Career as a Professional Gamer: Gaming Motives as Predictors of Career Plans to Become a Professional Esport Player.

Fanni Bányai,Zsolt Demetrovics,Ágnes Zsila,Mark D Griffiths,Orsolya Király

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01866

Abstract

Increasing numbers of young video gamers view esports (i.e., competitive video gaming) as a career opportunity, rather than just a recreational activity. Previous studies have explored the motivational differences between esport and recreational gamers and the motivational changes through career journey to become a professional esport player. The present study explored the predictors of career plans to become a professional esport player, with a specific focus on gaming motivations. Gaming time, gaming motivations, and esport-related playing experience were also examined among Hungarian gamers with competitive gaming experience (N = 190), such as years spent in esports, medium and frequency of participating in esport tournaments, the effort put into training before the tournaments, and the plans to become a professional esport player. Binary logistic regressions were carried out and results showed that the gaming motivations of competition, skill development, and social motivations predicted career planning as a professional esport player. Additionally, results showed that younger players were more likely to seek career opportunity as professional esport players than older players. Future studies should focus on novice esport players’ psychological exposure to the hypercompetitive scene of esports, such as high expectations or the risk of becoming problematic videogame users due to their motivational changes.

Highlights

Research in videogames predominantly focuses on problematic use or addiction (Király et al, 2017; Rumpf et al, 2018; Müller et al, 2019), playing videogames is a recreational activity for most gamers, and it can even be a highly paid job for a minority of them who master their game-related skills and become professional esport players sponsored by well-known companies (e.g., Coca Cola, T-Mobile)
The present study explored the possible predictors of a career as a professional esport player among videogame players with competitive gaming experience
It is not surprising that esport is considered as a career option and is most popular among youth who represent the largest proportion of esport consumers

Summary

Introduction

Research in videogames predominantly focuses on problematic use or addiction (Király et al, 2017; Rumpf et al, 2018; Müller et al, 2019), playing videogames is a recreational activity for most gamers, and it can even be a highly paid job for a minority of them who master their game-related skills and become professional esport players sponsored by well-known companies (e.g., Coca Cola, T-Mobile). Career as a Professional Gamer esport events) is 201.2 million (Newzoo, 2019). 1,757.5 million people have heard of esports without participating in it or viewing it (Newzoo, 2019). In 2017, the total revenue was $655 million (US), while in 2019 there was a 26.7% increase from 2018 to $1,096 million (Newzoo, 2019)

Results

Discussion

Conclusion