Running App "Zombies, Run!" Users' Engagement with Physical Activity: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Health behavior
• Human-computer interaction
• Gamification studies

Background:

• Physical activity (PA) is crucial for overall health.
• Smartphone applications and gamification, particularly narrative-based augmented reality (AR), show potential for increasing PA engagement.
• Zombies, Run! (ZR) is a popular running exergame, making it an ideal case study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate user motivations and experiences with the narrative-based AR exergame app, Zombies, Run! (ZR).
• To identify key factors contributing to engagement and sustained use of the app for physical activity.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews with randomly selected ZR users.
• Interviews guided by a semistructured topic guide.
• Thematic analysis (inductive and deductive) of transcribed audio recordings.

Main Results:

• Four overarching themes emerged: reasons for starting/continuing ZR, preferred features, perceived effects, and pros/cons.
• Key attractions included gamification, narrative appeal, and distraction from exertion.
• Immersion and presence via story, plot, and characters were highly valued, promoting longer and sustained PA sessions.

Conclusions:

• Narrative elements are a significant factor in the appeal of AR running exergames.
• ZR engages users by altering PA perception through storytelling, dissociating them from exertion.
• AR narrative-based apps show promise for promoting health-related behaviors and habit formation.