A large variety of video game elements and types of altered visual perceptions have been reported by gamers (1,2)

See the table for a comparison of the prevalence of GTP in non-AR games and in Pokémon Go.

Here are examples of some of the more common visual experiences (1, 2)

A total of 181 different video game titles were associated with GTP in the visual modality, ranging from tile-matching puzzle games to massively multiplayer online role-playing games (2).

Perceiving RL environments distorted immediately after stopping playing.

Motion after-effects like. If you look at this spiral for short time you can experience a similar effect.

Seeing video game images while trying to fall asleep.

The recurrent after-images were seen as either static or in movement. The images were seen while trying to falling asleep or every time they blinked or closed their eyes.

Seeing or visualizing video game images with open eyes

Some gamers’ visual experiences were triggered by automatic associations.

Some gamers have seen video game images superimposed on real life objects or just in front/corner of their eyes. Sometimes these experiences were triggered by similarities between real life stimuli and video game elements, and in other cases the images were triggered by associations between activities. We speculated that altered state of consciousness, fostered by the gamers’ relatively passive and automatic activities, facilitated the GTP (2). Anxiety and stress has been related to these experiences (1).

Visual Misinterpretations

Misinterpretations of real-life objects that share similarities and are presented in a similar context as in the game.

In this video you can see some of the video game elements that have been related with the gamers’ experiences.

More about visual experiences:

Summary of the qualitative study

The study on GTP in Pokemon Go 


(1) Ortiz de Gortari, A. B., Aronsson, K., & Griffiths, M. D. (2011). Game Transfer Phenomena in Video Game Playing: A Qualitative Interview Study. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning (IJCBPL), 1(3), 15-33.

(2) Ortiz de Gortari, A. B., & Griffiths, M. D. (2013). Altered Visual Perception in Game Transfer Phenomena: An Empirical Self-Report Study. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 30(2), 95-105.