Evaluating performance benefits of head tracking in modern video games

We present a study that investigates user performance benefits of using head tracking in modern video games. We explored four different carefully chosen commercial games with tasks which can potentially benefit from head tracking. For each game, quantitative and qualitative measures were taken to determine if users performed better and learned faster in the experimental group (with head tracking) than in the control group (without head tracking). A game expertise pre-questionnaire was used to classify participants into casual and expert categories to analyze a possible impact on performance differences. Our results indicate that head tracking provided a significant performance benefit for experts in two of the games tested. In addition, our results indicate that head tracking is more enjoyable for slow paced video games and it potentially hurts performance in fast paced modern video games. Reasoning behind our results is discussed and is the basis for our recommendations to game developers who want to make use of head tracking to enhance game experiences.