The past several years living in the midst of a pandemic has not been ideal for mental health. Working from home and fearing the outside world has caused many to live in anxiety, isolation, frustration, and woe, which tech startup DeepWell aims to amend via an unlikely yet entirely motivating method: playing video games.
On the surface, it might sound like a total pipe dream, but DeepWell's core promise is to build upon mental health and self-care through the art of battling monsters, clearing crops, and leaping atop mushrooms. It's not entirely far-fetched, given the acclaim awarded and expert timing release of Animal Crossing, which helped many get through some of the worst moments at the very start of the pandemic.
Games with co-op-based play or connective interactivity like the aforementioned Animal Crossing, or Fortnite, allow many to come together and hang out in a time of lockdowns and work from home constraints. DeepWell is only enhancing upon this viewpoint and looking at the totality of what video games can realistically do in a therapeutic setting.
Led by Devolver Digital co-founder Mike Wilson and med-tech guru Ryan Douglas, DeepWell Digital Therapeutics (DTx) is billing itself as a video game publisher with the main goal of tackling self-care in an industry that is largely focused on economic value. The age of consolidation, with Microsoft purchasing the likes of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard or Sony buying Bungie, proves value is seemingly more important than quality, but DeepWeel offers a different approach.
Its two founders have been undergoing "months of development," reads the press release, with the aim of building a brand in the video game industry that tackles a tricky formula of "repurposing games to magnify their innate therapeutic value." DeepWell will utilize what's called "DTx-enabled games" to assist those through crisis and self-care, both of which will surely only enhance in the years to come thanks in large part to the ever-volatile pandemic.
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Wilson explains it best, "DeepWell is bringing entertainment and medical science together to build upon the proven fact that video games can be good for you, and, thanks to global digital distribution, they're an important tool to make treatment affordable and accessible."
It's an interesting concept that, like many varied looks at video games, will take time to fully and accurately develop. It's not a new formula, as proven by the likes of Twitch streamer and psychiatrist HealthyGamerGG, who likewise builds upon mental health attributes through the assistance of gaming and, more broadly, the internet.
While not necessarily focussing itself on therapy as a whole, some might say Wilson's previous venture, Devolver Digital, likewise focused in on healthy gaming attributes through the likes of such indie darlings as Loop Hero, Death's Door, and Fall Guys. Coined the HBO of Video Games, Devolver Digital remains a staple in the industry and allots a ton of conviction for the burgeoning newcomer that is DeepWell.
"In order to produce games that provide tangible results, we've made engaging gameplay DeepWell's first principle, since without engagement there is no treatment potential for any therapy," explains Douglas. The DeepWell co-founder has himself developed a slew of medical tech concepts internationally as CEO of Nextern. Over 20 such devices have been FDA-cleared under Douglas' guise.
Obviously, it won't just be Douglas and Wilson sharing in all of the limelight. The duo have selected some of the top minds in game development, artistry, and the medical field to help them see their vision to fruition. The DeepWell team now consists of nearly 40 said experts with plans of delivering worthwhile experiences by 2023.
Wilson adds, "Soon, some of the best video games in the world will be recognized for what they are - powerful medicine - and game designers will be shaping a new discipline with the potential to reach the biggest audience on the planet."
