Health is a recurring theme in video games, most notably represented by the health bar, which a player has to keep at a sufficient level to avoid their character’s death. However, some video games go beyond this simplistic representation and provide insights into how health might be conceptualized in the future.
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    Preventive measures

    Amongst the novel approaches to promoting health explored in games, is the augmentation of the human body through advanced technologies, implants and body enhancements.

    Games like Cyberpunk 2077 allow players to acquire diverse implants to enhance physical capabilities, while Anno 2205 introduces synthetic cells which, when introduced into the body, facilitate DNA regeneration and the reprogramming of human cells.

    Non-invasive treatment

    Games also reimagine diagnosis and treatment. In Detroit: Become Human painless hypodermics are employed by characters to counter disease and reduce infection risks, while in games like Eliza medics can use smart glasses and artificial intelligence to assess the vital signs and emotional states of patients accurately, minimizing diagnostic errors.

    Immortality

    Some games explore longevity and even immortality. In Citizen Sleeper, through the process of mind uploading characters can preserve the human mind by transferring it into an artificial body, offering the possibility of transcending mortality.
     
    Immersed in today’s video games, players create an emotional connection to their characters and become invested in keeping them healthy. They intimately experience health transformations through their in-game character. Gaming experiences hold the potential to shape plausible future scenarios concerning health improvements, providing valuable insights into the possibilities that lie ahead.

    Pandemic scenarios

    An exemplary case illustrating the potential of video games in this context is World of Warcraft, where researchers gained insights into human behavior during an unintended pandemic caused by an in-game virus, called corrupted blood. This virtual disease, originally intended as a minor obstacle for players, inadvertently spread within the game, creating panic and mirroring real-world pandemic dynamics. Such examples underscore the valuable role of gaming in envisioning and crafting future health scenarios, informing our understanding and preparedness for potential health challenges.
     
    Moreover, gaming worlds pose questions about how we will understand risks comprehensively in the future. For instance, the portrayal of pandemics and diseases introduced by alien forces, in games like the Crysis series, may appear highly fictional but allows for contemplation of unforeseen events in future scenario development.