I choose you…Well-Being?

By Dr. Anthony Thompson

Released in 2016 Pokemon GO is one of the most successful mobile games of all time. At its peak the game had approximately 232 million active players¹. Whilst that number has tapered off over the years, it remains an incredibly popular game with earnings of over $1 Billion reported in 2020².

Whilst Pokemon GO was primarily developed for entertainment purposes, academic researchers were quick to identify that the game could have potential health and well-being benefits beyond the scope of the game due to how it has been designed.

But before we delve into how and why the game can potentially enhance well-being, let's have a quick re-cap of what Pokemon GO actually is.

What is Pokemon GO?

Pokemon GO is a mobile game that brings aspects of the Pokemon universe into the real world through augmented reality. Players walk around physical locations in the real world and the game uses their smartphone’s GPS to overlay Pokemon, items and gyms onto their phone’s map.

Budding Pokemon trainers can use the app to capture and collect Pokemon, participate in Gym battles and collect items. However, to do so they must travel to the real-world location shown on the map.

Once at the location, players can interact with the Pokemon that have spawned and other game locations such as Gyms and Pokestops. In-game locations and Pokemon are visible to all players; meaning that its possible to bump into other Pokemon trainers in the real-world who are also attempting to capture the same Pokemon or collect the same resources.

But how does all of this come together the help enhance well-being?

Let’s take a look at what the science says.

Choose your Starter: Physical, Mental or Social Well-Being

In a full circle moment of fulfilling my childhood dream of becoming a Pokemon professor, I stand before you with a choice. Will you choose to explore the research on Physical Well-Being? Perhaps you are interested in the research on Mental Well-Being? Maybe Social Well-Being is the research strand calling to you? Choose wisely.

You can of course read about all three of those evidence strands below (and it will certainly help my viewing figures if you did) but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to channel my inner Professor Oak.

So let’s take a look at the evidence behind Pokemon GO….

Physical Well-Being: Pokemon GO can be a Double-edged Sword

One of the most consistent findings across Pokemon GO research is that the game can increase players’ physical activity levels, with approximately 70%of studies reporting positive increases in physical activity after starting the game³.

When compared to non-players, active Pokemon GO players tended to have higher daily step-counts (by up to 35%⁴) and walk further (by as much as 5.6 miles per week⁵).

It’s also good news for parents and pet parents!

Parents who played Pokemon GO with their children significantly increased both their light and moderate intensity physical activity levels (by 23 and 22 minutes per day respectively)⁶.

Dogs also benefitted from their parents playing Pokemon GO as it was found that players increased the amount of time spent walking them!⁷

But wait, there’s a catch

Physical activity is a complex behaviour. Much like Team Rocket, there are findings within the literature that pop up and the most inopportune moments to spoil everyone’s fun.

Whilst the overwhelming majority of studies have found that Pokemon GO can increase physical activity levels there are a few issues that have been found.

The Novelty Effect: Like Repel, its Effects Wear Off Over Time

A number of research studies have identified that the increases in physical activity generated via using Pokemon GO wear off over time. We tend to see a significant increase in physical activity shortly after a person starts playing but over time those physical activity levels come back down towards pre-game levels⁸.

The exact timeframe that this occurs within varies from study to study with some suggesting it occurs in as little as six weeks⁹, whilst others have found that it can take up to seven months¹⁰.

A key culprit is what’s known as the novelty effect. When we start something new it can be a very exciting and energising time. In the context of Pokemon GO this can be the thrill of catching our first few Pokemon, beating Gyms and hatching eggs. However, as we repeatedly do those same tasks they become less and less interesting and more and more like a chore. Turning Ash Ketchum into Ash Meh-chum.

At this stage, players may start to withdraw from the game and those physical activity benefits start to fade with them.

TM Substitute: Moderate-Vigorous Intensity Physical Activity is Swapped for Light-Moderate Intensity Activity

For optimal health we need to regularly engage with physical activity in a range of intensities. Failure to do so can increase our risk of developing conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Light to moderate intensity activity (such as walking whilst playing Pokemon GO) can be a convenient way of getting our bodies moving and tapping into some of those health protecting benefits that physical activity has to offer. However, to really protect our health we also need to engage in more vigorous forms of physical activity¹¹.

What the research has found is that whilst Pokemon GO players do indeed increase their number of steps and distance walked compared to non-players, they also spend less time engaging in moderate-vigorous intensity exercise than non-players¹². Suggesting that Pokemon GO takes up some of the time that players could be using for more vigorous forms of exercise.

Physical Well-being: Conclusion

Overall, Pokemon GO can be a fun and accessible way of increasing your light to moderate physical activity levels. It is a great option for anyone who has an interest in Pokemon and would like an alternative way to incorporate more activity into their day-to-day lives. It can also be particularly effective for parents, who can benefit from a family-level health perk by going out for walks and playing the game with their children.

There are some caveats to be aware of though. Firstly, Pokemon GO players should be mindful of the novelty effect and find ways to remain consistently engaged with walking as they progress through the game. Secondly, players may need to schedule in more vigorous forms of exercise into their weekly routines to help compliment the light to moderate activity generate via playing Pokemon GO.

Mental Well-Being: Pokemon GO can Improve Mood and Concentration

Alongside the physical health benefits that Pokemon GO can generate, a number of research studies have also identified that players may gain a myriad of mental health perks too. In one review of the literature, approximately 76% of studies assessed reported that Pokemon GO had positive mental health benefits for the player¹³.

So how do budding Pokemon trainers benefit? Well, it has been found that after an hour of playing Pokemon GO users reported a reduction in the experience of negative emotional states¹⁴. Specifically, players reported higher levels of happiness, improved mood, being distracted from negative thoughts, increased feelings of energy and reductions in anxiety¹⁵. Not bad for a game!

TM Focus Energy: Pokemon GO and Cognitive Performance

Alongside enhancing mood and general mental well-being, playing Pokemon GO has also been associated with certain cognitive benefits. Specifically, significant differences have been found in the selective attention and concentration levels of Pokemon GO players when compared against a control group of non-players¹⁶.

One of the potential reasons why Pokemon GO can enhance cognitive performance is that the gameplay trains motor skills, reaction times and encourages players to make strategic decisions about how to overcome Gym battles and how to capture Pokemon¹⁷.

There is one important caveat here though — most of the research exploring the cognitive benefits of Pokemon GO has been conducted with adolescent/young adult populations. So we need to be careful in assuming that these findings also apply to adult players. They may do, but we don’t quite have the evidence to support that conclusion yet.

Mental Well-being: Conclusion

Alongside physical health benefits, playing Pokemon GO has also been linked with a number of mental health perks. Just an hour of gameplay can enhance mood and disrupt negative feelings.

Due to its game design, players can also benefit from enhanced cognitive performance in certain areas such as concentration and attention. However, the research on the cognitive performance benefits of Pokemon GO is still fairly small and has predominantely explored the effects in younger age groups, so more research is needed to determine whether the enhancements to attention and concentration apply to adults too.

Social Well-Being: Connecting with other Trainers

One of the key features of Pokemon GO is that game locations and Pokemon spawn points are shared across players. This encourages trainers to cross paths in the real world as they collect resources from the same physical location. There is also no direct in-game messaging system, encouraging players to connect with fellow players in the real world.

But how does this translate into social well-being?

A number of research studies have identified that playing Pokemon GO can influence a variety of the social well-being indicators including:

• Spending more time with friends and family whilst playing the game¹⁸

• Reducing social anxiety¹⁹

• Increasing social interaction & making new friends²⁰

• Facilitating a sense of belonging with strangers²¹

The shared sense of community, knowing that there are other people who are interested in the same thing as you, can make it easier to strike up conversations with strangers and promote bonding over shared interests.

Solo Challenge: Some Trainers Prefer their own Space

Whilst the design of Pokemon GO can help to reduce social anxiety and promote connections between players in the real world, it’s important to note that some Pokemon trainers simply prefer to play Pokemon GO alone.

Estimates vary but roughly between 28–54% of trainers play Pokemon GO alone.²²

Such players could indirectly benefit from a shared sense of community but may be less motivated by the social aspects of the game when making the decision to play.

Social Well-being: Conclusion

Playing Pokemon GO has been associated with a number of social health benefits including fostering new friendships, strengthening existing ones and building a sense of belonging with others.

However, not everyone plays Pokemon GO for social reasons and some trainers may prefer to play the game independently. For such trainers, the social benefits of Pokemon GO may not be an important factor in motivating the decision to play.

How Pokemon GO can Evolve to be even Better

Pokemon GO has undoubtedly had a profound impact in supporting people to become more physically active. As we’ve seen, one limitation of Pokemon GO is that may accidentally block players from engaging in more vigorous and intense forms of exercise.

To address this, the app could incorporate game mechanics that encourage alternative types of activity. Imagine how cool it would be if a game mechanic was added that rewarded strength training, such as a Machamp weight lifting game or intense exercise like a Rapidash sprinting challenge.

The Pokemon Company could also capitalise on social benefits to help slow down the novelty effect. For example, it could partner with real-world Gyms to offer themed exercise classes where app rewards are gained upon completion and players can build support communities with other trainers. A Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan kickboxing/boxing class anyone?

Understandably, there would be a number of factors to consider when attempting to maximise the well-being benefits of the app. However, as a Psychologist who researches physical activity and exercise promotion these are just a few examples of enhancements that come to mind.

I hope you found this article interesting. If you did, please feel free to like and share!

Until next time,

Dr. Anthony Thompson

References

1 — How many people play Pokemon Go? Pokemon Go player count. (n.d.). Dexerto. https://www.dexerto.com/pokemon/how-many-people-play-pokemon-go-pokemon-go-player-count-2132719/

2- Chapple, C. (2020, November 3). Pokémon GO Hits $1 Billion in 2020 as Lifetime Revenue Surpasses $4 Billion. Sensor Tower Blog. https://sensortower.com/blog/pokemon-go-one-billion-revenue-2020

3- Lee, J. E., Zeng, N., Oh, Y., Lee, D., & Gao, Z. (2021). Effects of Pokémon GO on physical activity and psychological and social outcomes: a systematic review. Journal of clinical medicine, 10(9), 1860.

4- Xian, Y., Xu, H., Xu, H., Liang, L., Hernandez, A. F., Wang, T. Y., & Peterson, E. D. (2017). An initial evaluation of the impact of Pokémon GO on physical activity. Journal of the American Heart Association, 6(5), e005341.

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13- Wang, A. I. (2021). Systematic literature review on health effects of playing Pokémon Go. Entertainment Computing, 38, 100411

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18- Lee, J. E., Zeng, N., Oh, Y., Lee, D., & Gao, Z. (2021). Effects of Pokémon GO on physical activity and psychological and social outcomes: a systematic review. Journal of clinical medicine, 10(9), 1860.

19- Jungselius, B., Weilenmann, A., & Rost, M. (2015). Pokémon Go and mobile wellbeing: Initial observations on experiences and reported connection. Data Science for Health, 8, 262–268.

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22- Wang, A. I. (2021). Systematic literature review on health effects of playing Pokémon Go. Entertainment Computing, 38, 100411