Playpulse's new exercise bike is the Peloton for gamers

This story about "Exergaming", boiled down, in 1:16 minutes.

What's the fuss?

A newly released indoor smart bike promises to make exercise more fun. But will it entice gamers to get off the couch?

The situation

With the pandemic forcing us inside our homes, our need for in-house exercise equipment has never been so strong. Dumbbells, benches, and other fitness equipment have been selling out everywhere. Running shoes have been flying off the shelves. In conjunction, Peloton seemingly became a household name overnight.

A new competitor has entered the arena to capitalize on our in-home fitness needs. The Playpulse ONE (pictured) is similar to a Peloton bike, featuring a large touch screen. However, the former differentiates itself with game-controller-handlebars and a graphics card to run 3D games with online multiplayer. With gameplay tied directly to your pedaling, it seems Playpulse aims to cater to people who want a game-based fitness experience.

Boiling it down

Fitness video games (also known as "Exergaming") have actually existed since the '80s, however it wasn't until the 2000s that these games became mainstream -  2007's Wii Fit perhaps being the most famous. With the use of a specialized Wii Balance Board, gamers around the world were hooked on involving their entire body to play games. The game is so effective that it's still used today by health professionals.

Research has shown that the gamification of fitness increases physical activity levels due to an increased sense of competition and incentivization. Such metrics seem to be key features implemented within Playpulse's games by getting riders to compete with others worldwide through online leaderboards. With the first batch of shipments being sold out, Playpulse may be on to something here.

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