Videogames will play a significant role in improving both the mental and physical health of consumers within the next 12 years, forecasts Peter Moore, the President of EA Sports.
Speaking to Next-Gen.biz, as part of a feature discussing the prospects of videogames in the next 12 years, Moore predicted that software would eventually provide gamers the opportunity to “do things with games in their own houses that they just can’t do at the gym.”
“Games have a key role to play in health and wellness. People will be able to do things with games in their own houses that they just can’t do at the gym. And it’s not just about making yourself stronger and healthier but also smarter and happier.
“And it’s not just about making yourself stronger and healthier but also smarter and happier.”
Moore added: “Games have the power to make people happy and to make the world a better place. And I do mean the world, because we are now opening up massive new markets like China and India that will bring billions of gamers.”
Agree with Moore's predictions? Would you personally like to see games take a more mainstream focus in this area in the future, ala Wii Sports? Let us know in the comments section below.

Games have already changed the world. The key thing is just to excersise daily, don't just sit in front of the TV/Computer screen all day.
Sure, games like Eyetoy Play and Wii Sports get you excersise, but its more fun playing with proper people and instead of hurting someone playing Madden 08, go do it in real-life, its a lot more fun.
I play games to relax and unwind, so no - I don't want to be "really" playing tennis in my own living room. When I want to play tennis, I'll actually go and play tennis.
I'd rather play virtual tennis with an analogue stick than a Wiimote.
hear hear go out and do the real thing, real life experiance cant be beat. How anyone can sit for hours playing games i dont know, it does your head in as well as your eyes. The only argument for things like wii fit is it will get real lardys who are too embarest to go to the gym to do some god damnd exercise, so im sure it will have some positive benefits
hmm interesting thought.....
Indeed they will but right now devs are still adjusting to the ps3 hardware. Give it a few years and then the great games will come out like they did with the PS2.
EA are plannig World Domination!!!! I wouldn't be surprised if they owned Area 51!!!
Don't tell me EA are releasing a free weights video game
Oh yea, thats right, I could give two craps about Peter Moore...put out some decent sports titles d**khead.
Spell check. Anyways. Ya I agree but (I don't think you can say h.e.l.l.o) h.e.l.l.o that already happened, and it still is.
PSN: DarkJ3JB
fcuk the mainstream
Peter Moore is lame. I think Wii fit is lame. Why do you need a stupid board to do push ups on? When you can just do it on the ground. The Wii shouldn't even be considered a console anymore. What's the bigger evil, the Wii or the 360?
I'm not sure about video games having a more physical impact on people...the Wii might have a physical impact because of the motion sensing, but not hardcore consoles like the PS3 and 360.
However, I think that video games will continue to have an increased mental impact on gamers because most video games actually require you to think and use your brain to get past certain situations. So many people still have this image of video games being for "kids" or playing video games is "immature", but they fail to remember that video games are way more realistic than they were 15 years ago and video games just aren't for kids, they are for grown ups and adults as well.
However, I don't agree with the need for more mainstream games. It would be great if China and India could get more into the gaming market, but the large majority of people in China and India can't even afford a PS3.... India and China are pretty much the cheap labor capitals of the world for big companies that produce goods.Only the more wealthy people in China and India can afford a PS3.
China and India both have populations of over 1 Billion people in each country and if they were a bigger part of the gaming industry, the movie industry would be nothing compared to video gaming right now.
And I definanlty don't want to see video games go down the mainstream path... that's the Wii's job and Nintendo's job, they can make all the mainstream crapware they want and get rich off of it. Most Mainstream games like Wii Fit are for casual gamers, and I'm a Hardcore gamer 100%.
i agree. games already have. I mean, the army practices with games [not video games, but VR]. I had a buddy in the army and he told me he had to do some VR stuff to control a rocket launcher. Sounds rediculous, but it's true.
I'll tell you what... I was playing Wii Sports with my buddy's 9 year old last week and my arm hurt for 2 days like I had gotten a workout!
I'll tell you what... I was playing Wii Sports with my buddy's 9 year old last week and my arm hurt for 2 days like I had gotten a workout!
AclayPS3 people in china can afford a ps3 but im not so sure about India though because people in china work hard.Last week i saw a news about ppl in china like they r like smart and wealthy no they r not cheap labor it is because of american that they dont put alot of effort in it like duhh.Peter Moore your games r like cra** every year no matter how hard u try its is still cra** thats y i never bought EA games at all lmao!!! have fun with your cra*** games
I agree with Mr. Moore. Unfortunately coming from EA I don't think he has much room to talk. Maybe he can "fool" these "billions" of new gamers that his games are good.
Now he's making predictions! "Anything" could happend in twelve years. Give it a rest Moore... and games do not take the place of real exercise.
I knew some one who threw their arm out playing the Wii, and the doctor said that he has had countless injuries from the Wii system. To the article it self no, I think video games are just entertainment, like a movie, and people need to do real activities and not sit infront of the TV/Computer all day. I like Video Games, but doing nothing eles would be a sad life.
i agree