# Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Exergaming
## 5 Conclusions  
The outcomes of this study highlight the potential of AR and VR technologies to further enhance the effectiveness and scope of exergaming. The outcomes revealed a significant increase in the interest in and the scientific production of this field, which has attracted global interest over the last years. However, a consistently sustained interest in the field rather than a spontaneously emerging or short-lived research trend was observed which highlights its significance. The use of only two databases, the examination of English documents only, and the use of only the keyword \"exergam\" in the query can be regarded as the limitations of this study. Based on the outcomes, AR and VR exergaming can create interactive, immersive, engaging, and personalized experiences that promote physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being. Additionally, they provide safe environments for low, mid, and high-intensity physical activity, with high embodiment and enhanced feedback mechanisms that support enjoyable physical activity and foster achievement, engagement, and motivation. Hence, they promote active lifestyles and sustainable health habits and behaviors, offering physical and mental health outcomes across diverse populations, including older adults, individuals with disabilities, and neurological groups, as well as the general adult and youth populations. Moreover, XR exergaming demonstrates potential in improving physical functions, performance, perceived exertion, motivation, concentration, and consistency. It can enhance fitness and functional outcomes while positively affecting quality of life. The combination of immersive embodiment, real-time biofeedback, and personalized training offers measurable psychological, physiological, and cognitive benefits. In addition to individual gains, XR exergaming can also provide social and collaborative experiences that increase enjoyment and engagement. AR and VR exergames have various applications across different domains, including therapeutic, clinical, rehabilitative, and preventative ones. Particular emphasis is placed on their use in physical and cognitive rehabilitation, where immersive exergames improve mobility, gait, balance, fall prevention, self-efficacy, limb functionality, and muscle strength. Additionally, they can reduce depression, perceived stress, and anxiety, while simultaneously improving mood, executive functioning, cognitive performance, visual-motor skills, and overall physical and psychological well-being. Despite their potential benefits, there are challenges and issues that need to be further explored and addressed. These are related to long-term effects, infrastructure, cost, and standardized protocols and guidelines. User safety and accessibility are important aspects that should be further examined. There are also ethical considerations and data security and privacy concerns that need to be addressed. Finally, the physical demands placed on users should be carefully considered. Future research should focus on large-scale, longitudinal studies to evaluate long-term effects and transferability to real-life, sustainable, and long-term engagement in physical activity. There is also a need for interdisciplinary collaboration to create effective design standards and guidelines and optimize user experience across age groups and physical abilities. Additionally, the development of validated evaluation measurements and tools specific to XR exergaming is essential to advance evidence-based practice. As the current literature is limited by the lack of adequately powered, high-quality randomized controlled trials, particularly in relation to long-term outcomes and sustainability, to validate their effectiveness and clinical relevance, future studies should prioritize well-designed experimental studies with rigorous methodologies, clearly defined outcome measures, and longitudinal follow-ups. Finally, it is important for future studies to compare the outcomes of XR exergaming with traditional interventions.