The aiming advantages in experienced first-person shooter gamers: Evidence from eye movement patterns

Abstract

The esports industry is expanding rapidly, with First-Person Shooter (FPS) games gaining unprecedented popularity, attracting millions of players and viewers worldwide. Proficiency in aiming is crucial in FPS games, serving as a critical factor for performance and victory. The present study explores the aiming advantages of experienced FPS players by analyzing their eye movement patterns under varying spatial and temporal conditions. Utilizing eye-tracking technology, data were collected from 63 participants, including 28 experienced FPS players and 35 non-FPS players. Task performance and eye movement indices such as accuracy, execution time, fixation count, and saccade count were analyzed. Results indicated that experienced FPS players exhibit faster execution times and more efficient eye movement patterns. Specifically, they more frequently exhibited the 0-fixation-1-saccade pattern, characterized by a single saccade without fixation, while showing fewer patterns requiring multiple corrective adjustments. This enhanced efficiency in visual search and eye-hand coordination likely contributes to their superior performance. Moreover, the study found that target distance and appearance latency significantly affect task performance and eye movement behavior. Greater distances and higher temporal uncertainty negatively impact performance, while spatiotemporal interactions are most influential near the fovea. These findings highlight the critical role of efficient eye movement patterns in enhancing aiming performance and suggest that FPS players could benefit from targeted eye-hand coordination training.