This study explored stress and coping in electronic sports (esports) athletes and the influence of mental toughness (MT), as defined by two prominent conceptualizations: the 4/6Cs and Mental Toughness Index (MTI) frameworks. Participants were 316 esports athletes, ranked in the top 40% of one of five major esports: Defense of the Ancients 2, League of Legends (LoL), Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Overwatch and Rainbow Six: Siege. Participants completed the MTI, Mental Toughness Questionnaire 6 (MTQ6), Stress Appraisal Measure, and Brief COPE inventory. Results showed that MT (via both MT frameworks) was associated with perceived control, and MTQ6 subscales were associated with stress intensity. Mental toughness (both frameworks) was associated with the selection of more problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies and less avoidance coping strategies. The results indicate there is some overlap between the MT and stress-coping process in high-performing traditional sports and competitive esports athletes. These results suggest that esports athletes could benefit from sports psychology interventions designed for traditional sports athletes. Finally, the MTQ6 and MTI had low shared variance (20%), suggesting that the two questionnaires appear to measure different aspects of MT.

We investigated the association between obesity, self-reported physical activity, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and perceived health in esports players, and the influence of player in-game rank. Data was collected with an online survey with an international participant sample of esports players representing five esports and all skill levels (n = 1772). Esports players were more likely to be categorized as normal weight, or obesity class 2 and 3 and as non-smokers (92%) and non-drinkers (65.1%) compared to international reference data. Esports players met international physical activity guidelines less than global general population. Esports players ranked in the top 10% were more physically active compared to the remaining esports players. As esports player in-game rank increased, so did the amount of time spent playing esports. Although esports players appear generally healthy, a small group was significantly obese and most esports players did not meet physical activity guidelines, indicating potential future health risks.

The current study aimed to qualitatively investigate the perceived determinants of success in professional esports athletes. Guided by the bioecological model (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006), thematic analysis was used to explore elite esports athletes’ perceptions of success determinants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven elite esports athletes. The interviews were used to investigate players’ psychology when playing well, training in elite esports, and working in esports teams. Deductive and inductive analyses were conducted to capture the core themes of success in esports within the bioecological model. When playing well, elite esports athletes experienced high levels of confidence, uninterrupted focus, and flow states. Elite esport athletes use mental strategies to help regulate their emotions and remain mindful in the presence of “tilt”. Furthermore, breathing techniques and tactical breaks were used when players felt nervous or when trying to “reset” from a stressful situation. When working in elite esport teams, players reported using strategies to improve team cohesion and that the biggest challenge was interpersonal disagreements. The results contribute to the growing body of literature highlighting the psychological similarities between elite esports and traditional sports athletes and serve as an index for future research into high-performance in esports.

Background: Participation in esports (excluding active video games) has raised concerns due to its sedentary nature and the potential negative effects this may have on player health. As well, research suggests that physical activity (PA)/exercise improves specific cognitive skills that have been identified as positive contributors to esports performance. The aim of this systematic review was to assess whether evidence supports that PA/exercise positively impacts esports player performance. Methods: The systematic literature search comprised PubMed, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science up until March 31, 2022. An additional search included reference list searching, citation searching, and hand searching. Results: Emerging evidence suggests that PA/exercise as an intervention may have a positive effect on esports performance. While it appears that the majority of esports players believe PA/exercise to be beneficial to esports performance, only a minority currently undertake PA/exercise for the purpose of improving esports performance. Conclusion: Although further controlled experimental research is necessary, results highlight that PA/exercise may positively correlate with esports performance. These effects are consistent with the majority of player perceptions that PA/exercise is beneficial to esports performance. Qualified fitness and health professionals should be utilized to implement training to enhance esports performance, improve health, and extend player career length.