Are gaming apps that encourage activity good for our society?

There have been many apps that are available to the public that encourages activity. The list includes, but is not limited to Pokemon Go, Minecraft Earth, and geocaching.

There are many reasons why people do and do not support these apps. In the next few paragraphs, these apps that encourage activity are good for our society.

Gaming apps that encourage activity are great for the public for many reasons. These games are a very influential medium of communication. They have a very large amount of power in today’s society.

In “Why ‘Pokemon Go’ is the world’s most important game,” JV Chamary, A contributor for Forbes.com, writes, “Several scientific studies have shown that Pokémon GO increases physical activity. From reports provided by players, one study found that the game increased the proportion who walked over 10,000 steps a day.”

Some might say, ‘you need to ease into workouts’ or ‘do workouts in increments.’ This is somewhat true, but workouts need to start from somewhere. If someone is enjoying their time working out they shouldn’t have to rest. If they can spend a decent amount of time doing so, they should get a reward.

Apps like Pokemon Go and other augmented reality games are good for our world. They help reduce some stress from individuals, which in return may reduce the anxiety in a person.

According to Mathew Woolley, a licensed psychologist with a Ph.d., “immediate feedback for attainable goals – keeps players who may suffer from depression or anxiety interested and active.”

Going to the gym and running on a treadmill would be as good as exercise mobile games. That might be one of the ways people may try and state a counterargument. Now, these games actually provide entertainment and a large number of health benefits.

Games that encourage activity are very good for your mental health. They not only can help your physical health, but they can also affect your mental health as well.

Julia Connelly, a Ph.D. in psychiatry, also mentions, “I have noticed that several of my clients are more engaged and motivated in life”.

Now, some might argue that video games are very bad for the brain. There have actually been a lot of studies that promote the idea that video games can have a positive impact on you. They can memory, improvement of hand-eye coordination, and the problem-solving skills.

Pokemon go is a safe way to exercise and have fun. Like everything, there are very few risks that are possible to the users of the game.

According to Niantic, the creator of Pokemon Go, “Users should always remain aware of their environment and avoid going into any inappropriate areas”

People may mention that these apps place people in danger. Some examples include; crossing a street with oncoming traffic, or other various circumstances. Niantic, the creator of Pokemon Go, mentions the user has to “be aware of your environment”. This implements a message that will stay in your brain on a subconscious level. It won’t leave until you close the app down.

According to a study by the National Library of Health, “Before downloading the game, only 31% of the respondents met the recommended activity levels, whereas 75% of them met the levels after starting the game.” This quote ties all elements together. It solidifies that gaming apps that promote exercise are beneficial.

All together, video games that promote activity are beneficial to society. They have many advantages over most mobile applications. They encourage exercise to all users. And, they also encourage people to socialize with new people that share the same interest.