Serious Games and XR in Public Health: Capturing Attention to Deliver Life-Saving Information

In a world saturated with digital stimuli and driven by constant competition for human attention, one of public health’s greatest challenges is no longer just the production of evidence-based knowledge—it is ensuring that such knowledge reaches and changes behaviours of diverse populations. Every year, a vast body of research and clinical evidence emerges on topics ranging from nutrition, physical activity, vaccination, mental health, substance use, road safety, and sleep, to the appropriate use of antibiotics. This knowledge, if effectively communicated, has the potential to save millions of lives. However, public health communication often struggles to compete with the billion-dollar entertainment, social media, and advertising ecosystems that dominate our cognitive landscape.

To help address this communication gap, Frontiers in Public Health is pleased to announce a new Research Topic: “Serious Games and XR in Public Health: Capturing Attention to Deliver Life-Saving Information.” This Research Topic seeks to explore how immersive media, particularly serious games and extended reality (XR), can be designed, tested, and implemented to deliver critical health messages in a way that is engaging, memorable, and behavior-changing.

Video games are already among the most widely used media globally, transcending age, gender, and geographic boundaries. XR technologies (such as virtual and augmented reality) have emerged as powerful tools to create immersive and emotionally resonant experiences, enabling deep engagement and learning. However, leveraging these technologies effectively for public health is not automatic. Designing games and XR experiences that are both captivating and educational requires thoughtful integration of game mechanics, behavioral theory, user-centered design, and public health principles.

This Research Topic invites contributions that address the opportunities and challenges of serious games and XR as tools for public health promotion, education, and intervention. Submissions may include but are not limited to:

• Design theory and methodology: Frameworks for the effective design of serious games and XR experiences to communicate public health messages and promote behavior change
• Evaluation and impact assessment: Studies that rigorously evaluate the effectiveness, engagement, and real-world impact of serious games and XR in changing health knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors
• Game mechanics and learning outcomes: Exploration of how game elements (e.g., genre, level progression, narrative, feedback, reward systems) influence user learning and health outcomes
• Cultural and demographic adaptation: Strategies for making serious games and XR interventions accessible, inclusive, and culturally relevant across diverse populations
• Technological innovations: Emerging technologies in XR, haptics, AI, and mobile platforms that can enhance the reach and efficacy of serious games for health
• Case studies and implementations: Real-world applications of serious games or XR in public health campaigns, education settings, clinical interventions, or community-based programs
• Ethics and limitations: Discussion of ethical concerns, potential harms (e.g., overuse, misinformation), and strategies to mitigate unintended consequences.

By bringing together research across design, behavioral science, public health, and technology, this Research Topic aims to advance the state of the art in how we communicate health information in the digital age. We seek to highlight not only the potential of serious games and XR to reach and affect broad and diverse audiences, but also the rigorous methods required to ensure their quality, accessibility, and effectiveness.

This Research Topic was launched in collaboration with the 10th Digital Public Health Conference, a world-leading annual interdisciplinary event on research and innovation in digital public health, organized by University College London. We welcome submissions from speakers, attendees and the broader research community.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Serious Games, Extended Reality (XR), Public Health Communication, Behavior Change, Immersive Media

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.