The Effect of Auditory-Motor Synchronization in Exergames on the Example of the VR Rhythm Game BeatSaber.

Physical inactivity and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle constitute a significant public health concern. Exergames try to tackle this problem by combining exercising with motivational gameplay. Another approach in sports science is the use of auditory-motor synchronization, the entrainment of movements to the rhythm of music. There are already commercially successful games making use of the combination of both, such as the popular VR rhythm game BeatSaber. However, unlike traditional exercise settings often relying on periodic movements that can be easily entrained to a rhythmic pulse, exergames typically offer an additional cognitive challenge through their gameplay and might be based more on reaction or memorization. That poses the question as to what extent the effects of auditory-motor synchronization can be transferred to exergames, and if the synchronization of music and gameplay facilitates the playing experience. We conducted a user study (N = 54) to investigate the effects of different degrees of synchronization between music and gameplay using the VR rhythm game BeatSaber. Results show significant effects on performance, perceived workload, and player experience between the synchronized and non-synchronized conditions, but the results seem to be strongly mediated by the ability of the participants to consciously perceive the synchronization differences.