Abstract

Video games are an alternative channel for public health authorities constantly striving to reach target audiences and make positive changes. The objective of this research is to address effectiveness of health games as a health promotion technology for anti-smoking communication. This study tested the impact of advertising message types and voice-over relative to anti-smoking persuasion. By using commercial-level custom-made first person shooter (FPS) games, two experimental studies demonstrated usefulness of applying health games to change a player’s attitude towards smoking. In particular, an interactive in-game message with a persuasive voice over was the most effective method to change targets’ attitude towards smoking. Findings of our research offer meaningful insight on health promotion research and provide possible directions for future anti-smoking communication using health games.