Differential exercise patterns between ‘hardcore’ and ‘casual’ players of Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

We report data from an online mixed-methods survey that assessed the exercise routine and play experiences of players for Pokémon GO (PGO) and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (HPWU), two augmented reality (AR) games that encourage outdoor walking. Both games significantly increased the extent of exercise for players, however exercise patterns differed between the two games’ player bases, with further variations between self-identified ‘hardcore’ and ‘casual’ players. Players also reported on key design differences between the games that had a major influence on their outdoor walking behaviour. We propose that these findings could highlight design practices that can affect exercise outcomes in exergames in future works.