Because my project is being delivered as a VR game, the targeted audience is teens, as studies show that 72% of all teens play video games (Pew Research Center). Because of this, teens have a higher likelihood of engaging with a game, sharing it with friends and family members, and being impacted in a positive way.

Traditional desensitization methods work in forms of therapy. Individuals are asked to look at pictures, talk about their phobias and even visits areas where they can face them such as the zoo, but this process can be very time consuming, stressful, dangerous and expensive. My VR Game work to minimize these problems by breaking the boundary of tradition and bringing desensitization to the digital world.

My work's credibility can be upheld by the numerous resources I am using. My resources come from research groups, professors and non-profits, each supplying crucial information to my project and supplying information that would otherwise be unavailable in a book. The use of databases & web pages that are constantly being reviewed and updated help ensure the validity of the information I am using.

Attachments

GridLocked is a VR Game with the mission of helping individuals conquer and cope with their phobias. The digital plane allows it to serve as a convenient, cheap and safe treatment method, putting it ahead of its competition. Behind the scenes, the game uses a variety of proven desensitization, scientific facts and psychologic methods in helping individuals cope with their phobias.

Since 6th Grade of Middle School, I have found myself immersed in technology and all things modern. This love for technology has become a desire to make a breakthrough in tradition. I am striving to create a VR Game capable of helping individuals overcome or cope with their phobias while being affordable, convenient and safe.

Problem: According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 1 out of every 10 Americans experience phobias, which induce high levels of unreasonable stress, intense panic, or excessive anxiety. As of now, individuals are given the options of dealing with the phobia on their own or spending unreasonable amounts of money on therapists and other professionals.


Solution: Gridlocked will break the boundaries of traditional desensitization methods through the use of VR technology. The intention of this game is for it to become a fad for anyone to take part in. Friends can gather and play this game together, providing a fun gaming experience while simultaneously, serving as a learning experience to aid in the desensitization of different phobias in the individual player.