NBA 2K17, the latest game in the NBA 2K franchise, is a popular game among both basketball fans and gamers (two groups that tend to overlap.) The unfortunate irony of a popular sports video game, however, is that it causes its players to miss out on real-life activity and fitness. To combat this unfortunate conundrum, NBA 2K17 has partnered with Fitbit to incentivize fitness for players.
Announced by 2015 NBA champion and Fitbit ambassador Harrison Barnes, the new program gives small boosts to gamers' 'MyPlayer' characters if they hit Fitbit's preset goal of 10,000 steps per day.
MyPlayer is the create-a-player mode in NBA 2K17, in which users can design a player and then play with them to improve attributes and better their team.
Basketball Gaming Fitness Campaigns
Fitbit Will Give Gamers Points in NBA 2K17 for Fitness Goals
Trend Themes
1. Fitness Incentivization in Gaming - Incentivizing fitness in popular video games presents an opportunity for fitness and wearable technology companies to engage with a new audience and promote healthy living.
2. Health and Wellness Gamification - Gamification of health and wellness programs can encourage participation and engagement with fitness goals leading to increased sales revenue for companies in the fitness and health sectors
3. Wearable Technology Integration in Gaming - Integration of wearable technology in video games presents opportunities for wearable technology companies to expand their market and promote the use of their products in non-fitness related activities.
Industry Implications
1. Video Game Industry - Incentivizing fitness and gamifying health and wellness programs in video games presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for video game companies to engage new audiences and increase sales revenue.
2. Fitness and Health Industry - Fitness and health companies can develop programs that gamify fitness goals and partner with video game companies to incentivize participation leading to increased sales revenue and market expansion.
3. Wearable Technology Industry - Integration of wearable technology in video games presents opportunities for wearable technology companies to expand their market and promote the use of their products in non-fitness related activities.