Can Exergaming Prove Health Benefits?

Exergaming is by definition "exercise". Combining an exercise component with a video game component. Is it a crazy question to ask if it improves health? Maybe so, and that's not just a difficult question to ask of exergaming, as "health benefits" include complex sets of interactions and variables. In fact it's a crazy question to ask, like "does eating cheerios make your smarter".

Stepping aside from the technology for one moment, consider swimming as a mechanism for improving public health. Swimming is certainly great exercise, working all muscle groups, great cardio and very social too. On the face of it swimming is all set up to improve health. in practice, however, it does not for the majority of the public. Research has shown calorie intake after a session of swimming far outweighs the calories burnt during the session. People get the munchies after a swim.

Equally there's theories, with some solid research backing, that show in the normal course of events introducing a dedicated session of exercise elicits a reduction in pre-existing physical activity. Essentially some unexplained factor compensates for a bout of activity to maintain the bodies average energy expenditure.

Can a study in laboratory conditions "prove" health benefits for any exercise, let alone exergaming? No. What can be proved, to a degree, is energy expenditure levels and activity intensity. Whilst bigger numbers here would seem what we want to see, they only tell part of the story. The new study recommends using active videogaming ('exergaming') to improve children's health, it cannot be definitive.

Not all exergames are equal and not all people enjoy the same games, which is the reason why you may have seen research studies published claiming the opposite findings. We can't prove health benefits, but we can derive the factors that would make exercise sustainable and practical. For most people's money, the subject of the latest study; Kinect, doesn't make the grade in practicality or sustainability.

At Games for Health we all tried out Kinect table tennis. We had the advantage of a huge open area and didn't have to put the coffee table on eBay to make room to play but still the control recognition was so poor it was almost laughable and the game so unplayable it drove us crazy.

There's a reason video games are so popular, because they are not square pegs in round holes. There's a game to suit everyone and to tap into that sustainability is really the only way to get to health benefits. This approach is exactly what makes Gamercize the only true exergame system that's tailored to everyone's needs!

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Where is the Education in P.E for Exergaming?

Active Video Gaming uses in Physical Education

I've just spotted a new comment on a Gamercize YouTube video that opens a critisim of exergaming that a lot of active games struggle to answer - where's the education component? The overriding answer to this question is there is none, as the game is just a tool for the PE teacher to use. However - some games give the teacher more to work with.

Here's the video that was commented on:



The comment says "I like the overall idea and objective of this, but how are kids working on fundamental movement skills and such. Sure this is getting heart rates up, but not actually teaching them any skills or ways to stay active throughout their lives."

Yes, Gamercize does raise HR to moderate to vigorous levels, so that's a tick in the box for physical activity, but what of  the skill component? True, Gamercize is not teaching kids how to catch, but we're looking at more advanced kids - the ones that are engaged by video games.

Gamercize in this implementation is being used to teach

• Sport strategy - seeing the big picture of team interaction and how tactics can be employed
• Team play - co-operation and communication between teams of 2 to achieve a sports objective
• Physiology - which muscles are working and how energy is being created for them 

I'm not a PE teacher, so that is just first impression view and I'm sure those more experience in PE will be able to find different modes of implementation that lever the power of engagement into video games to reach lesson objectives!

As for the second part of the question above, kids are like wind-up toys - just give them the opportunity to get moving and give them a start and they'll keep on moving :)

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Gamercize Pro-Sport for teaching PE

Check out this great video featuring Gamercize GZ Pro-Sport for Xbox 360 by Zach Fodor


Active Gaming: Gamercize from Zach Fodor on Vimeo.

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The Cause of Obesity

It should come as no shock that there is an obesity crisis. We hear it in the news every now and again, but what's the problem. A few more fat people? It's actually quite a serious issue.

For an individual take a look at this graphic

(source : https://www.ldh.nhs.uk/obesity_01.htm)

For the population that's not overweight of obese (congratulations!) there is still a serious issue

(source : http://www.getamericafit.org/statistics-obesity-in-america.html)

What this means is fit or fat, you're affected by obesity, either in your health or your wealth.

This is an outcry I hear you say. I'd agree. There is no mistake that I have cited UK and USA sources above, obesity is a global epidemic - a pandemic. So what are our individual countries doing to fix this for us?

The the UK we have the Change4Life campaign. Eat less, move more! Great. In the USA we have Healthy People and latterly supplemented with Let's Move! In Canada there's of course Active Healthy Kids Canada. Everything's ok now we have these great quasi-government organisations fighting for our health?

Not quite. All of these organisations have a common flaw. They do not adapt, they do not learn, they do not get disbanded if they are ineffective.

First on the block for the chop is Healthy Active Kids Canada.

"Since the formation of the Active Healthy Kids Canada in 1994, according to "Obesity in Canada - Snapshot" published by the Public Health Agency of Canada, the levels of obesity have grown from just over 20% to nearly 25%."

Next up Healthy People 2010

 "Since the inception of Healthy People 2010 in 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the states in America that have an obesity prevalence of 30% grew from zero states in 2000 to 12 states in 2010".

What about Change4Life?

"Since the creation of the Change4Life campaign in 2009, according to the National Health Service commissioned statistics via ONS, the percentage of overweight or obese children had grown from 17% reported in 2009 to 30%"

Why if the obesity problem is recognized and agencies have been set up to combat the problem is it still getting worse? Costing us our health and our wealth? The answer is a lack of knowledge about the population they are trying to help. Technology is becoming increasingly more important in work and leisure for the modern western individual and these agencies are still touting the "go play outside" message for increasing physical activity. All of them have dismissed exergaming as part of the solution.

Exergaming is dismissed because a few studies in Nintendo Wii have failed to produce the illusive 60 minutes of MVPA (Moderate to Vigourous Physical Activity, basically, being out of puff) that most governments recommend. Equally, most people get bored of Wii Sports and go play Mario Kart instead. The lack in understanding of exergaming, and the natural aversion to technology, causes the obesity agencies to make a fatal (that'l be fatal you you, not them) mistake and provide incorrect guidance. So what if exergaming ticked the boxes for sustainability, for MVPA?

Contrary to stereotypical or ignorant belief, exergames can. At least, Gamercize can. If you only ever read one piece of research this decade, make it this one. Exergaming MVPA, sustainability and of course comparison against the dreaded Wii.

(source : http://exergaming.pbworks.com/w/file/61482197/BHF%20Exergaming%20Poster.pdf)

So what causes obesity? Ignorance. Or to be blunt - the ignorance of the agencies set up to combat the situation. We know exergaming works, see above, but the agencies deny this. I would rather suggest honest stupidity over a desire to worsen the crisis in order to justify the expansion the respective agencies budgets. Well, maybe I might just hint at that.

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Overcoming Challenges in Exergaming

My involvement with exergaming goes beyond that of my role as CEO of Gamercize. I am also involved with The Exergame Network. This network is populated with like minded industry leaders, researchers and supporters of exergaming.

I am involved with this network because I believe that the genre of exergaming needs to be heard, not from the basis of commercial intent or academic politics, but from the people who want to freely share knowledge and help others. I think that when exergaming is represented only without ulterior motives can the true story be heard and the best advocacy presented.

This week I put that commitment on the line, backing up words with actions. I'm not unique here, active members of The Exergame Network share this passion and characteristic, putting others before themselves to be true to the objectives of exergaming: helping others!

Here's a write-up of my efforts, with a few pictures and a video that prove no matter what the challenge, it is best overcome as a group! Special shout out for the benefactors of this effort, who can be found on twitter as @mrakkorak @helenabaert @XRGamer1 @TheGameDoctor@exergame @actifit @syangman @Exergamer  @xphysguy, and Gamercize for paying for the training and jump.

Follow TEN on twitter here: https://twitter.com/ExergameNetwork
Join on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/exergaming/
Read the blog here: http://exergamenetwork.blogspot.com

Cheers!

@ActiveGamer (Richard Coshott) 

TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH FOR EXERGAMING

A couple of days before Thanksgiving Richard Coshott took a “leap of faith” out of an airplane to raise money for an organization that he is very passionate about, The Exergaming Network (TEN).

Coshott raised nearly $400 using Fundraise.com and that money will go towards paying for research that needs to be done. One of the biggest challenges in growing TEN is trying to convince organizations, schools, educators and anyone involved with making decisions on how exergaming isn’t just video games. 

Exergaming is very beneficial to students and it is great way to keep students active. Coshott was nervous about the jump, but knows that it help raise awareness for TEN’s goals.

“When you have a door open to an airplane at 3,000 feet it goes against every natural instinct to jump out,” Coshott said. ”We have raised the profile of the initiative, and the knock on effect is we have some great partnership relationships in construction.”

He is excited about creating more fundraisers with Fundraise.com in the future and loved working with the team on creating a successful fundraiser.

“The great part about using Fundraise is that we can add to our activities, so we’re expecting to add more fundraisers,” Coshott added. 

There is a lot of research to be done in the coming months, and some of the topics that need to be tackled include: Positive Behaviour Effects, Gateway Effect, Comparative Enjoyment of Physical Activity, Health Benefits of Exergaming, Family health benefits of Exergaming, Cognitive benefits of exergaming and Improved social confidence from Exergaming.

Coshott is hoping that exergaming will continue accross the globe in the United States. One of the biggest challenges in the US is that with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, money has been diverted away from physical education and the arts and towards teaching to the test to try to meet the requirements of of NCLB.

But Coshott sees exergaming as a great way to keep kids in shape and educate them at the same time. Some studies show that students who regularly exercise perform better academically.

“Exergaming is brilliant to give all kids a chance to be active and successful in physical activity,” Coshott added. “One goal of TEN is to educate these schools so that they can implement a successful and rewarding experience for the school and the students. The good news is that exergaming can help; so long as we know how to use it and we have the proof that it does say what we say it does.”

And that leads back to the reason why TEN needs financial support. 

“Hence the reason TEN is doing all the work to get the gaps filled in exergaming research and hence the reason I jumped out of a plane last weekend,” Coshott exclaimed.

Here is video of Coshott taking his “literal leap of faith” to help support TEN: 

To read the previous entry on this fundraiser, visit: http://blog.fundraise.com/post/35724102079/growing-the-exergaming-network-one-player-at-a-time, to read more more about the Fundraiser, visit: https://www.fundraise.com/the-exergame-network/active-gamer

Original article at: http://blog.fundraise.com/post/36427724320/taking-a-leap-of-faith-for-exergaming

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Olympic Exergaming with London 2012

The release of Sega's official video game with both Microsoft Kinect and PlayStation Move compatibility may conjure images of swan diving off the back of the sofa or hurdling over the cat in the living room. However, the exergaming aspect of the game out of the box is limited and non-existent for PC players.

There are nearly 50 events in Sega's offering for the official video game of the London Games, but only a handful of these can be played as exergames with Move and Kinect. The game is available on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 and far from being a sporting legacy from the games is basically one of those exergames we'd rather not talk about.

Why is there so little exergaming in this most obvious of titles? The reason is the motion sensor technology of the consoles is at odds with game play. The puppeteering control required to make the game playable is simply not possible using the confines of a living room. The vast majority of events use tried and tested game pad controller input, even to the point a game pad is preferred over a PC's keyboard and mouse.

The lasting legacy of the games, however, is not lost for those wishing to be active whilst re-living, or improving, their countries gold medal count. Gamercize is compatible with every event! The advantages of using Gamercize with London 2012 are the space needed is no more than sitting or standing and the control of the game is not degraded. Exercise to play is all we ask!

Gamercize has a number of options for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 with our range of mini and full sized exercise machines. Check out http://www.gamercize.net to find out more. Gamercize helps Olympic exergamers to Reach the Next Level!

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Gamercize Supports New OUYA Console

Gamercize is planning to support the innovative Android based console OUYA by providing compatible exergaming accessories from its existing range.

The current range of supported platforms for Gamercize includes Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC is planned to be extended in 2013 to support OUYA. 

Gamercize enables gaming through the player exercising, pausing the gameplay if the user stops moving. This principle of Gamercize is unique in exergaming as the game is the focus with exercise playing an enabling rather than integrated role.

This patented concept allows Gamercize to support all traditional video games, without modification, to provide an immersive and sustainable exercise experience. The Gamercize focus towards a wide variety of games with traditional control methods is compatible with the stated approach of the OUYA concept.

“Recent studies into exergaming show that fitness focused games are not working; researchers and developers are failing to identify that without a quality gaming experience an exergaming is just exercise. Gamercize relies on the immersion of gaming to take a players focus off the exercise effort and this interaction has been proved time and again during the research. Our approach makes improving fitness via stealth far more viable.

Gamercize is successful because we are gamers and we understand gaming as much as the need to be healthy. The focus of OUYA towards traditional controllers, big screen immersion and variety of games for all players aligns with Gamercize. I’m excited to see the possible addition of OUYA to our supported platforms. It’s a Perfect Fit.” said Gamercize CEO, Richard Coshott.

The Gamercize product range has been in production since 2006. Exercise machines in the Gamercize range start with the GZ Power Stepper to the GZ Family Fit combined recumbent cycle and rower giving players unparalleled choice in exercise. Gamercize can be purchased for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC today at http://www.gamercizeshop.com.

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Is Enhanced Physical Activity Possible Using Active Videogames? - Open Response by Gamercize CEO

Making Exergaming A Success?

Gamercize has always performed impeccably in well designed research studies, delivering the validation of sensible, and considered, research questions. (see http://gamercize.blogspot.com/p/active-gaming-research-projects.html for study designs and results)


Applications of Gamercize in these studies have varied from desk exercise to school activities and at all times provided the correct level of engagement for the user to achieve beneficial physiological responses.


Gamercize does not fail because of the core principles of making exercise a secondary activity (automatic response) to the on-screen enjoyment, and allowing the user to engage in the electronic content that they prefer.


Best games and realistic exercise; is there any better formula for an exergame design? According to a recent Clinical Brief in the excellent Games for Health Journal, some researchers are well behind in the learning curve towards this understanding.


The brief is referencing a study reported on earlier this year in the journal Pediatrics, with the lead researcher, Tom Baranowski, defending the original study for it's poor reception by the media. Originally, according the NHS in the UK, the summary of the study by Dr Baranowski was “there is no reason to believe that simply acquiring an active video game under naturalistic circumstances provides a public health benefit to children”. This was a pretty bold statement to be based on just one study - even despite it's size and cost. It is also a statement that is incorrect with respect to Gamercize active video games.


In defense of the controversy stirred up by the study and it's subsequent media reporting the recent Brief diverges from rational perspective and common sense further, claiming "Children early in the diffusion curve might have used the games more actively" - which translated basically means, had the study been conducted when Wii first came out it would have favorably changed the outcome. The suggestion for rectifying this (of many) faults of the study claims that Kinect for Xbox 360 would have been a resolution.


The most basic and fundamental failure of this research, the attempt to recover via the Brief and of the researcher is that; A CONSOLE IS NOT A GAME! A new game is all that is required to sustain interest. Clearly the more engaging and appropriate for the user the game is in the first place, the longer the period of time before interest wanes. 


The game titles used had not been chosen by the participants in the original study and were weak gameplay fitness games (excusing DDR of course!). There is not one person familiar with video games that would have expected the outcome to be anything but a failure as a result.


Gamercize, of course, does not suffer from the weak fitness title sustainability problem (see the list of exergaming studies earlier in this post that references this) as Gamercize uses the game the user wants to play! Would this have been a more considered exergame to put under test? I think so. It is a pity the genre of exergaming took such a high level kick in the teeth by the media reports, slowing our progress towards the very health benefits this study sought to prove.


To summarize, the basic lack of understanding into the interaction between video games and the target population is outstanding. There is no systematic or methodological failure in the study outside of this. The foundation of sheer ignorance of video gaming was not understood by media and hence why the media reporting was so outspoken and prolific. 


My conclusion for any researcher looking to expand their portfolio with exergaming studies is (and I would welcome Tom's open reply in comment);


"If you don't understand video games you will never be able to design a successful study using exergaming. Certainly don't undertake any exergaming study until you have taken advice from an expert - any twelve year old will do."

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158 New Exergames Announced at E3 for 2012

E3 Has long been the focus of the gaming and tech worlds, but  exergaming is stealing the stage in 2012. No fewer than 158 new exergame titles have been announced. There is something for every person, age and preference this year with titles from Epic Mickey : The Power of Two through Lego Lord of the Rings to Gears of War Judgement and Forza Horizon.

Here's the top ten exergame picks from E3 so far according to GameSpot:

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PC,Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Grand Theft Auto V (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

The Secret World (PC)

Hitman: Absolution (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Halo 4 (Xbox 360)

Assassin's Creed III (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Far Cry 3 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Tomb Raider (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

The Last Guardian (PlayStation 3)

Resident Evil 6 (PC,Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

The platforms of Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC are all supported by Gamercize, the gamers choice of exergame with genuine fitness machines enabling gameplay of the best the video game industry has to offer.

The full list of games is below, there is something for everyone representing an estimated 21 million sales and hundreds of hours healthy game play for every gamer via Gamercize!

007 Legends (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Agni's Philosophy (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

American Mensa Academy (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Arctic Combat (PC)

Arma II (Xbox 360)

Arma III (PC)

Ascend: New Gods (Xbox 360)

Assassin's Creed III (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Avatar Motocross Madness (Xbox 360)

Battlefield 3: Armored Kill (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Battlefield 3: End Game (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Bellator: MMA Onslaught (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Ben 10: Omniverse (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3,PC)

Beyond: Two Souls (PlayStation 3)

Borderlands 2 (PlayStation 3,PC,Xbox 360)

Brick-Force (PC)

Bullet Run (PC)

Call of Duty: Black Ops II (PlayStation 3,PC,Xbox 360)

Carrier Command: Gaea Mission (Xbox 360,PC)

CastleStorm (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3,PC)

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Continent of the Ninth Seal (PC)

Core Blaze (PC)

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Crysis 3 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition (PC)

Darksiders II (PlayStation 3,PC,Xbox 360)

DC Universe Online: The Last Laugh (PlayStation 3,PC)

Dead or Alive 5 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Dead Space 3 (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Deadlight (Xbox 360)

Defiance (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Demonicon (PC)

Deponia (PC)

DiRT Showdown (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Dishonored (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Divinity: Original Sin (PC)

DMC (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Dogfight 1942 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Doom 3 BFG Edition (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Dungeonland (PC)

Dungeons & Dragons: Neverwinter (PC)

DUST 514 (PlayStation 3)

Dust: An Elysian Tail (Xbox 360)

Dyad (PlayStation 3)

Dynasty Warriors 7 - Empires (PlayStation 3)

End of Nations (PC)

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Ether Vapor Remaster (PC)

F1 2012 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Fable: The Journey (Xbox 360)

Far Cry 3 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

FIFA Soccer 13 (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Final Fantasy XIV Online (PlayStation 3)

Firefall (PC)

Fist of the North Star 2 (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Foosball 2012 (PlayStation 3)

Forza Horizon (Xbox 360)

Fray (PC)

Gears of War Judgment (Xbox 360)

God of War: Ascension (PlayStation 3)

Grand Theft Auto V (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Grimlands (PC)

Guardians of Middle-Earth (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Halo 4 (Xbox 360)

Happy Wars (Xbox 360)

Hitman: Absolution (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Hybrid (Xbox 360)

Injustice: Gods Among Us (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Jet Set Radio (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Joe Danger: The Movie (Xbox 360)

Kartuga (PC)

LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

LEGO The Lord of the Rings (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

LittleBigPlanet Karting (PlayStation 3)

LocoCycle (Xbox 360)

Lollipop Chainsaw (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Lost Planet 3 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Madden NFL 13 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Mark of the Ninja (Xbox 360)

Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth (Xbox 360)

Matter (Xbox 360)

Medal of Honor: Warfighter (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PC,Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Metro: Last Light (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Miner Wars 2081 (Xbox 360,PC)

Mistborn: Birthright (Xbox 360,PC,PlayStation 3)

Mugen Souls (PlayStation 3)

Narco Terror (Xbox 360,PC,PlayStation 3)

NBA 2K13 (Xbox 360)

NBA Baller Beats (Xbox 360)

NBA Live 13 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

NCAA Football 13 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Need for Speed Most Wanted (Criterion) (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

NHL 13 (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PlayStation 3)

Of Orcs and Men (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3,PC)

One Piece: Pirate Warriors (PlayStation 3)

Otherland (PC)

Painkiller: Hell & Damnation (PC)

Papo & Yo (PlayStation 3)

Persona 4 Arena (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Pid (PC)

PlanetSide 2 (PC)

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (PlayStation 3)

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3,PC)

Quantum Conundrum (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3,PC)

RaiderZ (PC)

Ratchet & Clank: QForce (PlayStation 3)

Resident Evil 6 (PC,Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Retro City Rampage (PlayStation 3,PC,Xbox 360)

Rift: Storm Legion (PC)

Rise of the Guardians (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Risen 2: Dark Waters (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Runes of Magic Chapter V: Fires of Shadowforge (PC)

Sacrilegium (PC)

ShootMania Storm (PC)

SimCity (2013) (PC)

Skulls of the Shogun (Xbox 360)

Skylanders Giants (PC,Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Sleeping Dogs (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PlayStation 3)

Sound Shapes (PlayStation 3)

South Park: The Stick of Truth (PC,Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Spec Ops: The Line (PlayStation 3,PC,Xbox 360)

Sports Champions 2 (PlayStation 3)

Star Trek (2013) (PlayStation 3,PC,Xbox 360)

Star Wars: 1313 (PlayStation 3,PC,Xbox 360)

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

The Amazing Spider-Man (PC,Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

The Elder Scrolls Online (PC)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dawnguard (Xbox 360)

The Last Guardian (PlayStation 3)

The Last of Us (PlayStation 3)

The Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan (PC)

The Secret World (PC)

The Showdown Effect (PC)

The Testament of Sherlock Holmes (Xbox 360,PC,PlayStation 3)

The Unfinished Swan (PlayStation 3)

Tokyo Jungle (PlayStation 3)

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist (PlayStation 3,PC,Xbox 360)

Tomb Raider (2013) (PC)

Tomb Raider (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD (Xbox 360)

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

War of the Roses (PC)

Warface (PC)

Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes (PC)

Watch Dogs (PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360)

Wizardry Online (PC)

Wonderbook: Book of Spells (PlayStation 3)

World of Battleships (PC)

World of Warplanes (PC)

Wreckateer (Xbox 360)

XCOM: Enemy Unknown (PlayStation 3,Xbox 360,PC)

Young Justice: Legacy (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

Zeno Clash II (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3,PC)

Zone of the Enders HD Collection (Xbox 360,PlayStation 3)

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Exergaming could be the answer to shifting those extra seasonal pounds

By Rebecca Monks, Scotland On Sunday

http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/the-week/andrew-eaton-lewis/exergaming_could_be_the_answer_to_shifting_those_extra_seasonal_pounds_1_2044021

The term couch potato was once reserved for anybody who favoured a life spent in the living

Then the games console was invented. Children replaced playgrounds with PlayStations, adults were racing virtual sports cars rather than each other, and a brand new type of potato was born: the gamer.room over one in the great outdoors.

With this came questions. How would it impact on the health of the future generation? And if watching that episode of Friends for the 50th time had the power to keep potatoes on the couch and away from the gym, what damage could an Xbox do?

It is estimated that eight out of ten households in the UK now own a gaming console, but while the popularity of the industry has surged, so too have fears over rising obesity levels. Not least in Scotland, where between 1995 and 2010 the proportion of adults aged 16 to 64 who were overweight or obese (BMI of 25 or more) increased from 52.4 per cent to 63.3 per cent.

Yet just as it seemed likely that the country’s obesity crisis was going to be blamed on the latest version of Crash Bandicoot, there came an interesting development. Exercise gaming, pioneered by the Nintendo Wii in 2006, was born. Picking up on the popularity of sports games, Wii encouraged people to join in with the activities on screen, increasing exercise levels while capitalising on the popularity of the gaming culture.

The Wii enables players to participate in a wide variety of sports, from bowling to tennis and water skiing, all from the comfort of the living room. But has gaming evolved into something truly positive for fitness?

Exergaming is now so ubiquitous, every leading console is promoting its own fitness game. And it is not difficult to understand the appeal. A combination of busy lifestyles and a fascination with new technology mean the concept of exercising at home is unquestionably viable. One man who understands the appeal more than most is the CEO of Gamercize, Richard Coshott. “I came across the concept of gaming exercise one school summer holiday on a particularly pleasant day, when I suggested to my sons that we play football in the garden. At the time they were playing FIFA on the PlayStation, and would rather carry on in the World Cup than have a kick-about in the garden. When I insisted they put down the controller and play outside, I realised how out of condition they were from a ‘play’ regime of electronic sports and decided I needed to do something”.

Seeing his sons’ reaction to exercise gaming encouraged Coshott to create Gamercize, a company that markets interactive exercise products to work alongside Xbox, PlayStation and Wii. He explains, “The exercise needed to power the controller becomes automatic and unnoticeable to the brain, making the exercise element sustainable, which leads to real health benefits such as weight control, lower resting heart rate and improved physical co-ordination.”

Promoters are going out of their way to prove exergaming has real health benefits, yet there are still some significant concerns. Coshott admits the contactless nature of the workout increases the risk of injury, while the lack of encouragement from a virtual trainer may lead to a dip in enthusiasm. Furthermore, a study by the medical journal Paediatrics found the average session on Wii boxing, for example, amounted to the same amount of exercise as moderate walking. So perhaps it’s a bit too soon to be burning our gym membership cards.

Interestingly, Health Scotland has reported that during the week, boys spend an average of 31 minutes a day playing games consoles. If those 31 minutes were spent in active gaming, it could go some way to meeting the national guidelines for physical activity. After all, even 31 minutes of moderate walking, aka Wii boxing, is better than sitting still; and if gaming is as popular as the statistics suggest, exercise gaming could be considered a productive way to help achieve a national goal.

Is exergaming deterring people from attending the gym? Though the year on year statistics suggest that, on average, gym memberships fell 16 per cent last year, the likes of David Lloyd Leisure seem untroubled.

Group health and fitness manager Rob Beale says, “Gaming has perhaps attracted a new type of exerciser, but being part of a health club is an entirely different offering, so I don’t expect this to have any negative effects.”

Now, it seems the future of fitness is choice. Game on!!

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