BitPet trial links virtual pets to 20% more activity

A walk home became longer for some BitPet players: they took the scenic route, walked to the shop instead of driving, or went out again to help a digital pet grow. In a three-week NTNU study of 51 participants, players were, on average, more than 20% more physically active on the days they played the mobile game.

The idea is simple enough to see on a phone screen. BitPet uses the smartphone's built-in step counter to measure activity, then turns those steps into the pet's fitness and development. Players also earn points, collect resources, encounter other pets on a map and enter photo competitions. The mix draws on digital pets, location-based gaming and augmented reality — digital elements layered onto the physical world.

The study combined questionnaires, interviews, step counts and data recorded by the game. Many participants described the virtual pet as a source of responsibility and motivation, but the response was not uniform: some found the game much more motivating than others. Its effect on social activity was limited. The participant group had an average age of 26, was 65% women and 35% men, and the analysis covered Android users only because iOS data was not recorded correctly.

So what does it change, concretely? The trial points to a modest behavioural nudge — extra routes and walks — rather than proof that the game can sustain activity over the long term or work equally well for everyone.

The technology has moved beyond a research concept, but not into established deployment. BitPet AS, led by Mathias Grønstad, has launched a playable beta in Norway on the App Store and Google Play. Its mechanics grew from NTNU research on motivation, reward systems and exercise games, while future versions are intended to add location-based social play. The more than 20% figure comes from this small, short study, and the iOS data gap narrows what it can show.