Have a break: Raising the self-awareness of gamers about long gaming sessions using an ambient tangible device

Abstract

Video games have shown to promote well-being in various ways. However, they may also have negative effects on the psychological and physical well-being of players. In this work, we are concerned with the latter and present a tangible ambient device aimed at creating awareness about long gaming sessions and encouraging players to take breaks based on physiological measurements. We report on the design of the tool and on a preliminary user study conducted with six participants to assess acceptance and usefulness of the tool. Feedback indicates that the tool served as a pleasant, mostly non-distracting, reminder to take breaks. However, more work is needed to better align the breaks with actual gameplay.