The Rise of Exergaming
Gaming, which is typically thought to promote an increased sedentary lifestyle and bring about an increase in health risks, has taken on a new role in the form of physical activity in games such as Pokemon Go and Zombies Run.
Video games have long been associated with sitting in one's room or basement for long periods of time, cruising through different levels for hours at a time without moving any part of one's body except for their thumbs and an occasional arm movement to reach for a snack. This addicting and sedentary behavior can be detrimental to one's health, as the addiction can increase physical problems, anxiety, depression and impaired social functioning. With the rise of mobile phone game applications, however, that trend seems to be changing. Successful games utilize an algorithm that elaborate on reinforcement and reward schedules that have the potential to maximize motivation, and some software companies are utilizing this algorithm to create games that promote exercise!
Recent games such as Pokemon Go and Zombies Run reward the participant with a variety of prizes fro completing tasks out in the real world. In the game Pokemon Go, participants must walk around different areas to catch virtual Pokemon, hatch eggs, and battle other trainers. In the game Zombies Run, interval running is employed as the exercise of choice by utilizing zombie sounds to make you run faster until the sounds subside. Games such as Pokemon Go also promote social wellness by having gamers meet up to catch Pokemon at "lure" spots. Hopefully games such as these will continue to be the trend for software and game developers, to promote overall wellness for their users!
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