Digital pets boost daily activity by more than 20%, trial finds

A mobile game called BitPet has been found to increase physical activity by over 20% in a study conducted by master's students at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The three-week trial involved 51 participants who used the game on their smartphones. The study combined questionnaires, interviews, step counts, and activity data gathered through the game itself.

One of the key findings was that the virtual pet became a significant motivator for many participants. The responsibility for the pet, along with step points, progression, in-game resources, and photo competitions, encouraged many individuals to be slightly more physically active. On average, players were 20% more active on the days they played the game.

The motivation varied among participants, with women aged 16 to 40 being the most engaged. The game is designed to appeal to a broad audience, but its impact on social activity was limited. BitPet draws inspiration from classic virtual pet simulators like Tamagotchi, Pokémon Snap, Animal Crossing, and The Sims Pets. The game mechanics, such as step points, exploration, resource collection, and pet development, are based on theories of intrinsic motivation, reward systems, progression, and player engagement.

The research was conducted using Android devices, and iOS users' data was excluded due to a technical issue. The study's findings have been published in a master's thesis by Alf Inge Wang, one of BitPet's founders and a professor at NTNU's Department of Computer Science. BitPet AS, led by Grønstad, has received funding to further develop and validate the game's business model.