This dementia-detecting game has already generated the equivalent of 15,000 years of lab-based research Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. This dementia-detecting game has already generated the equivalent of 15,000 years of lab-based research "The data set that Sea Hero Quest generates is truly unprecedented." News by Vikki Blake Contributor Updated on 28 Apr 2019 24 comments On the face of it, Sea Hero Quest VR might look just like any other run-of-the-mill VR offering, but this game - which we first told you about in 2017 - was developed to help identify players with early symptoms of dementia - often much earlier than current medical screening. And it's working. According to a recent article published in the journal PNAS (thanks, Kotaku), Sea Hero Quest VR - developed by Glitchers in partnership with Deutsche Telekom and a number of universities across Europe - was designed in collaboration with leading neuroscientists to generate scientifically-credible data to further our understanding of dementia in an "engaging and fun experience". Incredibly, the report states that two minutes spent playing this game is the equivalent of five hours of lab-based research - and the developers of the game purport the equivalent of 15,000 years of similar lab-based research has already been generated by the game. The studies currently focus on those players known to carry the APOE4 gene - thought to increase someone's chances of developing dementia later on - and those who do not. "We found that people with a high genetic risk, the APOE4 carriers, performed worse on spatial navigation tasks. They took less efficient routes to checkpoint goals," said Professor Michael Hornberger, who contributed to the project. "To address this growing health threat, in 2016, we developed Sea Hero Quest for mobile to disrupt data collection methods and create the first global benchmark for how humans navigate," developer Glitchers states on its website. "Assessing one's spatial ability is an important stage in the diagnosis of the condition. Since its launch, 3.5 million people in 193 countries have played Sea Hero Quest and contributed the equivalent of 15,000 years of similar lab-based research." "We have never seen anything undertaken in dementia research at this scale before," said Chief Executive of Alzheimer's Research UK, Hilary Evans. "The data set that Sea Hero Quest generates is truly unprecedented." Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store