What happened to the America I know and love? The one that devised an Xbox controller that doubled as a Hot Pocket delivery device? The one that said screw it, I’ll just spend six years getting the world record for highest Xbox LIVE gamerscore ever.
You’re telling me that you want to get up and move while you play video games? Preposterous.
If results from a recent survey are to be believed, that’s exactly what the U.S. adult population is telling us. UnitedHealth Group conducted a survey of over 1,000 adults and found that 75% of them thought that video games should “include a component that encourages physical activity.” Furthermore, 70% said that these physically active games can successfully supplement traditional exercise.
More than half of those who responded said that incorporation motion into a video game would make them more likely to participate in physical activity.
“Even as we continue to study the clinical impact of video games on health, this survey shows that there is a real interest among consumers in games that promote at least some physical activity,” said Richard Migliori, M.D., executive vice president of health services at UnitedHealth Group. “We believe that the intersection of health and video gaming holds enormous potential benefit for individuals, families and the entire health care system, and we are continuing to explore ways to make this a reality for consumers.”
I guess this is good news for products like Microsoft’s Kinect. We know that it has been popular, and has helped Microsoft’s gaming division bolster many a recent earnings report. The company is looking to get even more Kinects into homes with a Xbox 360/Kinect bundle that starts at just $99 (with a contract).
All I know is that while I found Wii Skiing delightful, the hours I spend motionless (save a few finger motions) playing Skyrim are my happiest gaming moments. What do you think? Can video games really complement traditional exercise? Will a high demand for such games see them make a bigger push into the market? Let us know in the comments.
