ArticleJMIR serious games2020
Exploring Features of the Pervasive Game Pokémon GO That Enable Behavior Change: Qualitative Study.
Article in JMIR serious games, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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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
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Motivational Factors, Physical Activity Impacts, and Sociopsychological Effects of Pokémon GO in Players Over the Years: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- XR and mental wellbeing: state of the art and future research directions for the Metaverse.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Review
- Dimensions of Interactive Pervasive Game Design: Systematic Review.JMIR serious games · 2023Review
- Acceptance and use of virtual reality games: an extension of HMSAM.Virtual reality · 2023Article
- Young Adults' Perspectives on the Implications of an Augmented Reality Mobile Game for Communities' Public Health: A Qualitative Study.International journal of public health · 2023Article
- New methods and technologies for enhancing usability and accessibility of educational data.Universal access in the information society · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDigital gaming is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world. While prior literature concluded that digital games can enable changes in players' behaviors, there is limited knowledge about different types of behavior changes and the game features driving them. Understanding behavior changes and the game features behind them is important because digital games can motivate players to change their behavior for the better (or worse).
objectiveThis study investigates the types of behavior changes and their underlying game features within the context of the popular pervasive game Pokémon GO.
methodsWe collected data from 262 respondents with a critical incident technique (CIT) questionnaire. We analyzed the responses with applied thematic analysis with ATLAS.ti (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH) software.
resultsWe discovered 8 types of behavior changes and 13 game features relevant to those behavior changes. The behavior changes included added activity in life, enhancing routines, exploration, increased physical activity, strengthening social bonds, lowering social barriers, increased positive emotional expression and self-treatment. The game features included reaching a higher level, catching new Pokémon, evolving new Pokémon, visiting PokéStops, exploring PokéStops, hatching eggs, fighting in gyms, collaborative fighting, exploiting special events, finding specific Pokémon, using items, Pokémon theme, and game location tied to physical location. The behavior changes were connected to specific game features, with game location tied to physical location and catching new Pokémon being the most common and connected to all behavior changes.
conclusionsOur findings indicate that the surveyed players changed their behaviors while or after playing Pokémon GO. The respondents reported being more social, expressed more positive emotions, found more meaningfulness in their routines, and had increased motivation to explore their surroundings.
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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.