Effect of Physical Exercise on Esports Performance in First-Person Shooter Gamers: A Six-Week Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Esports has gained recognition as an official sport by multiple countries and organizations, featuring in international events like the Asian Games. Despite its growing prominence as a competitive sport, research on esports performance remains limited. Recent studies suggest that physical exercise, particularly high-intensity interval training (HIIT), can enhance cognitive functions and gaming performance. However, these studies have primarily focused on immediate or warm-up effects, leaving a gap in understanding the longer-term impact of such training interventions on esports performance. Results: This study investigates the effects of a six-week HIIT program on esports performance in first-person shooter (FPS) gamers. Healthy adult FPS gamers aged 18–29 were recruited through various platforms and randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which participated in a six-week HIIT program, or a control group. A total of 83 participants completed the study. The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in key FPS skills, including flicking, tracking, decision-making, reaction time, and shooting accuracy. Additionally, the HIIT program enhanced VO_2max and sleep quality, with a moderate correlation observed between changes in VO_2max and reaction time over the six-week period. However, no significant enhancements were observed in mental toughness and self-regulation. Conclusion: A six-week HIIT program can improve gaming performance and overall well-being in esports players. Future research should explore the neurophysiological mechanisms behind these benefits and evaluate other physical training modalities. This study provides insights into how exercise can optimize esports performance and support a balanced lifestyle for gamers. Trial Registration ChiCTR2400083252 (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry).