Professor Froböse, you’re intensively dealing with the subject of gaming – that seems rather unusual for a sports scientist. How did that happen?
In fact, the subject came to me, not vice versa. Students carried it into my office. Gaming is part of their life reality – so I had to deal with it. That led to initial academic work, followed by larger projects. What intrigued me was to find out what’s really happening there – physically, mentally, socially.

The expert

© Sebastian Bahr

Professor Ingo Froböse is one of Germany’s leading health experts. He is a university professor for prevention and rehabilitation in sports at the German Sport University Cologne where until 2023 he led the Institute for Movement Therapy. As the author of best-selling books about health, nutrition, and sports, Ingo Froböse is known to the general public. In addition, he’s a sought-after media expert and with his “Formel Froböse” channel on YouTube reaches nearly 90,000 subscribers. Froböse is an acknowledged supporter of Esports.

And what is happening there?
A lot more than many people suspect. Gaming is a practice of capabilities that we know from the world of work: concentration, responsiveness, strong decision-making skills under time pressure. Especially in competitive games, teamwork is an additional aspect – coordination, confidence, distribution of roles. Those are classic skills that are desirable in business as well.

"It’s a high-density training room. Decisions must be made quickly and information processed in parallel. That’s comparable to many professional situations – for instance, in controlling complex technical systems or in project management."

Prof. Dr. Ingo Froböse

So gaming is a kind of training for professional life?
In a way it is. It’s a high-density training room. Decisions must be made quickly and information processed in parallel. That’s comparable to many professional situations – for instance, in controlling complex technical systems or in project management. It becomes especially intriguing when gaming is understood as simulation.

Simulation in the sense of virtual reality and industrial applications?
Exactly. The transitions are smooth. Whether flight simulators, surgical training, or industrial maintenance via VR – the principle is identical: I practice processes in a controlled environment. Gamers often possess a high level of basic skills for that. They’re used to orienting themselves in digital rooms, to respond fast, and to control complex processes.

Even so, gaming still has a somewhat negative image.
That’s primarily a generational question. Many of today’s decision makers did not grow up with gaming. For them, it’s unfamiliar but that’s currently changing. Gaming is increasingly being accepted as a form of culture – similar to the way movies or music used to be. At the same time, critical aspects should not be ignored. Content such as violence or role models are justifiably subjects of public debate. However, from an academic perspective, the individual game is less crucial than the way it’s being dealt with – in other words, context, duration, and reflection. It’s problematic especially when consumption takes place in uncontrolled or socially isolated ways.

So you don’t advocate unlimited gaming.
Exactly. It’s the dose that counts. We know from studies that concentration drops after about 20 to 30 minutes of intensive stress. Gamers that play for hours on end lose performance capacity – and risk encountering health issues. That’s why we work with clear structures: gaming phases, breaks, physical compensation.

So, you deliberately combine gaming with physical exercise?
Yes, that’s central. We meet people at the console – and lead them back into physical exercise. The objective is not to do less gaming but better gaming. People who are physically fit are mentally fitter as well. That’s true in sports just like in Esports.

What does that kind of “better gaming” specifically look like?
We work with programs that combine gaming and physical activity. Part of the day is devoted to gaming and another one to physical exercise, plus aspects like regeneration, nutrition, concentration techniques. We basically treat E-gamers like competitive athletes.

The Benefits of Gaming at Work

And does that work?
It really does, especially because gamers understand that if they want to get better they must do more than just engage in gaming. That changes the way people deal with the medium.

Looking ahead: How is gaming going to develop technologically?
I see a clear trend toward more physical integration. Virtual reality, augmented reality, motion-controlled systems – all that will move gaming into the real world more intensively. You could say: gaming is going to become more physical.

So, moving away from pure sitting?
Exactly. The most exciting developments are those that combine the digital and the physical activity. That not only is healthier but also more interesting technologically. In that way, gaming will become an interface between the digital and the real world.

And what will that mean for companies?
Big opportunities. Gaming skills are becoming more relevant – especially in the previously mentioned areas like simulation, control of complex systems, or teamwork in digital settings. At the same time, the gaming culture can help develop new forms of working together.

Your conclusion?
Gaming is not a problem that needs to be solved. It’s a potential that should be understood. If we use it correctly, it can promote skills, improve health, and even drive innovation.