What is Esports Performance?

Esports has undergone an explosive growth over the last decade. As of 2020, esports became a billion-dollar industry; before 2030, this billion-dollar market size is projected to further increase by more than fivefold. Propelled especially by the increasing global accessibility and efficiency of the internet and digital technologies, esports training and performance continue to find its way into many aspects of modern society. Esports has thus been introduced into many different layers of countries’ educational systems; both private and public sports organisations all around the world have increasingly begun incorporating esports as part of their organisational profile; and esports’ possible inclusion in the Olympics, and in orthodox sports more broadly, is a growing discussion both inside and outside of academia.

Esports performance is notably unlike analogue forms of competition in that it relies constitutively on digital technologies and virtual spaces for its existence. In other words, esports players compete in spaces that are seemingly unlike the kinds of competitive spaces usually associated with orthodox forms of sport. Driven by a need to better understand the significance of this distinctive, digital element of esports as compared to non-digital sports, this Research Topic aims to study the nature of esports performance itself as a unique range of virtually constituted forms of competition.

Contributions from a wide range of fields are welcomed, including but not limited to sports science, cognitive science, psychology, philosophy, sociology, and anthropology. Studies may focus on issues on the nature of esports practice, including the relationship between physical and virtual performance. Studies may look to investigate the place and role of the body, cognition, and affectivity to successful esports performance. Studies may consider the relationship between the analogue and digital life and practice of esports performers. Studies may also include a focus on the skilfulness and competencies relevant to, or honed by, esports performance and mastery. In addition, studies may consider the relationship between mental health and physical exercise to esports performance. Furthermore, studies may focus on different ways in which esports practice or performance confirms or challenges current understandings of virtual comportment and digital technology use more broadly.

We aim to publish a collection of articles (Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Brief Research Reports, Perspective, Conceptual Analysis and Opinion) that cover one or more of the following themes:

 The relationship between physical and virtual in esports performance
 The place and role of the body to esports performance
 The relationship between cognition and action in esports performance
 The significance of affectivity, moods and/or emotions to esports performance
 The relevance of physical proximity between players to esports performance
 Explorations of the skills and competencies central to esports performance
 Comparative studies between different kinds of esports performance
 The relationship between mental health, physical health and esports performance
 Studies on the place and role of gender to esports performance
 Ways in which esports culture and performance might confirm or challenge current
understandings of digital technology use
 Studies on the significance of esports training/performance for vulnerable individuals
 The relationship between esports and sports
 Interaction and joint action in esports performance