Scoping Review of Pokémon Go: Comprehensive Assessment of Augmented Reality for Physical Activity Change

Baranowski, Tom; Lyons, Elizabeth

doi:10.1089/g4h.2019.0034

Cited by 45 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 110 publications

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“…Studies show that Pokémon Go players significantly increased the number of steps they walk every day (Althoff et al, 2016;Howe et al, 2016;LeBlanc, & Chaput, 2017), and increased moderate to vigorous physical activity and decreased sedentary behaviors (Nigg et al, 2017). Incorporating physical activity into gameplay may be an effective method for promoting health-related outcomes in persons who are attracted to the game (Baranowski & Lyons, 2019;Xian et al, 2017). The locations of pokestops and gyms in the game encourage people to visit important sites and monuments.…”

Section: Pokémon Gomentioning

confidence: 99%

The race to escape: Location-based escapism and physical activity as a motivator in the consumption of the AR game Pokémon Go

Laor¹

2020

Cyberpsychology

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This research examines motives for engagement in Augmented Reality (AR) games. The research field examined in this study was Pokémon Go, due to the game’s rapid rise in popularity. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with 35 Pokémon Go players. The theoretical framework guiding this study is the uses and gratifications theory, which deals with media consumers’ uses of various media and content types to satisfy psychological and social needs (Ruggiero, 2000). Pokémon Go satisfies diverse player needs, and players’ main uses of the game are related to escapism, social interaction, and challenging others. The study revealed multiple motivations for playing Pokémon Go, which were consistent with previous research, and identified two additional motivations of Pokémon Go players, which are also applicable to AR use in general: increased physical activity and location-dependent escapism integrated into everyday activities outside the home. This consumption pattern is apparently part of the revolution of data accessibility online and on mobile phones, which also function as social means for satisfying needs for entertainment, escapism, and highly accessible information.

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Section: Pokémon Gomentioning

confidence: 99%

The race to escape: Location-based escapism and physical activity as a motivator in the consumption of the AR game Pokémon Go

Laor¹

2020

Cyberpsychology

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“…Other studies have examined the Pokémon Go! [24] and Sweatcoin [25] apps, though important limitations preclude strong conclusions (e.g., unrepresentative samples).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Commercial app use linked with sustained physical activity in two Canadian provinces: a 12-month quasi-experimental study

Mitchell

Lau

White³

et al. 2020

Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act

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Background: Top tier commercial physical activity apps rarely undergo peer-reviewed evaluation. Even fewer are assessed beyond six months, the theoretical threshold for behaviour maintenance. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a multi-component commercial app rewarding users with digital incentives for walking was associated with an increase in physical activity over one year. Methods: This 12-month quasi-experimental study was conducted in two Canadian provinces (n = 39,113 participants). Following a two-week baseline period, participants earned digital incentives ($0.04 CAD/day) every day they reached a personalized daily step goal. Mixed-effects models estimated changes in weekly mean daily step count between the baseline period and the last two recorded weeks. Models were fit for several engagement groups and separately by baseline physical activity status within engagement groups. Results: Nearly half of participants (43%) were categorized as physically inactive at baseline (fewer than 5000 daily steps), and 60% engaged with the app for at least six months ['Regular' (24-51 weeks of step data) or 'Committed' subgroups (52 weeks)]. Weekly mean daily step count increased for physically inactive users regardless of engagement status (P < .0001). The increase was largest for 'Regular' and 'Committed' participants-1215 and 1821 steps/day, respectively. For physically active participants, step count increases were only observed in the 'Committed' subgroup (P < .0001). Effect sizes were modest-to-medium depending on the subgroup analyzed. Conclusions: A commercial app providing small but immediate digital incentives for individualized goals was associated with an increased weekly mean daily step count on a population-scale over one year. This effect was more evident for physically inactive and more engaged participants.

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“…Yet, Pokémon GO remains the most studied game out of all LBGs with, for example, Scopus currently, as of 21st of August 2019, having indexed over 200 scientific publications with "Pokémon GO" in the title. There even exists meta-studies and literature reviews on Pokémon GO studies [41,42]. Despite the huge number of research conducted on a single game, it is unclear whether the observed effects on physical activity of playing Pokémon GO are present in other similar LBGs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Location-based Games as Exergames - From Pokémon To The Wizarding World

Laato

Hyrynsalmi

Rauti

et al. 2020

IJSG

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Exergames, i.e. games which aim to increase player’s physical activity, are a prominent sub-category of serious games (SGs). Recently, location-based games (LBGs) similar to Pokémon GO have gained the attention of exergame designers as they have been able to reach people who would otherwise not be motivated to exercise. Multiple studies have been conducted on Pokémon GO alone, identifying positive outcomes related to, for example, exercise and social well-being. However, with substantial findings derived from a single game, it is unclear whether the identified benefits of playing Pokémon GO are present in other similar games. In order to broaden the understanding of LBGs as exergames, this study investigates the gameplay features and initial reactions of early adopters to a game called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (HPWU) which was launched in summer 2019. A questionnaire (N=346) was sent to HPWU players to measure the effects playing the game has on their physical activity. During the first week of play, an increase in mild physical activity was recorded among HPWU players, similar to what has been reported with Pokémon GO. Also almost half of respondents (46,82%) reported to play the game socially, showcasing how LBGs can generally have a positive impactalso on players’ social well-being.

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Scoping Review of Pokémon Go: Comprehensive Assessment of Augmented Reality for Physical Activity Change

Cited by 45 publications

References 110 publications

The race to escape: Location-based escapism and physical activity as a motivator in the consumption of the AR game Pokémon Go

The race to escape: Location-based escapism and physical activity as a motivator in the consumption of the AR game Pokémon Go

Commercial app use linked with sustained physical activity in two Canadian provinces: a 12-month quasi-experimental study

Location-based Games as Exergames - From Pokémon To The Wizarding World

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