“In esports teamwork ranks way higher than anything else” : An exploration of esports training perceptions

Esports has been a growing area of study in recent years. We conducted two qualitatively focused survey studies to further understand the landscape of esports training. Specifically, via research questions related to coaching and training programs, types of training, gaps in training routines, how different people perceive training, and how important various training categories are perceived. The first was a pilot survey exploring existing esports training, the second was a more in-depth exploration of esports training and how fans and specialists perceive the field. We found that fans and specialists generally agreed on many aspects of esports training. For example, teamwork was widely agreed upon as a crucial aspect of training. However, specialists seemed more focused on mental and physical health than fans. Further, three general domains emerged as overarching trends worthy of focus: technical skills, teamwork, and health support (both physical and mental). These domains align well with prior researchers’ findings. Our results also support the notion that greater organization and focus should be placed on teamwork and mental health support, as those areas are perceived to be under served. We also found a strong undercurrent of a lack of access (primarily due to physical location) and a desire for more guidance in the training process. Therefore, future efforts should be made to make esports training resources, particularly mental health resources, more well-known and accessible.