Your Four-Legged Friend Could Soon Be Your Gaming Companion

Up until now, playing video games has been exclusively a human experience. And while games like "Stray" have certainly resonated among household cats in the past, gaming has yet to innovate to the point where your four-legged companions can also actively participate in the fun. However, one startup company seems keen on changing that.

According to Axios, the UK-based Joipaw has been actively developing video games that dogs can play. The concept is still in its early phases, as only prototypes currently exist, however, there does seem to be some data present to suggest that video games for dogs are indeed a possibility. As of right now, prototypes include a whack-a-mole game that requires a dog to lick each creature that pops from a hole and even a game that can be played against humans. Should they succeed, the console will dispense a treat as the dog's reward. Another game also tests dogs' cognitive skills by having them choose between two sides of a display — the dog must choose the side that has more bubbles.

Joipaw was co-founded by Dersim Avdar, a lifelong gamer who struggled to find a way to keep one of his dogs occupied when the other needed attention. Upon reading further research that video games could actually have a positive effect on a dog's health, Avdar decided to pursue the project more seriously. According to Axios, the concept still requires a lot more work before it's ready for market shelves. There is no timeframe for when Joipaw will eventually be released.