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Poor physical activity is one of the major health care problems in Western civilizations. Various digital gadgets aiming to increase physical activity, such as activity trackers or fitness apps, have been introduced over recent years. The newest products are serious games that incorporate real-life physical activity into their game concept. Recent studies have shown that such games increase the physical activity of their users over the short term.
In this study, we investigated the motivational effects of the digital game “Pokémon Go” leading to continued use or abandonment of the game. The aim of the study was to determine aspects that motivate individuals to play augmented reality exergames and how this motivation can be used to strengthen the initial interest in physical activity.
A total of 199 participants completed an open self-selected Web-based survey. On the basis of their self-indicated assignment to one of three predefined user groups (active, former, and nonuser of Pokémon Go), participants answered various questions regarding game experience, physical activity, motivation, and personality as measured by the Big Five Inventory.
In total, 81 active, 56 former, and 62 nonusers of Pokémon Go were recruited. When asked about the times they perform physical activity, active users stated that they were less physically active in general than former and nonusers. However, based on a subjective rating, active users were more motivated to be physically active due to playing Pokémon Go. Motivational aspects differed for active and former users, whereas fan status was the same within both groups. Active users are more motivated by features directly related to Pokémon, such as catching all possible Pokémon and reaching higher levels, whereas former users stress the importance of general game quality, such as better augmented reality and more challenges in the game. Personality did not affect whether a person started to play Pokémon Go nor their abandonment of the game.
The results show various motivating elements that should be incorporated into augmented reality exergames based on the game Pokémon Go. We identified different user types for whom different features of the game contribute to maintained motivation or abandonment. Our results show aspects that augmented reality exergame designers should keep in mind to encourage individuals to start playing their game and facilitate long-term user engagement, resulting in a greater interest in physical activity.
Daily physical activity is one of the leading strategies for fighting global mortality [
Recent attempts to encourage individuals to perform physical activity include activity trackers and fitness apps, which have turned mobile phones into a personal measuring instrument to document daily physical activity [
The most successful game in this category in 2016 was Pokémon Go. It is an augmented reality game for iOS and Android released in July 2016. The game is based on fictional creatures called Pokémon (ref. to Pocket Monsters), which first came on the scene in the 1990s and were merchandized in video games, card games, movies, television series, comic books, toys, etc. The aim of Pokémon Go is to seek, hunt, and collect a variety of different Pokémon as in previous video games. However, instead of launching just another video game, Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go, combined the geocaching concept with augmented reality mechanics. This augmented reality feature embeds two-dimensionally animated Pokémon in real-world images captured by the mobile phone camera. Users have to explore their real-world neighborhood to search for and hunt Pokémon. The individual Pokédex of every user provides an overview of which Pokémon have already been found and caught. The central element of the game is to catch and collect all the different Pokémon. Other features include training Pokémon and fighting against the Pokémon of other users in battle arenas. By performing various physical activities in Pokémon Go, the users gain experience points that are required to reach higher levels.
The launch of Pokémon Go led to hype all over the world. Large numbers of users met on streets and in public places [
To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to investigate the aspects of the motivation to start and continue playing an augmented reality exergame like Pokémon Go in the general population.
In this study, we investigated the influence of personality and various game functions on physical activity and motivation to start playing Pokémon Go as well as on motivation to continue playing the game or quitting. We performed a Web-based survey questioning motivation to start, continue, and quit, as well as personality based on the Big Five Inventory [
In summary, our main research questions are
How long do users play Pokémon Go?
What are the aspects motivating people to start playing Pokémon Go?
What are the aspects motivating users to continue playing Pokémon Go?
What are the aspects motivating users to quit playing Pokémon Go?
Are there any subjectively perceived effects of playing this augmented reality exergame on physical activity?
Which type of users engages with Pokémon Go?
How can these effects be transferred to other augmented reality exergames?
Our study provides guidance on how to initially get individuals engaged in augmented reality exergames and how to facilitate long-term user engagement.
An open, self-selected, Web-based survey was designed to investigate the aforementioned research questions. The survey was designed in German and provided for German-speaking internet users. A Web-based survey was used as it is a suitable way to reach individuals with particular characteristics or interests, that is, the group of potential game users, in a short period of time without any limitations on physical space [
On the basis of the research questions, the main purpose of the survey was to collect data about three different user groups that we would like to compare. The three predefined user groups we wanted to identify and compare were individuals who actively play Pokémon Go, individuals who had played it, and others who had never played Pokémon Go before. To identify these three groups, users were asked to state in an initial question to which of these three groups they belong. On the basis of their answer, further thematic blocks were questioned, including physical activity and motivational aspects.
To differentiate between active and former users of Pokémon Go, more detailed questions about the duration of use and level reached were asked.
On the basis of the idea of Godin and Shephard, physical activity was examined subjectively in one question asking how many times per week a person spends at least 30 min performing physical activity that causes sweat [
Active and former users answered questions about motivational aspects. These referred to the initial motivation to start playing Pokémon Go, the motivation to continue playing, and to missing functions in the game. Former users were also asked for the reasons they stopped playing and about additional features they would like to see incorporated into the game. All of these questions included an open-ended text field. In this context, we also investigated possible motivating effects by peers and co-users and possible interdependencies of playing the game with the user’s personal network.
To determine which type of user engages with Pokémon Go, the Big Five Inventory was applied. The concept of the Big Five Inventory is quite old but nevertheless it is a practical tool in characterizing individuals. The Big Five dimensions of personality are calculated based on 10 questions rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1=“not correct,” 5=“fully correct”) [
Data were collected between October 26 and November 20, 2016. The questionnaire was programmed and made available on a website hosted using the Unipark software [
All participants were informed about the duration of the survey, data storage, and the leading investigator. Each participant decided to take part in this survey voluntarily by following the designated link to the survey. No incentives were offered for participation.
The survey was tested properly by 2 independent examiners with regard to wording and technical functionality. The survey included 42 items for all 3 investigated user groups, distributed over 7 different pages. Participants were able to review their entries per page before moving on.
The survey was addressed to the general population with access to the Internet in Germany. No exclusion criteria or screening questionnaires were applied.
We applied different channels of recruitment to reach a broad range of potential participants for this open survey. The sampling procedure was nonprobabilistic and respondents were selected based on their voluntary willingness to participate [
The advertisement itself used text similar to the text presented on the introduction page for the Web-based survey (see
In total, n=345 unique individuals visited the website of our Web-based survey. The identification of different individuals was performed using the Unipark software based on Internet Protocol (IP) address and cookie function. N=88 of these 345 visitors never started the survey. N=58 discontinued completing the survey. In total, 199 visitors finally participated in the survey and completed the whole questionnaire. Of those, 53 were recruited through Facebook, 62 via the Pokémon Go forum, and 12 via email. For 72 participants, the channel of recruitment was unknown. The participation rate was thus 74.4% and the completion rate 60.9%. The average duration of completing the survey was 10 min 52.96 s with a median of 9 min 2 s.
Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistics software, version SPSS 22 (IBM). Several one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were conducted at a significance level of .05. To compare active and former users, we also calculated
The Ethics Committee at RWTH Aachen Faculty of Medicine authorized this study and its ethical and legal implications in its statement EK236/16 in mid-2016.
Depending on the answers to the first question in the survey, participants were divided into three groups (
Participant demographics by user group.
Demography | Participants: Pokémon Go users | |||
Active |
Former |
Non |
||
Minimum | 19 | 15 | 15 | |
Maximum | 60 | 66 | 85 | |
Mean (SD) | 34.9 (9.8) | 25.6 (8.4) | 38.8 (19.6) | |
Male | 54 | 34 | 32 | |
Female | 27 | 22 | 30 | |
School pupil | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
Low level | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
Average level | 16 | 1 | 6 | |
High level | 55 | 51 | 51 | |
Other | 6 | 1 | 2 | |
Urban area | 59 | 47 | 52 | |
Rural area | 22 | 9 | 10 | |
Partner | 22 | 19 | 15 | |
Family | 39 | 15 | 24 | |
Shared flat | 8 | 14 | 4 | |
Single | 13 | 9 | 17 | |
Duration of use (in months), |
3.9 (0.8) | 1.6 (1.3) | -a | |
Level, |
27.0 (3.9) | 14.9 (7.1) | -a |
aNo data available for nonusers.
Participants were asked about whether they believed Pokémon Go increased their interest in performing physical activity. As
Participants were also asked whether they had the impression that they were performing more or less physical activity since playing Pokémon Go.
The majority of active Pokémon Go users (47/81, 58%) stated that they performed more physical activity than before playing this game. Answers among the former Pokémon Go users were more divergent, as shown in
Self-evaluation on how often physical activity is performed.
Subjective impression of whether Pokémon Go influenced users’ interest in performing physical activity.
Subjective impression of whether more physical activity was performed than usual due to playing Pokémon Go.
The following section reports the findings related to motivational aspects. We focus especially on the motivation to start, continue playing, and quit the game.
On average, active and former users reported two reasons to start playing Pokémon Go (
Motivation to start playing Pokémon Go (multiple answers allowed).
Motivation to start playing | Pokémon Go users | Significance | ||
Active (n=81) |
Former (n=56) |
|||
Mean of number of reasons (SD) | 1.9 (1.1) | 2.0 (1.1) | .60 | |
Curiosity, n (%) | 55 (68) | 36 (64) | χ21=0.2 | .66 |
Being a Pokémon fan, n (%) | 32 (40) | 21 (38) | χ21=0.1 | .81 |
Media reports, n (%) | 23 (28) | 15 (27) |
χ21=0.0 | .83 |
Reports from friends, n (%) | 22 (27) |
22 (39) |
χ21=2.2 | .13 |
Everybody around me plays it, n (%) | 11 (14) | 5 (9) | χ21=0.7 | .41 |
Being fascinated by the augmented reality function, n (%) | 5 (6) | 11 (20) | χ21=5.8 | .02 |
Combining fun and physical activitya, n (%) | 3 (4) |
0 (0) |
χ21=2.1 | .15 |
Game for travelinga, n (%) | 2 (3) |
0 (0) |
χ21=1.4 | .24 |
Nostalgiaa, n (%) | 1 (1) | 2 (4) |
χ21=0.8 | .36 |
aAnswers to open-ended questions; coded for analysis.
Participants were asked whether reaching the next level motivated them to continue playing (10-point scale: 1=did not motivate at all, 10 = highly motivated). The mean value for the group of active users was 7.1 points (SD 2.1); the mean value for the group of former users was 5.4 points (SD 2.6). The two groups differ significantly (
Motivation to continue playing the game (multiple answers allowed).
Motivation to continue playing | Pokémon Go users | Significance | ||||
Active (n=81) |
Former (n=56) |
|||||
Mean of number of reasons (SD) | 1.1 (0.8) | 0.5 (0.7) | <.001 | |||
Completing the Pokédexa, n (%) | 33 (41) | 1 (2) | χ21=26.9 | <.001 | ||
Fun or curiosity or recreationa, n (%) | 12 (15) | 3 (4) | χ21=4.6 | .03 | ||
Finding new or rare Pokémona, n (%) | 9 (11) | 4 (7) | χ21=0.6 | .44 | ||
Catching strong Pokémon or being the besta, n (%) | 8 (10) | 10 (18) | χ21=1.9 | .17 | ||
Joint activities with family and friendsa, n (%) | 5 (6) | 3 (5) | χ21=0.0 | .84 | ||
Being active or outsidea, n (%) | 5 (6) | 2 (4) | χ21=0.5 | .50 | ||
Updates or new generationsa, n (%) | 4 (5) | 0 (0) | χ21=2.9 | .09 | ||
Higher levelsa, n (%) | 3 (4) | 1 (2) | χ21=0.4 | .51 | ||
Incubating eggsa, n (%) | 2 (3) | 1 (2) | χ21=0.1 | .79 | ||
Fighting in arenasa, n (%) | 2 (3) | 0 (0) | χ21=1.4 | .24 | ||
Nostalgiaa, n (%) | 2 (3) | 0 (0) | χ21=1.4 | .24 |
aAnswers to open-ended questions; coded for analysis.
Beyond motivational aspects directly related to the game, we also analyzed whether there is motivation due to social interaction. On the basis of active and former users’ self-reports, social contacts did not grow or decline through playing Pokémon Go. In total, 90% (73/81) of active users and 95% (53/56) of former users reported that their group of friends remained constant. There was no difference between the two groups (χ21=0.9,
To examine aspects that motivate users to continue playing as a whole, we also asked about missing functions in the game. The missing functions differ for active and former users. For active users, a higher number of Pokéstops and more arenas are more important. Former users mention the possibility of exchanging Pokémon and better augmented-reality functions significantly more often than active users (see
Missing functions in Pokémon Go (multiple answers allowed).
Missing functions | Pokémon Go users | Significance | ||||
Active (n=81) |
Former (n=56) |
|||||
Mean of number of functions (SD) | 2.8 (1.6) | 2.8 (1.5) | .93 | |||
No missing functions, n (%) | 3 (4) | 2 (4) | χ21=0.0 | .97 | ||
More Pokémon in my neighborhood, n (%) | 47 (58) | 35 (63) | χ21=0.3 | .60 | ||
Exchanging Pokémon, n (%) | 45 (56) | 42 (75) | χ21=5.4 | .02 | ||
Direct fights against others, n (%) | 44 (54) | 38 (68) | χ21=2.5 | .11 | ||
More Pokéstops, n (%) | 36 (44) | 12 (21) | χ21=7.7 | .01 | ||
More updates, n (%) | 31 (38) | 14 (25) | χ21=2.6 | .10 | ||
More arenas, n (%) | 21 (26) | 6 (11) | χ21=4.8 | .03 | ||
Better augmented reality, n (%) | 2 (3) | 8 (14) | χ21=6.8 | .01 |
Participants’ personality dimensions by user group.
Big five dimensions | Pokémon Go users | ||
Active |
Former |
Non |
|
Extraversion (points) | 3.2 ( 1.0) | 3.5 (1.0) | 3.4 (1.0) |
Agreeableness (points) | 2.9 (0.8) | 3.0 (0.7) | 3.1 (0.8) |
Conscientiousness (points) | 3.4 (0.8) | 3.4 (1.0) | 3.7 (1.0) |
Neuroticism (points) | 2.8 (1.0) | 3.0 (1.0) | 2.7 (0.8) |
Openness (points) | 3.5 (1.0) | 3.5 (1.1) | 3.5 (1.0) |
Former users were also asked for reasons that would make them start playing again. The most frequently reported reasons were an increase in the range of functions (12/56, 21%) and options for interaction with other users (18/56, 32%). Further answers related to technical features such as more stable servers and a lower battery consumption (7/56, 13%) and rendering the game more interesting by incorporating new challenges and more tactical game elements (6/56, 11%).
Individuals who were categorized as former users of Pokémon Go were asked for their reasons for quitting the game. The most frequently reported reasons were boredom (32/56, 57%), being disappointed (13/56, 23%), difficulties in reaching higher levels (16/56, 29%), and technical problems (10/56, 18%). Other points of criticism were related to missing components in the game itself, such as too few Pokémon (10/56, 18%), Pokéstops (5/56, 9%), and arenas (3/56, 5%) or a lack of co-users (4/56, 7%). Some former users also said that their general interest in the game had waned (6/56, 11%) or that they did not have the time to play (5/56, 9%). On average, 1.93 reasons were mentioned (SD 1.2).
Mean values for the five personality dimensions within the different user groups are shown in
A MANOVA was performed to investigate the effect of the between-subject factor “user group” on the different factors of the Big Five Inventory. Using Pillai’s trace, there was no significant effect of “user group” on the five factors of the Big Five Inventory (
The potential of mobile phone apps to increase physical activity and thereby contribute to better health is intensively being discussed these days [
This study presents results of an open Web-based survey. The sample is divided into three groups (active (N=81), former (N=56), and nonusers of Pokémon Go (N=62)). An investigation of self-reported physical activity showed that the percentage of persons who rarely or never perform physical activity with a duration of at least 30 min while perspiring is higher in the group of active users than in the group of former or nonusers. Examining motivation to start this game showed that curiosity and being a fan of Pokémon were the most frequently mentioned aspects. It is interesting that the group of former users mentioned interest in the augmented reality technology significantly more often as motivation to start playing Pokémon Go.
Regarding the motivation to continue playing, this study revealed that the group of active users is motivated by aspects directly related to the aim of completing the Pokédex and reaching higher levels in the game. The group of former users was significantly less motivated to continue playing by aspects such as reaching the next level. Their efforts were much more competitive. They were motivated by catching strong Pokémon and becoming the best. Aspects relating to social interaction such as having fun, being outside, and spending time with family and friends while playing the game also motivated them to continue.
Former users were asked about aspects that motivated them to quit the game. The most frequently mentioned aspects were boredom and disappointment. Besides these aspects, missing social interaction was also mentioned again, such as, for example, exchanging Pokémon or fighting directly against each other. This was also highlighted by active users as a missing function in the game. Finally, the augmented reality function was criticized as being not realistic enough. However, if this issue were resolved, former users would be willing to give the game a second chance.
Our investigation regarding differences in personality within the different groups studied revealed no results. The use of this game is independent of personality.
The augmented reality exergame Pokémon Go employs a range of gamification elements. The effectiveness of gamification has been discussed in different areas of application as well, for example, to support the self-management of chronic diseases [
Curiosity, being a Pokémon fan, and the augmented reality function were the most frequently mentioned reasons to start playing Pokémon Go. Media and download reports also showed that telling the right story or theme in combination with a new technology, in this case the little-known augmented reality function, could motivate thousands to start playing the game [
In previous studies, rewards, competitions, and fun elements have been judged as important elements leading to enjoyable experiences in game-playing [
We should not ignore the fact that fairly high numbers of users have quit playing the game after a short period of use. One of the reasons mentioned was boredom. Within our study, the duration of playing Pokémon Go is even shorter than the average time of use for activity trackers, as reported in Ledger and McCaffrey [
Missing social interaction functions within the game was a further reason for quitting the game. Social interaction and support were already important features demanded by users in earlier active games designed for the Nintendo Wii or Microsoft Xbox Kinect [
Analysis using the Big Five Inventory among users revealed no indication of significant differences among users playing Pokémon Go or quitting it once it was played. The comparison of the Big Five Inventory with participants indicating no interest in playing Pokémon Go showed no differences.
All in all, the design and the incorporated gamification functions of Pokémon Go are suitable for different types of users. Although the initial motivation to start was the same for active as well as former users, the motivation to continue playing was mainly linked to social interaction. Social interaction was the main function identified as missing in this game and, furthermore, it was identified as the function motivating long-term use. If a user is not fully immersed in the theme, social interaction and especially social rewards are the elements motivating users less interested in the theme of the game to continue playing. This is independent of a certain personality or user type. Therefore, augmented reality exergames should incorporate functions that support social interaction among users as well as between users and their friends and family.
This study has several limitations related to its methodological design as well as the reported results. The open Web-based study was not representative due to regional recruiting via Facebook. Although the users of Facebook are adequate in terms of representative population characteristics, a bias is still possible [
Due to the open Web-based recruitment, no inferences can be made about the usage rated and sociodemographical distribution of the general user group of Pokémon Go, especially as this Web-based survey was conducted in German. Finally, it must be noted that we are unable to answer the question about how much time has passed since former users quit playing the game. Although we know how long the average duration of use is, it might be interesting to determine whether a former user was an early adopter or late adopter of this game.
In an exploratory approach, we ascertained motivational structures in the context of serious mobile games that can serve as the basis for future work. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study explicitly investigating the motivation of active and former Pokémon Go users to use and stop using the game. We were able to determine aspects motivating users to start playing Pokémon Go as well as reasons to quit the game. Further insights into how to maintain long-term user engagement have been revealed and compared with recent studies in the field of serious games and activity trackers.
Introduction text of survey (German/English).
one-way analyses of variance
multivariate analyses of variance
This publication is part of the research project “TECH4AGE,” financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, under Grant No. 16SV7111) and promoted by VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH.
None declared.