The global healthcare gamification market is expected to reach US$35,982.7 million in 2027 from US$ 3,072.5 million in 2019. The market is estimated to grow with a CAGR of 36.2% from 2020-2027.

The growth of the market is attributed to factors such as increasing adoption of gamification in healthcare and rise in number of technology launches. However, difficulties in long-term user engagement are likely to hamper the growth of the market.

Gamification involves implementing game design techniques, game mechanics, and game style to solve problems, engage audiences, and make tasks more fun and engaging. Gamification is employed in health and wellness apps related to disease prevention, self-management, medical education-related simulations, medication adherence, and telehealth programs. In healthcare, it is primarily useful for behavioral changes, incentivizing people to increase their wellness by performing game-like tasks and receiving rewards.

Gamified applications, therapies, and devices are gradually appearing in various fields of healthcare making the change of behavior fun and easy. A large number of people across the world lack enough motivation to keep up with a healthy lifestyle. Gamification helps to get the trick done for people, by showing people their raw data with respect to various physiological parameters and presents challenges and rewards for community.

Various companies are entering the healthcare space by introducing novel games to bring about a remarkable change in patient-physician relationship. For instance, in January 2020, Onyx Health introduced a new digital offering that helps to bridge the digital skill gaps in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. Further, in October 2020, TrialCard Incorporated introduced the version 2.0 of the pre-existing Mango Health innovative mobile-based technology platform. The mobile medication and condition management platform offer integrated patient support program (PSP) for the upcoming launch of a novel oral oncolytic. In June 2016, Nike launched a mental training application named Pro Genius, which helps in training soccer players to win the mental game. Therefore, such consistent launch of new products by market players is expected to accelerate the growth of the healthcare gamification market during the forecast period.

Based on game type, the healthcare gamification market is segmented into casual games, serious games, and exercise games. In 2019, casual games accounted for largest share in the market owing to increasing adoption rate among children and older adults above 50 years owing to its benefits in improving cognitive skills and growing demand is accelerating companies to offer a wide range of fun casual games. However, over the forecasted years, exercise games is expected to grow at faster space as it comprises of fitness and interactive physical motion games. On the other hand, many healthcare providers have collaborated with exercise apps to encourage healthy habits among users. For instance, healthcare giant United Healthcare collaborated on a pilot program with the makers of 'Dance, Dance Revolution' on a gym-class friendly game to keep kids on their feet and off the couch.

While SARS, H1N1 and other outbreaks have occurred in the healthcare sector in the last few years, the severity of COVID-19 has made the situation more complicated due to its mode of transmission. Companies are launching a new app to educate and tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to COVID-19, healthcare professionals are facing difficulty reaching via in-person sales calls and medical conferences. Thus, utilization of gamification applications based on mobile tablets and laptops have witnessed a positive growth during the pandemic.

The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (IASPS), the World Health Organization (WHO), European Union (EU), South Korea's National Enterprise For Clinical Trials (KoNECT), International Trade Administration (ITA), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and European Center For Disease Prevention And Control (ECDC) are a few of the prime secondary sources referred to while preparing this report.