Biofeedback Gaming

Developers of virtual reality (VR) games are embracing biofeedback as a way to customize the gaming experience based on a player’s responses. By monitoring different combinations of physical parameters such as heart rate, respiration rate and muscle tension, the aim of many biofeedback-enhanced games is to measure stress levels and adjust what’s happening in the game. The goal of the game itself, however, can vary widely.

For instance, Stressjam and Nevermind are two VR games designed to help people learn to better manage stress by placing them in virtual situations that require them to remain calm in order to achieve an objective. The goal of Deep is to reduce anxiety by lowering heart and breathing rates through a type of guided meditation. On the other end of the spectrum, a new horror game known as Stigma reportedly uses biofeedback to amp up the fear factor if it detects that a player is not “scared enough.”

It’s not the technology…it’s how you use it!