A mixed reality game (or hybrid reality game) blends elements of both the real and virtual worlds, allowing players to interact with both reality and virtual reality simultaneously.[1] According to Souza de Silva and Sutko, the defining characteristic of such games is their "lack of primary play space; these games are played simultaneously in physical, digital or represented spaces (such as a game board)".[2]
Based on the virtuality continuum defined by Paul Milgram and Fumio Kishino, virtual reality (VR) games differ from mixed reality (MR) games, as VR games occur entirely in virtual environments without interaction with physical spaces. MR games span entertainment and healthcare applications, with notable examples including Pokémon GO and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Souza de Silva and Sutko state that pervasive games are a subset of hybrid reality games.