EEG Dataset from Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) Gameplay in Natural Settings: A Scientific Data Overview

Introduction

Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games represent one of the most engaging and widely played gaming genres worldwide, especially prevalent on mobile platforms. Despite their popularity, the neurophysiological processes underlying MOBA gameplay and their links to gaming addiction remain insufficiently understood. Addressing this gap, a recent open-access study published in Scientific Data (July 2025) presents an extensive EEG dataset capturing brain activity during naturalistic MOBA gameplay, specifically the popular mobile game Honor of Kings.

Study Aims and Significance

This research targets understanding how real-time gameplay impacts neural responses, especially focusing on the addictive aspects of MOBA games. The dataset provides synchronized 64-channel EEG recordings alongside precise timestamps corresponding to critical in-game events—player kills and deaths—enabling millisecond-level temporal analysis.

Such high ecological validity data collected in natural settings allow researchers to probe neurophysiological reactions under real gameplay conditions, compared to traditional laboratory simulations. Additionally, resting-state EEG recordings and psychological assessments enrich the dataset, offering insights into how individual traits like impulsivity, emotional regulation, and addiction severity relate to brain dynamics during gameplay.

Methodology

Participants

• Sample: 23 experienced MOBA players (15 males, 8 females; mean age 19.7 years), all right-handed with at least one year of gaming experience.
• Screening: Participants were screened using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview to exclude those with psychiatric or neurological disorders.
• Ethical Compliance: Informed consent ensured privacy and included permission for open data sharing; study approved by Chongqing Medical University Ethics Committee.

Experimental Procedure

1. Scale Assessments: Participants completed demographic surveys alongside validated psychological scales measuring Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), impulsivity, and emotional regulation.
2. Resting-State EEG: Recorded under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions to establish baseline neural activity.
3. Gameplay EEG: Continuous 64-channel EEG data were collected while participants played six actual matches of Honor of Kings.
4. Event Marking Protocol: Implemented to accurately log the exact time points of kills and deaths within the EEG data for event-related analysis.
5. Supplementary Data: Video recordings of gameplay sessions are included for contextual reference.

Key Dataset Features

• Real-Time EEG during Active Gaming: Captures brain electrical activity as players engage naturally, preserving the complexity of real competitive environments.
• High Temporal Resolution: Millisecond-level event timestamps allow detailed event-related brain dynamics studies.
• Comprehensive Participant Profiles: Incorporation of demographic, behavioral, and psychological data facilitates multifactorial analyses.
• Resting-State Baselines: Enable comparisons between spontaneous and task-related brain activity.
• Open Access and Transparency: Data are publicly available, supporting reproducibility and broad scientific utility.

Context and Literature Integration

Online gaming addiction, especially Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), affects approximately 13.4% of players, with up to 49.4% of IGD cases linked to MOBA games. Prior neuroimaging studies have demonstrated brain alterations across gaming genres but often lacked ecological validity by relying on simulated or constrained laboratory conditions.

The current dataset complements existing efforts such as fNIRS and fMRI studies on MOBA and other competitive games, focusing specifically on the dynamic, mobile-technology-enabled natural settings and high temporal fidelity EEG, thus filling a critical research gap.

Potential Applications

• Neurophysiological Mechanisms of Gaming Addiction: Investigate brain responses related to addictive behaviors triggered by key in-game events.
• Cognitive and Emotional Regulation Research: Study how players’ impulsivity and emotion control correlate with neural patterns during gaming highs and lows.
• Intervention Development: Inform targeted therapies and prevention strategies tailored to MOBA gaming’s unique neurobehavioral profiles.
• Esports and Game Design: Optimize training protocols and game balancing based on players’ neurocognitive responses.

Conclusion

This novel EEG dataset collected from Honor of Kings matches in naturalistic settings provides a rich resource for advancing our understanding of the neural underpinnings of MOBA gameplay and its addictive properties. Its combination of high-density temporal brain imaging, precise event coding, and comprehensive psychological profiling ensures it is a valuable asset for cognitive neuroscience, behavioral psychology, and addiction research communities.

Reference:
Li, H.-Z., Yang, J.-J., Lv, Z., Wan, L.-Y., Wang, W., Li, D.-Q., Zhou, D.-D., & Kuang, L. (2025). EEG dataset from playing Multiplayer Online Battle Arena games in natural settings. Scientific Data, 12, 1129. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-01129-0

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