# Who's Watching Me?: Exploring the Impact of Audience Familiarity on Player Performance, Experience, and Exertion in Virtual Reality Exergames

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.14867 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.14867/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 23 Oct 2023.

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [How LLMs are Shaping the Future of Virtual Reality](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.00737/) (2025)
- [An Empirical Evaluation of AI-Powered Non-Player Characters' Perceived Realism and Performance in Virtual Reality Environments](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.10469/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Familiarity with audiences plays a significant role in shaping individual performance and experience across various activities in everyday life. This study delves into the impact of familiarity with non-playable character (NPC) audiences on player performance and experience in virtual reality (VR) exergames. By manipulating of NPC appearance (face and body shape) and voice familiarity, we explored their effect on game performance, experience, and exertion. The findings reveal that familiar NPC audiences have a positive impact on performance, creating a more enjoyable gaming experience, and leading players to perceive less exertion. Moreover, individuals with higher levels of self-consciousness exhibit heightened sensitivity to the familiarity with NPC audiences. Our results shed light on the role of familiar NPC audiences in enhancing player experiences and provide insights for designing more engaging and personalized VR exergame environments.