Immersion in Virtual Reality Video Games for Improving Physical Performance Measures: A Review

Virtual reality (VR) active video gaming, also called ”exergaming” has become an emerging trend in entertainment but also fitness, education and health sectors. It requires bodily movements to play and function as a form of physical activity (PA). Since this type of gaming is becoming more and more popular and accessible and the trends suggest that it may become a mainstream media, the scientific community is discussing on its usefulness. There are number of claims about its ability to improve health via an increase in PA but researchers also argue that it is still a form of time spent in front of monitor which comes with many negative sides. The aim of this paper is to do an overview of the scientific research domain and outline the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities of immersive VR gaming to promote PA. The available evidence indicates that active video games can replace sedentary time spent in front of a computer or TV with physical activity and make a measurable contribution to the improvement of health. However whether it is a sustainable way to motivate gamers in PA is questionable.