Pokémon Go: Encouraging Recreation through Augmented Reality Gaming (original) (raw)
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HCII, 2017
Pokémon Go is a mobile Augmented Reality (AR) game that blends gameplay with real-life outdoor physical activity. In this game, players locate, catch and interact with virtual creatures called Pokémon. Initial reports and online players’ statistics suggest that Pokémon Go motivates players to go outside and become more active. This paper describes an online survey we designed and conducted with players from varied locations and different backgrounds. The goal was to gain initial insight about WHY players spend time on this game and WHAT are their primary motivations; WHEN and HOW they play the game; and WHAT potential changes in physical activity Pokémon Go may elicit from players. Free-to-play, location-based AR mobile games like Pokémon Go are likely to become a new design model for gamified applications that promote physical activity. However, our results imply that in order to sustain motivation and physical activity, the core gameplay and mechanics require thoughtful and engagi...
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
Augmented reality (AR) mobile game, Pokémon GO, leverages gamification and location tracking technology to encourage players to walk in different places to catch Pokémon characters in real-world settings. The systematic review sought to explore the impact Pokémon GO has on players’ physical activity (PA), and psychological and social outcomes. Six research databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Scopus) were used. Study inclusion criteria were: (1) quantitative research published in English; (2) examined the relationships between or impact of Pokémon GO on PA, psychological, and/or social outcomes; and (3) included participants played or exposed to Pokémon GO. Thirty-six studies were included with a total sample of 38,724 participants. Players had significantly greater PA than non-players in terms of daily steps and number of days spent in moderate PA. Pokémon GO game also improved players’ social interactions and their mood/affects. Selective a...
Media Education, 2021
AR technology creates the possibility of overlapping two realities. It is a space used, among others, in education. AR increases the visual attractiveness of the game and the involvement of its users. However, some applications were not created with the intention of using them for this purpose, although they have the potential not only to entertain but also to teach. One of such games is "Pokemon Go!". which The following research methods were used in the study: 1) in-depth interview to learn about the specifics of the game "Pokemon Go!" and its potential educational opportunities; 2) observation allowing to write down the behavior of players while using the game; 3) a survey to find out the motivations and thoughts of the players. It was attempted to determine whether there will be any interaction between the players and the physical locations used in the game, using the format of the game chosen for the study, which was the passage along the proposed route. It turned out that thanks to the players' suggestions, a potentially optimal way of using the game was determined, which could be used in further research on the phenomenon of the educational dimension of the "Pokemon Go!" game.
Understanding the Pokemon Go Phenomenon Through Augmented Reality Research (Oct. 1, 2016)
Pokemon Go is a game app that successfully introduced augmented reality (AR) to mass consumers due to its user friendly game design, as the AR game app offers ease of use, the free-to-play (F2P) marketing model, and the childhood nostalgia factor by referencing the well-established Pokemon manga, toys, and media franchise that has become globally popular since 1995. However, academics and game designers have been researching and creating augmented environments with augmented reality technology for decades, focusing on the use of AR technology to enhance the social experience of working in private and public sectors beyond entertainment, such as journalism, surgery and medicine, archeological exploration, and other uses (for example, see Geogia Teehs Augmented Environments Research Lab bibliography for a list of scholarly research on AR design and use cases). Due to the popularity of Pokemon Go, more AR apps will proliferate in the mobile market, and become regular staple installs on mass consumer devices. Several implications and forecasts can be made for the future of education given the popularity of Pokemon Go. Since the majority of students are mobile device consumers, this means that in the very near future, students will be using augmented reality (AR) apps, and later on virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) apps (as they become more affordable), as an inextricable part of daily life. Given that the use of mobile devices in education is becoming a trend, as more digitally connected educators are encouraging students to use mobile devices to conduct research and complete assignments, educators will need to begin considering the educational implications of AR, and how to utilize AR apps for educational purposes, such as the inclusion of AR apps usage as part of the requirements for achieving digital citizenship literacy.
Extended Abstracts of the 2021 Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play
Exergaming incorporates exercising into video games, with the purpose of physically engaging users in the gameplay. Locationbased games have gained the attention of exergame designers as they have been able to motivate people to exercise and spend time in outdoors. Studies have shown the impact of current exergames to intervene with sedentariness by containing some elements of nature and outdoor activities. However, it is unclear how location-based mobile exergames can engage users with nature throughout playing and exercising. This paper presents insights from an exploratory self-study of experiences provided by the most popular locationbased mobile game, Pokémon GO, concerning its potential to engage players in outdoors. We also provide design considerations for location-based mobile exergames to engage players in nature while becoming physically active. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI).
College Students' Attraction to the Mobile Augmented Reality Game Pokémon Go
International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations
Recent headlines show instances of the popular augmented reality game Pokémon Go. Higher educators are watching students engage with schools in their community as they search for elusive Pokémon characters on mobile devices. But, technology is not without risk (i.e. privacy, physical harm) that must be considered. This article reports results of a mixed-methods study, in which 452 college students revealed their motivations for using the mobile augmented reality game Pokémon Go. The authors examined student survey data to find whether race, gender, or age influenced who played the game. In addition, the authors' findings included student perceptions as to Pokémon Go's risks and benefits, learning, and student recommendations for improving the game. Furthermore, based on their findings, the authors discuss how augmented reality games can be useful for learning, building community and social capital.
2018 10th International Conference on Virtual Worlds and Games for Serious Applications (VS-Games), 2018
Pokemon Go is a mobile game that uses geolocation and Augmented Reality (AR) to bring little monsters into the real world. In this paper, we want to outline a qualitative study which focuses on socio-technical effects of this game onto the players themselves. Episodical interviews are used to collect data which is then coded by an approach close to Grounded Theory. The results contain theories with quotations from the participants. On the technical side, players judge AR as hardly relevant for the game and more useful for advertisement through media coverage.
The Journey: An AR Gamified Mobile Application for Promoting Physical Activity in Young Adults
Adjunct Proceedings of the 30th ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization
Physical activity is important to improve an individual's overall well-being. Digital interventions as they use Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), have shown success in promoting physical activity (PA) in people of all ages. This work discusses the design of an AR gamified mobile application prototype for promoting physical activity in young adults. The application (app), "The Journey" aims to promote PA in young adults' users while they explore various touristic sites and also acquire virtual assets. This is achievable at a low cost to users by using smartphones-based AR app to tour any location of interest from the comfort of their home or outdoor. Each user's step count tracked via mobile device is used to help them navigate the location of interest. The findings from our evaluation of 29 people show that The Journey has the potential to motivate people to improve their PA both indoors and outdoors. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing; • Human-computer interaction (HCI); • HCI design and evaluation methods; • Usability testing;
The Praise and Price of Pokémon GO: A Qualitative Study of Children's and Parents' Experiences
JMIR serious games, 2018
Physical activity has multiple health benefits; however, the majority of children around the world do not attain the recommended levels of daily physical activity. Research has shown that the game Pokémon GO has increased the amount of physical activity of players and that the game has the potential to reach populations that traditionally have low levels of physical activity. Therefore, there is a need to understand which game components can promote initial and sustained physical activity. By using a qualitative research approach, it is possible to achieve rich descriptions and enhance a deep understanding of the components promoting physical activity among children in a game such as Pokémon GO. The objective of this study was to explore children's and parents' experiences playing Pokémon GO. Eight families comprising 13 children (aged 7-12 years) and 9 parents were selected using purposeful sampling. Data collected using focus groups were analyzed using qualitative latent c...