Japanese electronics manufacturer Sharp has inked a sponsorship deal with a professional Valorant esports team, announcing that their air purification technology has been shown to help improve gaming performance.

The announcement was made on Sharp's official website on September 3rd. The study, conducted in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering at Nishinippon Institute of Technology and the Faculty of Human Science at Kyushu Sangyo University, involved 10 players from the pro Valorant team 'QT DIG'. The objective was to verify whether Sharp's proprietary 'Plasmacluster' technology—usually marketed for air purification—could have positive effects on human cognitive functions or task performance.

Plasmacluster is Sharp's signature air purification technology, which generates positive and negative ions similar to those found in nature to remove harmful substances from the air. It is a staple feature in Sharp's range of air purifiers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and air conditioners.

The trial involved two 5v5 team matches. The first round sequence was: airflow, one day of rest, then Plasmacluster. The second round reversed this: Plasmacluster, one day of rest, then airflow. The players were not informed whether the Plasmacluster ions were active or not, and the team ensured that the same maps and agents were used for each corresponding sequence. They tracked objective metrics including Average Damage per Round (ADR), K/D ratio, and KDA.

The results showed that when Plasmacluster was active, the average damage per round (ADR) increased by 18 points, while K/D and KDA ratios climbed by 0.17 points. 'QT DIG' coach 'Ikedamaru' noted, "It is surprising that simply introducing Plasmacluster ions could improve ADR and K/D, which directly reflect a player's cognitive and decision-making abilities. This statistical increase could be significant enough to influence the outcome of crucial rounds."

In follow-up surveys, the players reported that the Plasmacluster ions helped improve concentration, intuition, field of vision, reflexes, teamwork, and control. Based on these findings, Sharp stated that they have verified the technology's potential to enhance esports performance.

However, the sample size of 10 players is relatively small, and the testing period was brief. Furthermore, metrics like ADR and K/D are influenced by various variables beyond the environment. Therefore, more extensive, long-term testing with a larger group is necessary to obtain more conclusive results.

Meanwhile, Sharp will sponsor QT DIG. The contract runs for one year, from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026, and will include featuring the Sharp logo on QT DIG's social media and streaming channels, alongside various promotional activities.