The professional esports team “ZETA DIVISION,” operated by GANYMEDE Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo / CEO: Daisuke Nishihara), will begin collaborative research with the Nakazawa Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, starting April 1, 2026.

This study will be conducted with the cooperation of players from ZETA DIVISION. It is an empirical research project aimed at improving the performance of professional esports athletes and extending their competitive careers by scientifically examining and expanding the limits of human reflexes, cognitive functions, and motor control.

■Background and Objectives of the Research

Esports is a discipline that requires extremely fast reaction speed, advanced cognitive processing, precise motor control, and sustained concentration over long periods of time.Top professional esports players compete at levels approaching the limits of human neural and cognitive capabilities, requiring reaction times under 150–200 ms, high-speed decision-making under extreme conditions and input precision at the sub-millisecond level.

However, maintaining top-level competitive performance also involves challenges such as the accumulation of physical, psychological, and neurophysiological stress, as well as fluctuations in performance.

To create an environment where players can remain physically and mentally healthy and continue competing at the highest level for as long as possible, this research will focus on the following pillars:

1. Performance analysis based on neural and motor-function data
2. Visualization of performance reproducibility and stability
3. Scientific optimization of conditioning and training methods
4. Development of a long-term physical, psychological, and neurological management model aimed at extending player careers

Furthermore, the findings from this research are expected to contribute beyond esports.

High-precision data obtained through esports has the potential to provide new insights for sports science as a whole, including applications in competitive performance enhancement and neurorehabilitation research in traditional sports fields.

■Research Structure

The research will be fully supported by ZETA DIVISION, which currently has more than 70 affiliated players, enabling the acquisition and verification of real competitive gameplay data alongside physical data.

For this announcement, the following two players from the Street Fighter 6 department will participate in the research:

Momochi

A legendary figure who has competed at the forefront of the esports scene for many years, leading the fighting game community through his experience and meticulous theoretical approach.

Higuchi

A top next-generation player who has already won domestic tournaments at a young age, known for his overwhelming reaction speed and precise inputs.

*Additional players from other departments are expected to participate in the research in the future.

*From left: Daniel Cao (GANYMEDE Inc.), Professor Kimitaka Nakazawa (The University of Tokyo), Higuchi (ZETA DIVISION Street Fighter Department), Momochi (ZETA DIVISION Street Fighter Department)

■Comments on the Launch of the Collaborative Research

Professor Kimitaka Nakazawa (Nakazawa Laboratory, The University of Tokyo)

“Esports is an extremely fascinating subject for research. Through this collaboration, we expect further progress in sports neuroscience research. The results will not only contribute to the esports field but may also benefit a wide range of people—including the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and athletes—by improving overall well-being.”

Daisuke Nishihara (CEO, GANYMEDE Inc.)

“Esports is both an intellectual and physical high-performance competition. We are deeply honored to collaborate with the Nakazawa Laboratory at the University of Tokyo, one of the world’s leading research institutions. Through this research, we aim to scientifically maximize the potential of our players and present new competitive standards from Japan to the world.”

Daniel Cao (Global CSO, GANYMEDE Inc.)

“Beyond improving competitive performance, an important theme is how to make players’ careers more sustainable. This research represents a challenge to evolve esports from merely a ‘culture’ into a scientifically grounded competitive domain. From a long-term perspective, we aim to establish a globally recognized performance model.”

■About the Nakazawa Laboratory

The Nakazawa Sports & Neurorehabilitation Laboratory at the University of Tokyo is a cutting-edge research center that studies the interaction between human movement and brain function, spanning the fields of neuroscience, motor control, sports science, and neurorehabilitation.The laboratory conducts research aimed at building fundamental theories that lead to clinical applications, including:

• Neurorehabilitation for individuals with disabilities
• Training methods for athletes
• Programs for maintaining health and physical strength among elderly and disabled individuals
• The research focuses particularly on neural mechanisms underlying:
• Neuromuscular adaptation to exercise stimuli
• Fundamental human movements such as upright bipedal walking and posture control
• Motor skills involved in sports and performance
• Methodologies include human-subject experiments using:
• Electrophysiological measurements
• Electromyography (EMG)
• Peripheral electrical stimulation
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
• Brain activity imaging technologies
• Motion capture–based movement analysis systems

Web: http://www.neuro-reha-sport-lab.com/

■About ZETA DIVISION

Founded in 2018, ZETA DIVISION is a leading gaming lifestyle brand that continues to define new culture within esports. Through management, content creation, merchandising, and marketing initiatives, we strive to enrich the lives of gamers and those who surround the culture.

By challenging existing norms and pioneering new styles, we aim to establish gaming culture as a widely embraced and shared value for the next generation.

Web: https://zetadivision.com
X: https://x.com/zetadivision
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zetadivision
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZETADIVISION
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zetadivision