Short-term HRV changes across gaming and simulation modalities with varying levels of immersion and physical demand

Virtual reality (VR), gaming, and simulation technologies are increasingly used for training, skill development, and rehabilitation. However, there is limited understanding of how such platforms may trigger autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses beyond baseline levels. It is also unclear whether varying levels of immersion, together with physical demand, influence these responses. This study aimed to investigate how different levels of immersion and physical demand across gaming and simulation modalities affect ANS responses, as measured by heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV), relative to baseline values. Eighty-seven undergraduate students (mean age = 20.5 years) were allocated to three experimental groups based on immersion level and task demand: immersive and high physical demand (VR table tennis, n = 17), semi-immersive and intermediate physical demand (iRacing car simulation, n = 40), and non-immersive and low physical demand (FIFA console soccer, n = 30). Participants completed a 4-min activity phase, preceded by a 4-min baseline and followed by a 4-min recovery period. HR and HRV were continuously recorded via ECG. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were used to examine differences across experimental periods, and one-way ANOVAs were conducted to compare percentage changes relative to baseline between groups. All three modalities led to a significant increase in HR and a reduction in vagally mediated HRV from baseline to activity, as evidenced by decreases in RMSSD and HF power. The subsequent recovery phase generally showed a return toward baseline values. Moreover, the VR Table Tennis group, representing the highest physical demand, demonstrated a significantly greater increase in HR and decrease in NNmean than both iRacing and FIFA during activity. These findings suggest that gaming and simulation modalities, regardless of immersion level, may elicit ANS responses above resting levels. The magnitude of the response appears to be more strongly influenced by physical demand than immersion alone.