Game studio PlayNice LLC is launching a new action-adventure video game, one it says can help children manage stress and feel good doing it.
Using biometric feedback, PlayNice’s new game MindLight channels kids’ real-time stress responses into positive, impactful in-game mechanics.
“Rates of anxiety and depression have skyrocketed in recent years, especially among school-age children. Teaching them how to manage it is imperative for everyday existence,” PlayNice co-founder and CEO Evan Hirsch said in a news release. “Despite kids’ growing need for evidence-based programs and therapies for coping with and managing stress and anxiety, access continues to get harder and more expensive for families. We built MindLight specifically to address that need and to empower children through the power of play. Games are a fun, engaging, and timeless way to help kids learn that they have the power to change how they see the world and to work through the challenges they face as they grow.”
In MindLight, young gamers can exercise control over big feelings in a brand-new way. In-game player characters and content respond to children’s biometrics, which software detects using a compatible headset.
The news release explains players “use [their] own mind to change the environment. The calmer a child is, the brighter the haunted house becomes; the more anxious, the darker the world will appear.”
After gamers select their character, they set off to explore their grandma’s haunted estate. Their goal? Power through shadowy corners and uncomfortable darkness to restore light and save their grandma. The wearable headset records physical stress responses, like spiking pulses and brain wave data, as kids progress through the story.
“MindLight responds to each player’s unique patterns of thinking and feeling, giving them personal, moment-to-moment feedback on how they can strengthen their mind when they feel stress and anxiety,” according to the news release. Recorded measurements reveal how children cope with feelings of anxiety or fear, their player character’s “mindlight” shining brighter as they continue, allowing them to bypass spooky hazards.PlayNice LLC Co-Founder Dr. Isabela Granic says PlayNice “is screen time parents can actually feel good about,” adding that the game “was designed with the sole purpose of helping children better manage their stress and anxiety while they’re having fun playing a game.”
“PlayNice is truly gaming for good,” said Hirsch. “We reject the notion that for games to do good, they shouldn’t compete with the commercial ones for playtime or attention. Not only will players be receiving scientifically-proven mental wellness benefits, but they will also experience a high-quality and fun game in line with other games on the market.”
Getting Started
MindLight requires biofeedback-measuring gear. The brand’s website specifically recommends the Neurosky MindWave 2 EEG headset, though they say support for other devices is on the way.
Additionally, players will need a subscription to MindLight, which a trusted adult can download from their preferred app store, Amazon, or PlayNice’s website.
Supported game devices include PCs (Windows v10 v2004 or later), Android Tablets, and iPads.
A single-child subscription will run parents and guardians $6.99 per month, or $59.99 annually, while a five-person family can expect to pay $9.99 per month, or $99.99 for one year.
PlayNice is offering a free six-month subscription to licensed pediatric therapists and school counselors. Professionals can learn more by contacting PlayNice LLC via email.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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