At the University of Limerick, competitive gaming isn’t merely an activity many students participate in outside the classroom, it’s an area of scientific research.
‘Lero’ has become one of the best-known software research centres in the world since its founding in 2005, and is part of the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software.
In 2016, Lero launched what was billed as Europe’s first dedicated “Esports Science Research Lab” (ESRL), under the leadership of Dr. Mark Campbell.
This committed esports research laboratory, the first of its kind to be founded in Ireland, is located in UL’s Tierney Building. Here, they are pioneering tools such as eye-tracking cameras, reaction time testing, and psycho-physiological sensors.
These are utilised for research by analysing thinking and behaviour processes that players use while playing esports. As stated in 2019 by director Dr Mark Campbell, the rationale for research conducted on esports can be justified through its potential for financial success: “This is a massive growth sector. Top professional players can earn millions of dollars per annum.
“However, unlike other professional sports, there has been very little application of sports science to the participants to date.”
Researchers from Lero believe that esports are the ideal testing ground for research into decision-making under high pressure. Since every aspect of the gameplay process is recorded digitally, it’s possible to study performance frame by frame.
Dr. Campbell explained during the opening of the research lab, “Our research lab will combine health science and computing to identify what makes a great player.
“For example, we will work on psychometric software incorporating eye tracking and brain imaging to measure the neural, cognitive and physical attributes of the most effective players.”
This area of research has already delivered concrete results.
A 2021 study conducted by Lero discovered that the use of a non-invasive technique for brain stimulation called Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS) significantly enhanced the performance of new gamers after pre-training sessions.
Momentum for Lero continues in 2025 with the announcement of a €2.5 million project. The collaborative project was initiated through the latest partnership with Logitech G who are a Swiss multinational manufacturer of computer peripherals and software.
Together they aim to advance research into performance analysis.
Speaking of the new project, Dr. Campbell stated, “We will have to create bespoke software tests to identify and measure key performance indicators of gaming and gamers and identify and measure the biomarkers of esports and gaming performance.”
For UL students, there’s much more to esports, according to Lero, whose research puts Ireland on the map regarding the growing industry.
This research aspect offers students the opportunity to engage with the very latest thinking that revolves around computer science, psychology, performance science, and digital media. While one could debate whether esports are indeed sport, without question, the study of esports, as it’s conducted at UL, indicates how far gaming has come.