ArticleJournal of medical Internet research2019
What Players of Virtual Reality Exercise Games Want: Thematic Analysis of Web-Based Reviews.
Article in Journal of medical Internet research, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Efficacy of an Immersive Virtual Reality Exergame Incorporating an Adaptive Cable Resistance System on Fitness and Cardiometabolic Measures: A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Active video games in fully immersive virtual reality elicit moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and improve cognitive performance in sedentary college students.Journal of sport and health science · 2022Trial
- The Effect of an Immersive Virtual Reality Physical Activity Intervention on Anthropometric Variables, Physical Fitness, and Blood Pressure in College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Construction of an evaluation index system for user satisfaction with immersive virtual reality exergaming.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Acceptability of and Willingness to Use Virtual Reality Exergames for Weight Loss Among Young Adults With Overweight or Obesity in China: Qualitative Study.JMIR serious games · 2025Article
- Initial Recommendations for Virtual Reality in Mental Health Care from the American Medical Extended Reality Association.Journal of medical extended reality · 2025Article
- Sensing In Exergames for Efficacy and Motion Quality: Scoping Review of Recent Publications.JMIR serious games · 2024Article
- Virtual Reality-Based Exercise Rehabilitation in Cancer-Related Dysfunctions: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Article
- Self-Assessed Experience of Emotional Involvement in Sensory Analysis Performed in Virtual Reality.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Leveraging Emerging Technologies to Expand Accessibility and Improve Precision in Rehabilitation and Exercise for People with Disabilities.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Review
- Experience of Youths and Older People With Virtual Reality Games for Cognitive Assessment: Inductive Thematic Analysis and Insights for Key Stakeholders.JMIR XR and spatial computing · 2024Article
- Training effects of set- and repetition-interval rest time on recumbent-boxing exercise: Could virtual reality improve further?iScience · 2023Article
- Acceptance and use of virtual reality games: an extension of HMSAM.Virtual reality · 2023Article
- The Effects of Acute Virtual Reality Exergaming on Mood and Executive Function: Exploratory Crossover Trial.JMIR serious games · 2022Article
- Article
- Rehabilitation of Upper Extremity by Telerehabilitation Combined With Exergames in Survivors of Chronic Stroke: Preliminary Findings From a Feasibility Clinical Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologies · 2022Article
- Immersive Virtual Reality Exergames to Promote the Well-being of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Pilot Study.JMIR research protocols · 2022Article
- Article
- A milestone in the era of esports: The Olympics through the lens of virtual reality.Frontiers in psychology · 2022Article
- A Personalized Home-Based Rehabilitation Program Using Exergames Combined With a Telerehabilitation App in a Chronic Stroke Survivor: Mixed Methods Case Study.JMIR serious games · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPhysical activity (PA) is associated with a variety of physical and psychosocial health benefits, but levels of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA remain low worldwide. Virtual reality (VR) gaming systems involving movement (VR exergames) could be used to engage people in more PA.
objectiveThis study aimed to synthesize public reviews of popular VR exergames to identify common features that players liked or disliked to inform future VR exergame design.
methodsWe conducted a thematic analysis of 498 reviews of the 29 most popular exergames sold in the top 3 VR marketplaces: Steam (Valve Corporation), Viveport (Valve Corporation), and Oculus (Oculus VR). We categorized reviews as positive and negative as they appeared in the marketplaces and identified the most common themes using an inductive thematic analysis.
resultsThe reviews were often mixed, reporting a wide variety of expectations, preferences, and gaming experiences. Players preferred highly realistic games (eg, closely simulated real-world sport), games that were intuitive (in terms of body movement and controls), and games that provided gradual increases in skill acquisition. Players reported feeling that they reached a high level of exertion when playing and that the immersion distracted them from the intensity of the exercise. Some preferred features included music and social aspects of the games, with multiplayer options to include friends or receive help from experienced players. There were 3 main themes in negative reviews. The first concerned bugs that rendered games frustrating. Second, the quality of graphics had a particularly strong impact on perceived enjoyment. Finally, reviewers disliked when games had overly complex controls and display functions that evoked motion sickness.
conclusionsExergames prove to be a stimulating avenue for players to engage in PA and distract themselves from the negative perceptions of performing exercise. The common negative aspects of VR exergames should be addressed for increased uptake and continued engagement.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.