Breaking the Isolation: Exploring the Impact of Passthrough in Shared Spaces on Player Performance and Experience in VR Exergames

VR exergames offer an engaging solution to combat sedentary behavior and promote physical activity. However, challenges emerge when playing these games in shared spaces, particularly due to the presence of bystanders. VR's passthrough functionality enables players to maintain awareness of their surrounding environment while immersed in VR gaming, rendering it a promising solution to improve users' awareness of the environment. This study investigates the passthrough's impact on player performance and experiences in shared spaces, involving an experiment with 24 participants that examines Space (Office vs. Corridor) and Passthrough Function (With vs. Without). Results reveal that Passthrough enhances game performance and environmental awareness while reducing immersion. Players prefer an open area to an enclosed room, whether with or without Passthrough, finding it more socially acceptable. Additionally, Passthrough appears to encourage participation among players with higher self-consciousness, potentially alleviating their concerns about being observed by bystanders. Our findings provide valuable insights for designing VR experiences in shared spaces, underscoring the potential of VR's passthrough to enhance user experiences and promote VR adoption in these environments.