International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)

Volume 9, Issue 5, May 2018, pp. 1128–1135, Article ID: IJCIET_09_05_126

Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=9&IType=5
ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316

© IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed

AUGMENTED REALITY GAMES (ARG) AND

POKÉMON GO: PREVENTING HIKIKOMORI IN
MALAYSIA
Wan Mohd Hirwani Wan Hussain
Graduate School of Business, National University of Malaysia
43650 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

ABSTRACT
The term “Hikikomori” refers to the modern phenomenon of severe social
withdrawal (SSW). It may also specifically refer to a modern form of depression that
has become prevalent among young people in Japan since 2000. This syndrome has a
major impact in Japan and yet there remain no consensus guidelines for its treatment.
Pokémon Go is an augmented reality game which uses integrated virtual and physical
movement to allow players to interact with virtual characters. This mobile application
has become a social media phenomenon around the world and is seen as pioneering an
innovative business model. The present study has two (2) key aspects: understanding
the hikikomori phenomenon in Malaysia and determining the importance of Augmented
Reality Games (ARG), particularly Pokémon Go. It is hoped that this study will provide
significant progress in the understanding of the hikikomori phenomenon in Malaysia.
Furthermore, Pokémon Go may become an important tool to promote healthy
behaviours among young adults in Malaysia.
Key words: Hikikomori, POKÉMON, Video Games
Cite this Article: Wan Mohd Hirwani Wan Hussain, Augmented Reality Games (ARG)
and Pokémon Go: Preventing Hikikomori In Malaysia, International Journal of Civil
Engineering and Technology, 9(5), 2018, pp. 1128–1135.
http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=9&IType=5

1. INTRODUCTION
The rise of Augmented Reality Games (ARG) such as Pokémon Go, which launched in July
2016, shows that there exists consumer demand for new ways of playing games. The Pokémon
Go mobile application requires players to go outside and perform physical activity to catch
virtual creatures (Pokémon) in order to then use them in virtual combat. In general, an
Augmented Reality Games (ARG), is a kind of “exergame,” or active video game, that requires
participants to be physically active or do exercise in order to play (Anderson et al., 2017; Clarke,
2016). ARGs replace traditional console gaming with active play that required players to move
and explore their surroundings (Serino et al., 2016). Research has shown that ARGs can

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 Augmented Reality Games (ARG) and Pokémon Go: Preventing Hikikomori In Malaysia

increase educational development among teenagers, particularly in terms of writing ability

(Wan Hussain et al., 2012; Wang, 2017), learning foreign languages (Wang, 2017) and
mathematical abilities (Sommerauer and Müller, 2014). Playing Pokémon Go is one of the
marketing strategy that should be used in internet marketing strategy (Wan Hussain et al., 2012)
and developing curriculum at the university (Wan Mohd Hirwani et al., 2012) and can be
patented (Hassan et al., 2017).

2. AUGMENTED REALITY GAMES – POKÉMON GO

Augmented reality gaming became a global phenomenon in 2016, producing multiple best-
selling mobile game apps. Pokémon Go was first introduced in July 2016 and made a significant
impact on the mobile applications industry. It is considered to be the most widely downloaded
mobile game worldwide, surpassing other popular games such as Candy Crush and Clash of
Clans. This app is available in the iOS and Google Play stores, allowing users to download it
for free to play it on their device. The app has been download more than 650 million times
worldwide, and has 5 million daily active users globally (Althoff et al., 2016). Pokémon Go has
often been praised for promoting healthy behaviour among teenagers (Althoff et al., 2016).
The game uses a real-world street-map and landmarks that can help players to locate
Pokémon, Pokémon eggs (which are collected and will hatch after the player walks a
predetermined distance), Gyms (to challenge other players) and Pokéstops (used to collect in-
game items). Pokémon Go requires players to perform physical activity, which may have a
positive impact on their health. Based on research conducted by (Althoff et al., 2016) we
estimate that playing the game causes users to increase their steps by more than 25% per day,
across men and women users of all ages. It should be noted here that this game was not
specifically designed to increase physical activity (LeBlanc and Chaput, 2017), however it does
require players to move around in order to get new creatures, challenge people at gyms and
hatch eggs. It is reported that most players of Pokémon Go are aged 13 and above, and generally
describe themselves as gamers, spending 12% or more of their leisure time playing video games
(Serino et al., 2016). There remains a great deal of research to be done in order to understand
the impact of Augmented Reality Games on teenagers. Research conducted by (Tabacchi et al.,
2017) found that Pokémon Go players spend most of their time outside capturing Pokémon.
By encouraging users to spend their time outside, Pokémon Go will allow young people to stay
motivated and increase their physical activity (Althoff et al., 2016). Playing Pokémon Go also
increases users’ fitness and cardiometabolic health (C. et al., 2017). This can decrease obesity
and prevent depression and anxiety (Tateno et al., 2016).

Figure 1 Illustration of smartphone running Pokémon Go, in navigation mode (left) and catching a
Pokémon (right). Adapted from (Ruiz-Ariza et al., 2018)

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 Wan Mohd Hirwani Wan Hussain

Many researchers have chosen to incorporate gamification strategies into new technologies
(Baranowski et al., 2016). Gamification is a new concept in the design of teaching and learning
experiences, which has been widely adopted in recent years in industry and academia as a tool
for training and education. The term “gamification” was introduced by Nick Pelling in 2003
and been used widely to describe gaming within training and education (Fitz-Walter, 2013).
Other similar terms used previously include “educational games”, “serious games” and “game-
based learning.” Gamification can also help increase physical activity (World Health,
Organization, 2013, De Oliveira-Roque, 2016) and help maintain maximum health benefits
(Crookes, 2016; Hallal et al., 2012). The distribution of these games on smartphones has made
a large impact on increasing levels of physical activity and may help teenagers with social
withdrawal issues (Hussain et al., 2010; Monroe et al., 2015; Sabbagh et al., 2016; Tateno et
al., 2012). Most teenagers spend around 8.6 hours per day using digital technology, such as
using a smartphone, watching television or playing computer videogames. As such there is a
need for new strategies to motivate young teenagers to spend time outside and perform more
physical activity (Furlong, 2008; Hallal et al., 2012; Teo, 2010). This can reduce the incidence
of the combination of depression and stunted development of self-identity which has come to
be known as hikikomori.

3. HIKIKOMORI
Hikikomori, also known as “modern-type depression,” was the one of the most prominent
public health problems reported in 2000. This term was first coined by Tomita Fujiya in 1985.
The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (www.mhlw.go.jp) currently provides
the following definition:
Hikikomori is a psycho-sociological phenomenon, one of its characteristic features being
withdrawal from social activities and staying at home almost each day for more than half a year.
This occurs among children, adolescents, and adults under 30 years old. Although hikikomori
is defined as a non-psychotic state, it is safe to assume that young people with schizophrenia
may be mixed into this grouping prior to receiving a diagnosis of psychosis.
The root causes of hikikomori must be understood in order to assess what the impact of this
disease is on society. Research conducted by Suwa and Suzuki in 2013 shows that there are two
types of hikikomori: (a) Primary hikikomori that is caused by a personality disorder and (b)
secondary hikikomori that results from an anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder or
affective disorder. Secondary hikikomori requires more immediate medical treatment than
primary hikikomori.

Figure 2 Classification of Hikikomori

Adapted from: (Suwa and Suzuki, 2013)

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 Augmented Reality Games (ARG) and Pokémon Go: Preventing Hikikomori In Malaysia

Researchers (Teo, 2010) summarized the criteria which a patient must exhibit to be
classified as a hikikomori:
• a lifestyle centred at home;
• no interest or willingness to attend school or work;
• symptom duration of at least 6 months;
• schizophrenia, intellectual disability, or other mental disorders have been excluded;
• among those with no interest or willingness to attend school or work, those who maintain
personal relationships (e.g., friendships) have been excluded.
Persons diagnosed with hikikomori are often reported to exhibit linked mental illnesses,
including schizophrenia, social anxiety disorder, depression, personality disorder, schizoid
personality disorder, and avoidant personality disorder.

4. HIKIKOMORI IN MALAYSIA
Malaysia is a developing country in Asia with a population of more than 30 million, made up
of three major ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese and Indian. In Malaysia, there was a reported
increase in the prevalence of excess weight and obesity among 6-12 years old from 20.7% in
2002 to 26.5% in 2008 (Khambalia and Seen, 2010). Lack of physical activity contributed to
this increase in excess weight and obesity among children. However, rising usage of
smartphones and advancements in augmented reality in video games may be able to be used to
encourage young people to spend time outdoors, providing myriad health benefits. Information
regarding hikikomori in Malaysia is still limited and inconclusive, and further scientific
research is needed to determine the prevalence of hikikomori in Malaysia. There is a research
showing that hikikomori exists in Ukraine (Frankova, 2017), Spain (Malagon-Amor et al.,
2014; Ovejero et al., 2013) and China (Wong et al., 2017).

5. ARGS FOR PREVENTING HIKIKOMORI

It has recently been suggested that the popularity of the Pokémon Go mobile game may be
helping to reduce hikikomori (Tateno et al., 2016). As described in detail above, to play
Pokémon Go, players must leave their houses and engage with other players in order to find
new Pokémon for their collections. This activity can help increases their social interactivity.
Playing this game may provide significant health benefits to teenagers, increasing their physical
and mental wellbeing. It also helps to engage individuals who are not typically motivated to
become involved in a gym or sporting event. It should be noted here that physical inactivity has
been identified as the leading cause of many chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and
obesity. Nowadays, many young people want to spend their free time playing video games, and
this activity has become a major contributor affecting individual lifestyles.

6. IMPACT OF AUGMENTED REALITY GAMES

Positive Impacts
a) Increase Social Interactions
Augmented Reality Games differ significantly from traditional games (Hussain et al., 2011;
Tan and Soh, 2010). ARGs require players to move around and connect with their environment.
There is also the possibility that the players will encounters friends and other players while
using the game. This is the unique aspect of ARGs that promotes social interactions between
the players. In Pokémon Go, PokéStops and PokéGyms are important as meeting points for

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 Wan Mohd Hirwani Wan Hussain

players. There is research showing that children with autism can also benefit from playing this
game (Rachel Cao, 2016). Through Pokémon Go, children with autism can interact with their
peers and learn social communication by levelling up their Pokémon (Anderson-Hanley et al.,
2011).

b) Exergaming
The term “exergaming” is a portmanteau of the words “exercise” and “gaming” which arose at
the beginning of the 21st century, when video games were reaching new heights of popularity
and beginning to incorporate exercise-based game mechanics. There are many video games
which fall into the category of exergaming, such as Dance, Dance Revolution, Kinect games
for the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii games. Research by Best (2013) shows that exergaming
not only provides a healthy lifestyle but also helps facilitate increased physical activity among
teenagers. The potential of exergaming is based on psychological principles such as
reward/achievement systems, self-control and self-efficacy, along with the pure entertainment
value of these games (Buddharaju and Lokanathan, 2016; Gorgu et al., 2009). There is,
however, research suggesting that increases in physical activity produced by playing Pokémon
Go are not sustained, indicating that ARG developers may need to do more if they wish for
their games to be effective as health tools.

Negative impacts
a) Safety issue
Since early 2000, there have been many reports of video game-related injuries (Pourmand et
al., 2017). The transition from video games controller to ARGs may increase physical risks to
players. However, research relating to physical injuries sustained while playing an ARG is still
limited. There were, however, several reports indicating that Pokémon Go had contributed to
accidents after the game’s release (Jalink et al., 2014). Research also shows that children
engaged with ARGs will get distracted because they are focused on their phone rather than their
surroundings. There is a need for further empirical evidence to assess the impact of playing
ARGs on accidents. Playing an ARG can also create new risks for children. In Pokémon Go
players often travel to publicly displayed fixed locations, which may attract criminals with the
knowledge that they are likely to encounter unaccompanied children. There is a need for ARG
developers to introduce mechanisms to monitor and protect their players.

7. CONCLUSION
It is too early to understand the effect Pokémon Go may have on society as a whole; however,
the impact of this game on some individuals, especially young people, is phenomenal. The
youth enjoy playing this game, as it motivates them to find and catch new characters. The
increase in activity that the game promotes may help prevent hikikomori and depression among
young people. There are also studies indicating that elderly players can benefit from this game
by playing it with their grandchildren. More importantly, this game changes people’s
behaviours and has had a major impact on the psychological and physical health of players.
In conclusion, hikikomori is not a syndrome so much as a state of distress, and it is critically
important to identify both potential risks and benefits to the youth playing this game. Further
research must be performed to identify health risks or psychological effects of playing this game
for extended periods. An investigation focusing on these aspects will contribute to identifying
the effect of this game and how it can reduce instances of hikikomori and obesity from the
perspectives of individuals and whole families.

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 Augmented Reality Games (ARG) and Pokémon Go: Preventing Hikikomori In Malaysia

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This research is funded by UKM Research Grant Economic Transformation Program ETP
(2014-008) and UKM Research Grant GGPM (2014-057); Research Grant UKM GIP 2018-
002; UKM Research Grant DCP-2017-005/2; UKM Research Grant DCP-2017-020/2

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