A new video game publisher named DeepWell Digital Therapeutics (DTx) is planning to create video games to treat health conditions. The company is the creation of Devolver Digital co-founder Mike Wilson, as well as former Nextern CEO Ryan Douglas. The publisher is made up of more than 40 “game industry experts and medical luminaries,” with the goal to develop and publish games that “can simultaneously entertain and deliver, enhance, and accelerate treatment for an array of globally pervasive health conditions.” It’s an ambitious concept, but it could help the video game industry shed some of its negative perceptions.
“Our medium is often harshly judged for its perceived negative impacts on the mind and body,” said Wilson. “But the scientists who study video games, as well as the developers that build them at the highest levels, already know that the opposite is true. DeepWell is bringing entertainment and medical science together to build upon the proven fact that video games can be good for you, and, thanks to global digital distribution, they’re an important tool to make treatment affordable and accessible. Moreover, with games that are legitimately fun, patients and players will seek out their positive benefits again and again. Soon, some of the best video games in the world will be recognized for what they are — positive medicine — and game designers will be shaping a new discipline with the potential to reach the biggest audience on the planet.”
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DeepWell Digital is focused not only on releasing games that are beneficial to players, but also ones that are enjoyable to play, as well. According to Douglas, the studio’s goal is “building and repurposing games that look like, feel like, and play like pure entertainment.”
It will be interesting to see if DeepWell can fulfill its goals and find and release games that are both entertaining and medically beneficial to players. As Wilson points out, there have been numerous studies showcasing the mental and physical benefits of video games, but video games still carry a number of negative connotations in terms of public perception. DeepWell Digital Therapeutics could be a game changer for the industry in that regard, but gamers will have to wait until 2023 to see the company’s first products.
What are your thoughts on DeepWell Digital Therapeutics? Do you believe that video games can have medically beneficial results for players? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!
