Motion Sickness and Postural Sway in Console Video Games

Abstract

Objective: We tested the hypotheses that (a) participants might develop motion sickness while playing “off-the-shelf” console video games and (b) postural motion would differ between sick and well participants, prior to the onset of motion sickness. Background: There have been many anecdotal reports of motion sickness among people who play console video games (e.g., Xbox, PlayStation). Method: Participants (40 undergraduate students) played a game continuously for up to 50 min while standing or sitting. We varied the distance to the display screen (and, consequently, the visual angle of the display). Results: Across conditions, the incidence of motion sickness ranged from 42% to 56%; incidence did not differ across conditions. During game play, head and torso motion differed between sick and well participants prior to the onset of subjective symptoms of motion sickness. Conclusion: The results indicate that console video games carry a significant risk of motion sickness. Application: Potential applications of this research include changes in the design of console video games and recommendations for how such systems should be used.