E-sports as a window into cognitive assessment: insights from performance, eye-tracking, and neuropsychology in first-person shooter (fps) video games

Excelling in traditional sports depends on the critical coordination of cognitive sports (e-sports) have gained traction across different age groups. Expert e-sports, like those in traditional sports, have confirmed superior search strategies, anticipatory abilities, and task-switching efficiency compared to non-expert gamers. However, little is known about the neuropsychological characteristics underpinning successful performance in gameplay and their potential for application outside gaming contexts. To address this gap, we recruited 20 non-professional participants (10 males: M = 28.2, SD = 2.57; 10 females: M = 26.1, SD = 3.22), who played eight different first-person shooter (FPS) video games selected from the “Aimlab” platform (e.g., shooting fixed/moving targets, memory, audio-spatial tasks) while their eye movements and hand responses were collected using an EyeLink 1000 and the Weblink software, respectively. Each game was played four times, totaling 32 game plays, over approximately one hour of gameplay. Before and after the gaming session, participants completed a standardized battery of neuropsychological tests (DiaNe System) tapping into selective attention and working memory skills. We examined the correlations between response accuracy, time, and gaze metrics (fixation number and duration) with the neuropsychological results of each individual before and after the gaming session. Better performance on selective and sustained attention from the neuropsychological tests was associated with superior performance in video game tasks on target detection (r = .498, p < .01), decision shot and grid shot (r = .593, p < .01). Moreover, the number of fixations visuospatial and working memory tasks (r = .535, p = .01). However, processes (e.g., overt attention) with downstream sensorimotor actions. In recent years, electronic players in (r = .496, p < .01), the gaming we did tasks involving during any improvement memory positively correlated with neuropsychological performance in not find in the neuropsychological tests after highlight that gaming as a potential frontier for cognitive the gaming session. Our findings performance in e-sports tasks is associated with cognitive functions measured by traditional neuropsychological tools. This result points to the importance of assessment, one that better aligns with our current highly digitalized world.