IJESPORTS

Effects of mouse sensitivity: questioning between performance and injury prevention

Antoine Dupuy — 2023-08-16

Mouse sensitivity is one of the most important in-game performance factors in First Person Shooter (FPS) and Third Person Shooter (TPS) videogames. The only source of information about how to optimize it, is the professional players’ own experience. Even though empirical information need to be considered, scientific investigation is important to be proactive and therefore anticipate players’ needs. However, mouse sensitivity in esports has not been deeply explored by researchers neither to improve performance nor either to prevent players’ injuries. Nevertheless, other research fields have already brought some interesting information about computer mouse effects on health and performance. Computer mouse use has an impact on upper limb muscular activity and particularly on upper trapezius muscles, tendons overuse, proprioception, upper limb motricity, muscular fatigue, sensory motor control, and posture. Finally, these findings show that ergonomics and upper trapezius physical conditioning are needed to be a performant and healthy esports athlete.

Stressors, associated responses, and coping strategies in professional esports players: A qualitative study

Oliver Leis — 2022-03-07

To inform future intervention strategies and enhance professional esports players’ performance, this qualitative study investigated stressors, associated stress responses, and coping strategies experienced by professional League of Legends players. Following criterion-based sampling, semi-structured interviews with 12 professional esports players were performed. The findings illustrate a variety of stressors related to team, performance, audience, and social media. Associated stress responses prior to competition (e.g., nervousness and excitement) seemed to be suppressed during competition, whereas post-competition responses were related to the outcome of competition. Although a range of strategies were identified, players most frequently communicated with teammates or coaches and focused on performance when coping with stressors. Study results show a need to teach players how to recognize and regulate associated stress responses, and to gain an in-depth understanding of stressors, coping strategies, and their effects on performance.

Neurocognitive Capabilities, Physiological Responses to Cognitive Stress, and General Health and Fitness Measurements in Competitive Gamers versus Non-Gamers

Nicole Hetrick — 2024-03-18

Competitive video gaming, also known as esports, is a growing industry worldwide. The physiological and cognitive impact of various training and play regimes has gained interest recently. The aim of this study was to characterize potential cognitive and physiological differences among competitive gamers and non-gamers while accounting for fitness levels. Specifically, the physiological parameters compared were differences in stress response (as measured by changes in heart rate and blood pressure) due to cognitive load (via various cognitive assessments) and fitness measurements such as body composition and health and skill related fitness components. Twenty-four total participants were studied [n=12 in gamers (10M, 2F, play >5 hrs/wk) and non-gamers (10M, 2F)]. The six different cognitive tests used were to measure various neurocognitive components that have previously been shown to be significantly different in gamers: the Stroop Test (cognitive set shifting, inhibitory control, and set twitching), Modified Card Sorting Test (problem solving and abstract thinking), Finger Tapping Test (psychomotor speed), Trail Making Test (speeded visual search and tracking), Spatial Processing Task (spatial recognition), and Iowa Gambling Test (risky decision making) were administered via a computer (Millisecond). After completing cognitive testing, each subject’s health-related fitness components (muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and estimated aerobic capacity) were measured with a handgrip dynamometer, Situp Bleep test, V Sit and Reach Test, and Modified Bruce Treadmill, respectively. Skill-related fitness components (power, balance, hand-eye coordination) were measured with vertical jump, the Balance Error Scoring System, and the Alternate Hand Wall Ball Test, respectively. Body anthropometrics was measured through height, weight, BMI, body fat percentage (via bioelectrical impedance analysis). Of the cognitive components assessed, the only significant difference was that the video gamers had significantly higher average and dominant hands scores for the Finger Tapping Test and non-dominant scores that were trending towards significance versus the non-gamers. The systemic physiological responses to the cognitive testing were minimal and did not differ between the two groups. Given the potential impact of fitness on cognitive performance and sympathoexcitation, the fitness levels of the participants were not different. Thus, when physical activity is accounted for, competitive gamers and non-gamers perform similarly in most cognitive tasks and have similar physiological responses to this stress.

Associations Between Gaming and Physical Activity Among Finnish Adolescents During and After the Spring 2020 COVID-19 Lockdown

Kwok Ng — 2024-01-04

Aims: To investigate the changes in gaming, such as Esports play between spring (COVID-19 lockdown) and autumn 2020 among Finnish high school students. Moreover, to examine the associations between gaming and physical activity (PA) behaviours.

Methods and Results: Data from online self-report survey; Finnish late-adolescent physical activity (LAPA) study during spring (n = 2459) and autumn (n = 4781) 2020 were used to address the aims of the study. Descriptive statistics to compare the change between spring and autumn 2020 were used. Multinominal logistic regression analyses were stratified by data collection with PA as the outcome, after controlling for age, disability, place of residence. There were increases between spring and autumn 2020 in gaming behaviours among all genres covered in the LAPA study. Esports play during the autumn was negatively associated with daily PA (OR = 0.65, CI = 0.44 – 0.95), but not during the spring. On the other hand, playing sport video games were positively associated with PA at least 5 days a week in both spring (OR = 1.86, CI = 1.26 – 2.74) and autumn (OR = 2.14, CI = 1.65 – 2.77) time periods.

Conclusions: There were increases in gaming behaviour between spring (COVID-19 lockdown) and autumn 2020 among Finnish high school students, especially among Esport players. There were negative associations with esport playing and daily PA. Since daily PA is the Finnish national recommendation, esport players could be a target group to promote PA behaviours.

Experiences of Choke Among Professional and Amateur Esports Players: A Qualitative Investigation

Nicole Beres — 2024-03-18

Esports frequently invoke high-pressure circumstances in which player performance is crucial; in these contexts, moments of critical underperformance (‘choke’) can have deleterious consequences for the underperforming player or team. In this research, we employ comprehensive qualitative methodologies (interview and survey) to investigate the antecedents to, and underpinnings of, choke experienced by both amateur and professional esports players. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identify both commonalities and differences in the experience of choke across both groups. Both amateur and professional esports players report Nervous Activation and Overconfidence mental states prior to a choke episode, and cite pressures such as Stakes and Spectator Pressure. In contrast, professional players alone report pressures such as Team, Stage, Reputation, Rival, and Sexism pressures, whereas amateurs alone cite Lack of Focus, Frustration and Underconfidence mental states. Finally, when recalling an episode of choke, amateur players experience more mechanically-driven performance failures, whereas professional players report strategic failures. We propose that these findings contribute to a more complete understanding of performance amongst both professional and amateur players of esports titles, and can be employed to scaffold and support performance in high-pressure gaming contexts. This work extends initial work in the empirical investigation of choke in esports spaces.

Perceived Stressors Experienced by Competitive Esports Athletes

Dylan Poulus — 2022-03-07

Aim: The present study explored the sources of stress experienced by competitive esports athletes.

Methods and results: Cross-sectional survey. Participants were 270 esports athletes, ranked in the top 40% (determined by in-game rank) of one of five major esports: Rainbow Six: Siege, Overwatch, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, and Defence of the Ancients 2. Participants reported a stressor they had recently encountered as part of a stress appraisal measure (1). 11 sources of stress reported by traditional sports athletes were reported by esports athletes (2). Furthermore, four novel esports specific stressors were identified: Technical issues, balancing life commitments, anti-social behaviour, and critical moment performance. Similar to traditional sports, teammate stressors (53.7%) and performance stressors (26.9%) were reported by 79.2% of participants. Finally, esports athletes in the 99 – 100th percentile reported more performance-related stressors than teammate stressors, whereas esports athletes in the 90 – 99th, 80 – 90th, 70 – 80th, and 60 – 70th reported more teammate-related stressors than performance stressors.

Conclusions: Results from this study could inform the development of psychological interventions for competitive esports athletes.

Current issues of sustainability in esports

Anna-Greta Nyström — 2022-03-10

Aims: The aim of the paper is to explore emerging themes, which support the development of a sustainable esports industry.

Methods and results: This study is based on a workshop methodology, which aims to identify and explore topics perceived as most pertinent by individuals with an intimate understanding of the dynamics of the esports context. Two workshops were held with a total of 64 participants, representing both academia and industry stakeholders. Interpretations of the sustainability of esports were thus recorded, developed, critiqued, and refined through social interaction with experts. The results indicate three critical themes to address regarding the development of sustainability of esports, namely a) health and inclusiveness, b) the incomplete industry structure, and c) the immature business logic.

Conclusions: Sustainability refers to the ability of esports to survive or persist. We argue that sustainability is dependent on how well industry stakeholders can address the identified themes. Currently, social sustainability is the primary concern of both practitioners and researchers of esports. Economic sustainability mostly deals with securing business growth, while environmental sustainability is not yet perceived as a relevant topic (e.g., using sustainable technologies and energy-saving related to gaming and competitive events). Structures and processes within esports presently constitute the focus of sustainability in esports.

Individuals, Representatives, and Racers – Instagram Images of F1 and F1 Esports Series Drivers

Ville Malinen — 2024-01-04

The aims of this article are to deepen the understanding of how traditional motorsports and esports stars’ images are represented and maintained in the form of individual social media content and how they compare with one another. This is to better understand the images of and variation between stars in Formula One (F1) and the F1 Esports Series as the synergy between these series continues to grow.

The methods used were critical discourse analysis and close reading. The theorical frameworks featured Kellner’s critical cultural theory and Richard Dyer and Christine Geraghty’s star theories regarding Western societies.

The results showed a clear difference in the volume, quality, and variety of content and discourses between F1 drivers and F1 esports drivers. Furthermore, the lack of team presence was apparent within esports stars’ posts, underlining the fewer production forces and stakeholders behind the industry, signifying that esports stars have less socio-cultural echo than F1’s. Sim racers also had less stardom variation, but their fans likely congregate on other media platforms.

It appears that much of F1 esports stars’ power derives from the real-life racing teams that provide the resources to create and maintain stardom regardless of that individual star’s characteristics. Stakeholders seem to regard esports as less worthy to invest in, viewing the industry as more of a superfluity for brand image and visibility than a necessity. This subject requires further examination in the near future by including other media and continued scrutiny to determine if these series driver’s images grow more equivalent.

Normative Performance Profiles of College Aged Esport Athletes in a Pilot Study

James Onate — 2023-04-01

Aims: This study aimed to holistically assess the physical and cognitive attributes of esport athletes.

Methods and Results: Forty-six adults between 18 and 32 years old with experience playing videogames were enrolled in this study. Participants completed assessments in five areas: demographics, self-report questionnaires, cognitive performance, physical performance, and gaming performance. Participants self-reported Overwatch ranking and physical activity participation (Pediatric Physical Activity Measure), and grip strength was measured with a handheld dynamometer. Seven domains of physical, mental, and social health and well-being were measured with the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-29). The List Sorting Working Memory Test and Picture Sequence Memory Test from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox Cognition Batteries were used to measure cognitive performance. Finally, esports performance was measured using a series of tasks through Alienware Academy and AIM Booster to record accuracy, reaction time, and targets hit. Participants were separated into high and low ranking groups for comparisons. This sample of esport athletes was similar to the general population for grip strength, each of the PROMIS-29 metrics, the List Sorting Working Memory Test, and the Picture Sequence Memory Test. Reaction time was the variable with the only significant difference between ranking groups.

Conclusion: This study represents a primary investigation of esport athletes using a holistic approach. By incorporating physical and cognitive components, the most important factors to esport athletes’ health and performance can be better understood and applied.

Between Sports and Business – National Esports Associations in Europe

Miia Siutila — 2024-01-04

Aims: This article presents a study focusing on national esports associations in Europe. The study aims at discussing the differences and similarities in the associations approaches to legitimizing and growing the national esports scenes.

Methods and results: Innterviews of representatives from eight national associations from Europe (Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Macedonia, Netherlands, Sweden and UK) and further contextual interviews with professional players, tournament organisers and esports journalist are analysed and presented. While the national contexts of the associations vary greatly, their aims, goals and immediate actions are very similar in the wider perspectives. The associations mainly differ in two aspects: their approach to commercial esports and on the level of influence they are able to exert on and about the nationals esports scene.

Conclusions: While minutae and details of the associations differ, it is still possible to discern wider commonalities and differences that are not a product of national contextual differences. The article highlights the pattern of increasing influence of commercial actors also on smaller national scenes.

Cognitive Styles are poor predictors of esports player’s performance in League of Legends

Viktor Timokhov — 2023-11-30

Aim: Research on cognitive correlates of achievement in esports has started only recently. None of these studies focused on cognitive styles as a possible correlate of achievement, or player performance, in esports. Thus, the goal of the present study is to check whether cognitive styles (i.e., field-dependence - field-independence, reflectivity - impulsivity, and rigidity - flexibility of cognitive control) could predict performance in the game League of Legends, operationalised as in-game rank.
Methods and results: In total, 41 participants with different ranks in League of Legends were recruited. Each participant filled out the online form with general information about themselves and their experience in League of Legends. Participants completed three online tests: Stroop test for rigidity - flexibility style, Matching Familiar Figures Test for reflectivity - impulsivity style, and Gottschaldt Figures Test for field-dependence - field-independence style. Only the ingame experience, measured in years (for the whole sample) and in the total number of matches played during two seasons, predicted the in-game rank (measured for 34 participants).
Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that none of the explored cognitive styles; rigidity-flexibility, reflectivity-impulsivity or field dependence-field independence styles are predictors of player's performance in League of Legends and that experience is more important.

Nordic Esports Research Special Issue - Editorial

Anne Thorhauge — 2024-01-04

Leveling Up Esports Health: Current Status and Call to Action

David P. Schary — 2022-03-08

Esports is growing at an exponential rate. While there are benefits to playing esports, little is known about the long-term health implications. This article reviews the current state of esports health-related research, focusing on physical health (i.e., physical activity, musculoskeletal injuries, eye health), sleep, nutrition, performance-enhancing drugs, and mental health (i.e., gaming disorder, emotional regulation). It identifies areas of interest with a call to action for all stakeholders within the esports ecosystem, providing a short list of recommendations to consider based on the current literature. Future research should utilize both quantitative and qualitative methods, with a particular emphasis on longitudinal and large-scale studies using validated tools to fully explore the association between esports and health.

Zwift’s Anti – Doping Policy: Is it open to Cheating?

Andrew Richardson — 2022-03-09

Zwift is a popular interactive cycling tool (known as e-cycling) for recreational and competitive cyclists which saw a marked uptake during the COVID–19 pandemic as many cyclists were confined to indoor training due to local restrictions. In March 2020, Zwift published their Anti-Doping Policy for Cycling, and more recently an update of their rules and regulations in July 2021. Since its release in 2014 users have been cheating in the game and despite the policy coming into effect in 2020 the incidents have increased, and cheaters have been identified in both competitive and social events. This article outlines Zwift’s Anti-Doping policy, its limitations and how it has been exploited by dopers and cheaters. Furthermore, it goes into detail into the different types of cheating, such as digital doping, controller modifications, hardware and software manipulation and drug use. Finally, it ends with recommendations for Zwift to be in a better position to tackle these cheaters and deter dopers.

Toxic Behaviours in Esport: A Review of Data-Collection Methods Applied in Studying Toxic In-Gaming Behaviours

Louise Anker Nexø — 2024-01-04

Online competitive multiplayer games (esports), although enabling positive social interactions and skillset growth, are notoriously known for their prevalence of toxic behaviours. Seeking to develop greater understandings and explanations of such behaviours, researchers have used a range of empirical data-collecting techniques, encompassing self-reports, log data, and observational methodologies. The objective of this article is to review the current research literature and its application of these methodological approaches for studying toxic behaviours in esports. Following systematic review procedures, 54 empirical research articles were reviewed. Based on this review, it is demonstrated that knowledge of toxic behaviours is typically based on self-reported accounts (e.g., through surveys and interviews), while lessestablished methodological techniques available for capturing naturalistic behaviours of toxic encounters stand under-used. Drawing on recent developments in video-based research on violence and bystander interventions, an argument is made that online video-based behavioural analysis holds promising potential to address this research gap.

Entering Cheat Codes or to Play True: Where is Anti-Doping going within Esports?

Andrew Richardson — 2024-08-30

Esports have become a staple within the sporting and entertainment industries however, in parallel with the success of these games there is much confusion to where anti-doping resides in this virtual arena. With the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) statement in October 2023 to create an Esports Games, policymakers and governing bodies must pursue anti-doping programs to be proactive against doping, cheating, or corruption. Nevertheless, some issues currently inhibit fair competition and intelligence gathering. These include no unified database of recorded bans or sanctions delivered to players or coaches for digital-doping rule violations (DDRVs) at esport events. In conjunction, there is no governing body to unify all the esport games and the multiple esport federations have different levels of interest and resources dedicated to anti-doping and or cheating. Finally, there is no current mention of esports from the World Anti-Doping Agency in their 2020 – 2024 strategy. Overall, the current literature highlights a lack of anti-doping education to teams and athletes, few policies in place to dissuade would-be dopers, and an omission of evidence that drug testing occurs at a similar standard to traditional sports in current esports events. WADA and anti-doping organisations (ADO’s) must proactively support esports events since most gaming competitions at the elite level have lucrative sponsorship and cash prizes, which raises the risk of corruption. The review offers insights and recommendations into the current literature involving esports and anti-doping policies.

The Overrepresentation of Cisgender Men in Esports Research

Sam Di Nicola — 2024-05-30

Aim: This perspective article aimed to explore the balance in gender diversity of participants in empirical esports research.

Methods and results: Publications listed in the Esports Research Network academic research database were examined, and the number and characteristics of participants utilized within the research were recorded. 120 publications and 85,765 participants were included in the analysis. Analysis revealed that 65 studies (54.17%) included cisgender (i.e., a person whose gender identity corresponds to their sex assigned at birth) men and cisgender women, 20 studies (16.67%) included cisgender men only, and 2 studies (1.67%) included cisgender women only. Fourteen studies (11.67%) included cisgender men, cisgender women and transgender (i.e., a person whose gender identity differs to their sex assigned at birth) participants, and 0 studies included only transgender people. The remaining 19 studies (15.83%) only provided the number of either cisgender men or cisgender women, with no other details regarding the sex or gender of other participants. Out of the 85,765 participants, 69,698 cisgender men (81.27%), 13,907 cisgender women (16.22%), 94 transgender participants (0.11%), and 2,066 participants of unknown gender or sex (2.41%) were included.

Conclusions: Cisgender men inclusion in esports research appears to be notably higher than cisgender women and transgender folks, and future research should address this disparity.

Benefits of recreational gaming

Steven Dekker — 2023-03-16

Video games have shown to have several positive effects on one’s behavior, skill and capabilities. To determine these benefits we analyzed a total of 133 articles of which 46 were used in this review. We find different genres and playing methods contribute to stimulating different attributes. The positive effects of video game entertainment include tension relief and allow for stress coping mechanisms. In addition, there are game-derived skills, including several higher attentional capabilities, vision improvement, happiness, and prosocial and civic behaviors. We present an overview of these effects in the Dekker Gaming Skill Overview. All in all, we conclude that recreational gaming has the potential to improve real-life skills like learning, reading, creativity and problem solving. Moderation in playing video games is important to attain these benefits. In contrast, excessive gaming may lead to emotional, physical, and social problems.