hosting (Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service) that can instantly add more “neighborhoods” as the population grows.
• The Redis caching system acts like an efficient public transport system, keeping everything running smoothly even during rush hour.
• A clever update system (with API versioning) lets us roll out new features without disrupting users who haven’t updated yet.

What good is a social app if it’s not, well, social? To keep users coming back, we implemented a suite of engaging features, including:

  ♦ TikTok filters: Custom filters transform selfies into shareable content, increasing app visibility on social platforms and driving organic user acquisition.
  ♦ Social fitness circle: This is a visual tracker of social activity, motivating users to maintain and expand their real-world connections.
  ♦ In-app video recording: Users can record and share their challenge completions, generating authentic content and encouraging participation.
  ♦ Gamified step counter: Integrated with daily challenges, this feature promotes physical activity and regular app engagement.
  ♦ Dynamic location challenges: Tasks at specific locations (e.g., “Find a painting that matches your mood at the museum”) encourage exploration and social interaction.
  ♦ Pair challenges: Collaborative tasks designed for two users fostering new connections and strengthen existing ones.

Every great adventure needs the right equipment. For 5 and Go!, our tech stack was as follows:

The 5 and Go! journey is far from over, and we are excited to continue it. Our upcoming focus areas include:

• implementing premium features for sustainable monetization
• expanding the user base while maintaining high engagement rates

5 and Go! demonstrates that thoughtfully designed technology can strengthen real-world connections in the digital age.

Could your vision be the next innovative app? Let’s find out together: