XR Intergenerational Exergaming: Exploring the Complementary Roles of VR, MR, and Environmental Context

Intergenerational households often involve children and older adults sharing daily life. Yet, it remains challenging to find shared exercise activities due to the significant differences in motor ability, motivational preferences, and user experience needs. Existing exergames lower the entry barriers through body-based interaction, but screen-based setups restrict play to indoor environments. XR HMDs extend exergames into public contexts, yet the differential impact of VR and MR on intergenerational play remains underexplored. To address this gap, we developed an asymmetric-role XR exergame and conducted a 2× 2 within-subjects study with 20 intergenerational pairs (N=40) to explore the effect of Display Mode (VR vs MR) and Environmental Context (Private Space vs Public Space) on their user experience and collaborative performance. This work reveals clear age-related patterns: children exhibited greater engagement in immersive VR environments, whereas older adults preferred MR for improved safety and enhanced visibility of their intergenerational partners. Finally, we offer design guidelines for leveraging complementary strengths of XR display modes and environmental contexts to support inclusive and engaging intergenerational exergames.