Why do even the most advanced medications and developments lose their effectiveness when patients forget to take their medicine or perform exercises without enthusiasm? One out of every two people with a chronic illness eventually fails to follow their doctor’s recommendations, which leads to health risks, costly hospitalizations, and dissatisfaction for both patients and healthcare providers.

In this chain, it seems impossible to motivate a tired patient to take an active role in their own recovery. But a tool that may seem unexpected at first glance—gamification and video games—is now increasingly being considered as a solution. Can gaming technologies truly change the course of treatment and make health an engaging challenge?

The problem of low engagement and adherence

According to the World Health Organization, the rate of adherence to medical prescriptions for chronic diseases in developed countries does not exceed 50%. This problem is related to the fact that treatment and rehabilitation are often boring, require self-discipline, cause anxiety, or are associated with unpleasant experiences. Patients begin to skip taking medications, forget about physical exercises, and sometimes even abandon the prescribed therapy altogether.

According to calculations by the American Medical Association, each year in the United States alone, low adherence to treatment results in at least 125,000 deaths and more than 10% of hospitalizations. Direct and indirect costs are estimated at between $100 and $289 billion per year. Experts point out that standard approaches—paper instructions and verbal reminders—often fail to work. New strategies are needed that can increase patients’ motivation and engagement.

What is gamification in medicine?

Gamification is the introduction of game elements and mechanics into non-game processes, such as treatment or patient education. In medical applications, this can be a system of points, levels, rewards, virtual achievements, feedback, and personal tasks. Modern technologies make it possible to adapt games for different needs: for children—cartoon worlds, for adults—realistic simulators or interactive stories.

The first experience of using game elements in medical programs appeared about 20 years ago, when scientists began to notice that interactive tasks better held attention and helped form new habits. Today, gamification is becoming part of mobile self-monitoring apps, rehabilitation platforms, and even remote patient monitoring systems.

How video games and gamification help patients

Game-based educational programs give patients the opportunity to learn information in a dynamic, engaging way. Unlike standard instructions or brochures, they use simulations, virtual quests, and visual cues, which make it easier to understand complex medical concepts. Research shows that gamification improves information retention by 42%. For example, educational games developed for children with chronic illnesses allow them to learn self-management skills in a playful way and prevent mistakes that could lead to worsening of their condition.

Reducing anxiety and distracting from negative sensations

Developmental mini-games help reduce anxiety before painful procedures, and during rehabilitation distract from unpleasant sensations. Scientists from the University of Toronto note that patients who use gaming apps before surgery show significantly lower levels of anxiety. The same mechanisms work for chronic pain: engagement in game tasks shifts attention away from painful sensations to an engaging process. Thus, short gaming sessions become an effective way to support psychological resilience.

Motivation to follow prescriptions and rehabilitation

In a game format, patients are much more willing to perform prescribed exercises or take medications on time. An example is the Perx Health platform, which provides over 90% adherence among participants thanks to a system of bonuses and instant feedback. Real-world data show that such solutions help reduce the risk of hospitalization and increase patient engagement in the long term. Similar technologies are also successfully used to support home therapeutic exercise routines.

Expanding the possibilities of physical therapy

The use of video games and virtual reality technologies is becoming a real breakthrough in the field of rehabilitation after injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Game-based exercises developed on the basis of WiiFit and the MindMaze platform have proven effective in restoring motor skills, joint flexibility, and reducing pain. In some clinical trials, patients undergoing gamified therapy demonstrated 83% program retention and significantly better results compared to standard methods.

Limitations and challenges of gamification

Despite impressive successes, gamification in medicine faces objective limitations. Game-based methods are not suitable for everyone: elderly patients or those with special needs require an individual approach and interface adaptation. Specialists draw attention to the lack of direct emotional contact, which still remains the domain of live doctors and psychologists.

The development of quality game solutions requires financial investment and time, as well as compliance with regulatory requirements for personal data protection. Some patients may be poorly motivated to use digital technologies or have difficulty with the interface. Unresolved issues remain regarding safety, accessibility, and effectiveness for different user groups. Critics also point to the risk of “game fatigue” and insufficient personalization in some cases.

How gambling mechanics are applied in medical gamification

Examples of such gamification show that the idea of using people’s natural inclination for excitement for good can be an excellent solution. For example, the MySugr app for diabetics uses a points system and “surprises” for regular blood sugar measurements. The patient receives virtual coins or animations that create a “dopamine rush” effect, similar to gambling games. Studies show that such elements increase regimen adherence by 20–30%.

This app uses the effect of surprise and randomization. This can be compared to crash games, which have become quite popular. As with multipliers in crash games like Aviator, the game uses random rewards or bonuses to maintain interest. This could be an unexpected badge, a virtual prize, or access to new levels.

It is not surprising that this genre has become so popular. As data to the link aviatorapps.in show, the Aviator game is offered by many online casinos. This indicates not only its demand, but also the effectiveness of the mechanics.

Should we worry that a patient might become “addicted” to such apps? It is important to know that gamified apps are classified as “digital therapeutic tools” if they affect treatment. They must prove their safety and effectiveness. Gambling mechanics are tested for addiction risk.

Real success stories: nine examples of gamification in medicine

1. Re-mission—a game where patients control a nanobot destroying cancer cells inside a fictional body. According to a study with 57 brain scans, the game activated motivation zones and increased therapy adherence in young patients.

2. Pain Squad—a mobile app that turns pain data collection in children with cancer into a role-playing game. Studies at Canada’s SickKids Hospital showed that honesty in describing symptoms increased by 90%.

3. Ayogo’s Empower—a platform that uses game elements to teach new habits and support lifestyle changes. Users note that social interaction and game tasks help form healthy habits.

4. Immune Attack—an educational strategy game that teaches immunology through puzzles and simulations. Randomized trials showed that students who played the game learned the material almost twice as well as those who read the textbook.

5. Gesture Tek—rehabilitation using contactless motion control. According to the developers, the platforms allow for maintaining hygiene, and clinical trials confirm increased patient engagement.

6. Mind Maze—neurotechnologies that help restore motor function after stroke or injury. Clinical studies in the USA and New Zealand have noted significant progress in patient recovery.

7. Game On Cancer—a project that uses video games to raise funds for cancer research. Over its operation, $87 million has been raised and more than 540 projects supported worldwide.

8. Child’s Play—a charitable organization providing children in hospitals with gaming and educational technologies. Since 2017, the initiative has reached 33 medical institutions in different countries, training specialists in the use of VR and gaming solutions.

9. Virus Blaster—an educational game that explains vaccination principles to children. According to project representatives, the game-based approach not only increases scientific literacy but also develops independence in understanding complex topics.

The most promising areas are the integration of artificial intelligence, personalized game scenarios, and virtual reality technologies that can adapt to the individual needs of the patient. More and more experts are talking about the need for cooperation between IT specialists, doctors, and psychologists to create effective solutions. At the same time, legal and ethical barriers remain: data protection, medical liability, standardization of game programs. The lack of data on long-term effectiveness requires new research, especially for vulnerable patient groups and in the context of large-scale implementation of digital technologies.

Could there come a time when video games become an integral part of standard medicine? It is absolutely clear that maintaining a balance between technology and human involvement remains crucial. Keep track of developments in this field, analyze new cases, and share your experience in implementing game-based solutions in medicine—together we can make treatment engaging and effective.