Fnatic partners with New York Institute of Technology for pioneering esports performance wear research

Fnatic, the London-based esports performance brand, has today revealed a brand new partnership with New York Institute of Technology (New York Tech), which will see the esports organisation and university collaborate on two pioneering pieces of research exploring the effects of upper and lower body compression sleeves on professional gamers.

Joining forces with Fnatic’s High Performance Unit, experts from New York Tech’s Center for Esports Medicine will work with the London-based esports organisation over the course of a six-month-period. The first study, analysing upper body compression sleeves, will assess whether the esports wear positively increases the longevity of performance and improves recovery rates of competitive gamers. Meanwhile, the study analysing the effects of lower body compression sleeves will assess whether the sleeves help to enhance the blood flow of gamers and reduce the risk of long-term, lower body health risks of esports professionals.

Fnatic’s High Performance Unit is dedicated to holistically improving various aspects of elite gaming through eight different performance pillars. The pillars include health, research, technology and software, in-game performance, processes and operations, youth structure, infrastructure and education. The ambition of the unit is to consistently improve the capabilities of Fnatic players by making marginal performance gains and improving results, creating the very top pro gamers in the world across all Fnatic game titles. The unit will also use its insights and learnings to inform the creation of Fnatic’s physical and digital products, helping fans worldwide to game better.

The team has previously undertaken research which tracked the sleep, heart-rates and workout data of some of its pro gamers over the course of a six-month-period, in order to better understand the lifestyle habits of their teams. Recently, the unit also explored AI-powered fitness coaching in collaboration with training app Freeletics.

Jens Hofer, Director of Fnatic’s High Performance Unit, said: “At Fnatic, we’re dedicated to pushing the boundaries of esports performance to make marginal gains in the gaming arena. One way in which we are looking to improve performance is by conducting relevant research that can then be used to inform our decision making. This particular collaboration with New York Institute of Technology, a university that is pioneering esports and gaming related research, will help us better understand the benefits of compression sleeves and in turn, use these insights to inform how to use the technology and develop our own products in the future.”

New York Tech – a highly ranked and accredited not-for-profit university – has a robust esports program, offering esports-related career paths and the opportunity to join teams across a large selection of esports titles through its collegiate esports team, The Cybears. In addition, the college’s institution’s Center for Esports Medicine features a team of dedicated physicians and healthcare professionals working to enable esports athletes to reach their full potential, preventing injury, optimising performance, and maintaining overall wellbeing.

Exercise Physiologist Joanne Donoghue, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Research at New York Institute of Technology, said: “As a future-focused university, we’ve been increasingly investing in esports research and facilities for some time now. Fnatic are paving the way when it comes to innovation in the area of esports performance and we were delighted to partner with them, offering our unique expertise for this pioneering piece of research.”