Motion sickness, console video games, and head-mounted displays

Objective: We evaluated the nauseogenic properties of commercial console video games (i.e., games that are sold to the public) when presented through a head-mounted display. Background: Anecdotal reports suggest that motion sickness may occur among players of contemporary commercial console video games. Methods: Participants played standard console video games using an Xbox game system. We varied the participants' posture (standing vs. sitting) and the game (two Xbox games). Participants played for up to 50 min and were asked to discontinue if they experienced any symptoms of motion sickness. Results: Sickness occurred in all conditions, but it was more common during standing. During seated play there were significant differences in head motion between sick and well participants before the onset of motion sickness. Conclusion: The results indicate that commercial console video game systems can induce motion sickness when presented via a head-mounted display and support the hypothesis that motion sickness is preceded by instability in the control of seated posture. Application: Potential applications of this research include changes in the design of console video games and recommendations for how such systems should be used.