More than gaming: Examining executive functions in esports players

The main purpose of this study was to determine the differences in executive function performance levels of esports players who play First-Person Shooter (FPS) and Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game types compared to non-video game players (NVGPs). Other purposes of the study are to examine the relationships of executive function components and their relationships with in-game rank and total game play time variables. The study groups consisted of ninety volunteer participants, all of whom were male young adults between the ages of 18 and 34, 30 of whom actively played FPS video games, 30 of whom actively played MOBA video games, and 30 of whom NVGPs. Corsi Block-Tapping Test (CBT), Wisconsin (Berg) Card Sorting Test (WCST), and Stroop Test Çapa Form (ST) were used as data collection tools. According to the findings of the study; FPS players had significantly higher scores than NVGPs (p < 0.001, F = 8.55) in CBT and less error percentage than the NVGPs (p < 0.01, F = 5.58) and MOBA players had significantly less interference time than NVGPs in the ST (p < 0.001, F = 7.66). In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between CBT and ST interference times for all players (p < 0.05; r = -0.28) and a significant negative correlation between in-game skill and ST interference times for FPS players (p < 0.05; r = -0.41). These findings suggest that digital video game experience shapes cognitive profiles based on genre-specific demands; while FPS gameplay primarily enhances visuospatial working memory capacity, MOBA gameplay fosters stronger inhibition control, with higher in-game skill level reflecting superior inhibitory control in FPS gameplay, and relationship of visuospatial working memory and inhibition components demonstrating an underlying interrelated structure.