Water Cooler Games served as the web's primary forum for "videogames with an agenda" — coverage of the uses of video games in advertising, politics, education, and other everyday activities, outside the sphere of entertainment.
The site was maintained at watercoolergames.org from 2003-2009, where it was edited by myself and Gonzalo Frasca. It is now archived here in full.
Dance Dance Revolution, the Sony EyeToy, and the new ToySight all use physical movement as an input source. Some of these games require create a quite strenuous, aerobic experience, especially as the player gets better at the game.
We've been dancing around this question for a while, but reports have started to appear about players using these games specifically for exercise. GetUpMove.com reports that 21 year old Tanya Jessen lost 95 pounds playing DDR.
Ben Sawyer points out that the site is actually sponsored by Red Octane, who makes DDR dance pads. Sez Ben,
Weight-loss motivated promotion is certainly nothing new, but it might signal a wind-change in game marketing: the testimonial, here's what this game did for me.... I wonder if we'll see self-help or therapy games in the future.
For those who critique the EyeToy and ToySight games for a lack of substance, they must not be lifting more than a finger or two. Whether you call them party games or exercise games, the substance comes from the players' physical interaction with the game. It continues to amaze me that so many still search for a heart of gameness in there rather than out here.
(thanks to Ben Sawyer)
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