Differences in eye movement characteristics between expert and non-expert eSports players: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

eSports is an emerging digital sport that has attracted widespread attention. As an activity that heavily relies on visual information, investigating the differences in eye movement characteristics between eSports players of varying skill levels is crucial for understanding the mechanisms underlying improvements in gaming performance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to systematically and comprehensively evaluate the differences in the characteristics of eye movements between expert and non-expert eSports players by integrating existing studies through a systematic review and meta-analysis approach. A systematic search was conducted across the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, with the search cutoff date set to July 20, 2024. A total of seven studies, involving 165 participants, were ultimately included in the analysis. The aggregated results show that expert eSports players have a significantly shorter average fixation duration compared to non-expert players, with a moderate amount of effect size (SMD = -0.66; 95% CI: -1.01, -0.30; P < 0.05). There is no significant difference in the average number of fixations between expert and non-expert eSports players (SMD = -0.22; 95% CI: -0.55, -0.99; P = 0.58). Regarding eye tracking characteristics within areas of interest, expert players exhibit more targeted visual strategies and devote greater visual attention to key elements of the game. These findings provide a scientific basis for eSports training and contribute to developing more effective training methods and strategies, thereby improving players' competitive performance. Future research could further investigate the relationship between eye movement characteristics and eSports performance and develop personalized training programs based on eye movement data.