From play to workout: How VR fitness game design enhances user engagement?

Virtual reality (VR) gaming has become a beneficial tool in health management. However, the specific mechanisms through which VR games influence users’ regular engagement with VR fitness games remain underexplored. This study integrates the uses and gratifications theory into our research model to investigate the relationships between VR design features (presence, immersion, and interactivity) and the routine use of VR games, mediated by users’ gratifications. Data collected via an online questionnaire and empirical analysis revealed that VR design features significantly impact the routine use of VR fitness games by enhancing user gratification. Detailed analysis indicates that presence plays a crucial role in informational gratification, interactivity significantly affects health gratification, and immersion is pivotal for emotional gratification. These findings highlight the importance of targeted design features in satisfying user needs and promoting the routine use of VR for health enhancement.