Grand Theft Auto IV - A Mindless Loss of Weight

Will GTA 4 be the best selling weight loss game of 2008?

Yes, the stories have already started to appear claiming Rockstars latest release should be banned and highlighting the effects of video games on children.

Given that the game is M or 18 rated, the effects need to be considered in context, which is exactly what the Globe and Mail points out here.

The $1.5m government funded research quoted points out "much of the information in the popular press about the effects of violent video games is wrong." So much of what you will read will be misleading with the most disturbing content being in the accompanying real life news stories, not in a game.

Instead of looking at these blockbuster games in a negative light, think about those players using Gamercize with them; putting the hours of gameplay to much better use, i.e. keeping fit.

If the average player (over 18 years old, of course) was to play GTA IV for 10 hours a week with Gamercize; they could burn up to 26,000 calories in a month which would equate to losing around 17 lbs in weight. I don't know of any better weight loss game!

What is brilliant about Gamercize is that playing the game takes your mind of the exercise effort; so GTA, and in fact any game, can be enjoyable enough to make this high level of effort sustainable.

I doubt any copies of GTA IV will be forgotten, unused and stored away after just a couple of weeks. In fact, Rockstar say the game will take about 100 hours to complete here, so that could equate to losing 43 lbs before you head off to the online arena!

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Gamercize on 3sat TV

Germany gets Gamercizing

We didn't make it to the Games Convention 2007 in Leipzig, but that didn't stop the very popular TV show neues from spotting Gamercize. Shown on 3sat and ZDF the show features the cutting edge of computer and technology. Read more at http://www.3sat.de/3sat.php?http://www.3sat.de/neues/sendungen/magazin/121301/index.html

See Yve Fehring playing Rockstar's Table Tennis on the Xbox 360 with the Gamercize Pro-Sport Power Stepper - can be watched online at http://www.3sat.de/mediathek/mediathek.php?obj=8188&mode=play

There is also a feature on Wii-Fit, which shows the strength training and yoga aspects of Nintendo's niche offering. Most reviews don't include the press up feature, so it's nice to see this included instead of the usual standing on one leg clips!

As for Gamercize on UK TV, I'll have some more news for you on Monday!

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PlayStation3, Xbox 360 and Wii Fitness

Real Videogames with Real Exercise

Watch the brand new Gamercize video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULqycq-NoHo
and decide which console and which game you would use to keep fit. With Gamercize it's all good, we love them all!

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Your Health and Lifestyle Survey

It's all about you

Think exercise doesn't give results quickly enough?
Do you think video games cause obesity?

Tell us what you think here. No registration needed!

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Preview of Gamercize US Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpDk6z2yVy0

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£235m Government Strategy with a Fundamental Flaw

Money wasted on play areas while kids play indoors.

The British government has announced spending of £235m on 3,500 new play areas for the community, but has no plan on how to get kids off the playstation and into the parks. There are two parks near me, I have never noticed kids playing there. Sure the territory gets claimed by gangs of teenagers later in the evening, but I guess this wont help reverse the childhood obesity crisis.

I took these pictures at around 7pm today, the weather being great for being outdoors, but can you see any children in the pictures using the facilities? No, there are no kids using the play areas. So why do we need more areas when the ones we have are not being used? So my small survey was not scientific but neither is the governments plan based on anything substantial. The plan (now the descision has been made) is to ask kids and parents what they want in these areas. Xbox 360 may be top of the wish list!
The reason children are not playing outside is it because games consoles are more fun and less effort. Kids would rather play video games than go outside. No amount of new play areas will change that. I have seen this first hand with my own children, and that is where the idea of Gamercize came from. The addition of physical effort to gaming with Gamercize has naturally reduced their hours spent on the playstation and given them increased confidence and an appetite for outside play.

The only problem I found is that when the kids decided they wanted to play outside our existing play facilities were poorly maintained. My children and I went to the park to play basketball, only to find the court covered in broken beer bottles. Even after sweeping the area, small shards of glass got picked up by the ball and we all ended up with cuts.

Since then I have bought a basketball hoop for the garden and that’s a far better option. The government needs to understand this experience. Spend the money on getting the current facilities maintained and formulate a plan to get the existing play areas used. When the current play areas are being used and there is demand for more; that is the right time to build more.

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