Spatially modulated visuomotor efficiency in FPS players: eye-tracking evidence from a Go/No-Go target acquisition task.

Abstract

First-person shooter (FPS) games demand rapid visual processing, spatial awareness, and response inhibition, yet the cognitive correlates of FPS gameplay remain under debate. This study examined whether FPS gaming experience is associated with inhibitory control indices and visuomotor efficiency using a gamified Go/No-Go target acquisition task with FPS-relevant spatial demands. Behavioral and eye movement indices were compared between 29 experienced FPS players (16 males; mean age = 21.38 ± 2.11 years) and 32 non-FPS participants (17 males; mean age = 21.00 ± 2.11 years). Results showed that FPS players demonstrated reliably faster execution times, while accuracy on Go trials did not differ between groups. For No-Go trials, overall commission error rates did not show a significant group effect, but were systematically modulated by spatial context (quadrant and its interaction with target distance). Eye-tracking results further revealed more efficient oculomotor dynamics in FPS players, including shorter saccade latencies and durations, with group differences most pronounced in specific spatial locations (notably Quadrant 2). Together, these findings suggest that FPS gaming experience is associated with faster visuomotor responding and distinct gaze dynamics under spatially distributed demands, while inhibitory accuracy appears more strongly shaped by spatial constraints than by experience level.