The structural characteristics of esports gaming and their behavioral implications for high engagement: A competition perspective and a cross-cultural examination

Abstract

Esports has become one of the major online entertainment activities around the globe. Different from the previously dominant massively multiplayer online role-playing games, esports gaming has its unique structural characteristics, which substantially reshape the motivations, experiences, and behaviors of game users while raising new questions for research on Internet gaming disorder. In addition to identifying four structural characteristics of esports, the present study analyzed their implications from both theoretical and practical perspectives and conducted a cross-cultural examination by utilizing accurate and objective match history data of esports gamers in five different geographic regions (countries). Several findings of interest were obtained in this study. First, having in-game friend(s) in a premade team significantly increased gamers' propensity to play consecutive matches. Second, whereas Nordic and Eastern European gamers tended to play additional matches following wins, Japanese gamers were inclined to do so after experiencing losses. Third, low and high-skilled gamers were more likely to engage in consecutive play than their middle-skilled counterparts. With a focus on the competitive nature of esports, this study demonstrated that the presence of friend(s), the outcome of the previous match, and the level of gaming skill can significantly influence esports gamers' involvement.

Keywords: API; Behavioral additions; Esports; Internet gaming disorder; League of Legends.