Game or exercise: Which drives the emotional benefits in a single exergaming session?

Emotional health issues are on the rise globally. Exercise is a validated, stigma-free intervention. However, its monotony and self-discipline demands may hinder participation. Exergaming, blending exercise with gaming, presents an appealing alternative with emotional benefits. However, it remains unclear whether these benefits are stem primarily from the exercise or the game component. Here, we examined the contributions of each component to the emotional benefits within a single session. Using Ring Fit Adventure, participants completed three 20-min activities: exergaming, sedentary gaming, and video watching. Results showed that exergaming yielded the greatest improvements in positive affect and mitigations in state depression, followed by sedentary gaming and then video watching, suggesting the contributions of both exercise and game components. Our study highlights exergaming as a promising, stigma-free, non-pharmacological intervention for emotional well-being. Even a single session demonstrates its potential, and it also underscores exergaming's role in addressing global physical inactivity.