The Intensity And Enjoyment Of Physical Activity During Virtual Reality Gameplay In Younger Adults

Sedentary lifestyles are on the rise in the US with approximately 40% of adults engaging in no leisure time physical activity (PA). In the last decade virtual reality (VR) systems have risen in popularity and accessibility offering a possible solution to this lack of PA with the development of active VR games. Gorilla Tag (GT) is one of the most popular VR games commercially available. No studies to our knowledge have evaluated PA levels, enjoyment and perceived exertion of adults while playing GT. PURPOSE: To investigate the intensity and enjoyment of PA while playing GT across multiple sessions of gameplay in adults. METHODS: 31 participants (18-35 years) took part in 4 sessions on separate days. The first session included a GT familiarization period followed by a 15-minute data collection period. For the remaining sessions, participants played GT for a 15-minute data collection period. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were collected during and immediately after gameplay. The Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) was completed immediately following gameplay. During gameplay, participants wore a heart rate (HR) monitor so that percentage of HR reserve (%HRR) could be calculated. Repeated measures ANOVAs and paired sample t-tests were used to compare measures between sessions 1 (S1) and 4 (S4). RESULTS: The results revealed that participants had a significantly lower in-game (S1: 9.9 ± 1.9, S4: 9.2 ± 1.8; p = .028) and maximum (S1: 11.8 ± 2.2, S4: 10.9 ± 2.1; p = .026) RPE in S4 compared to S1. Participants rated GT during S4 as significantly more enjoyable than S1 on the PACES (S1: 40.3 ± 9.8, S4: 43.0 ± 9.4; p = .047). Participants’ HR significantly increased from baseline (HR just prior to gameplay) to during gameplay (p < .001) but no differences existed between sessions. Average (S1: 34.2 ± 11.4, S4: 33.5 ± 11.2; p = .752) and maximum (S1: 48.1 ± 14.6, S4: 47.5 ± 12.8; p = .803) %HRR did not significantly differ between sessions. CONCLUSION: Participants had a decrease in RPE and an increase in enjoyment during GT as game experience increased. Further, participants had an average %HRR of light intensity and max %HRR of moderate intensity during gameplay with no difference between the first and last GT sessions. Thus, while perceived intensity of GT gameplay decreased with experience, actual intensity of gameplay remained the same.