Table of Figures viii Extra Insights x Notes to the Course Instructor xi Notes to the Reader xii Introducing Readers to Esports - a Brief Survey xiii Introduction 1 1 Benefits and Challenges 6 1.1 Introduction 6 1.2 Esports and Violence 8 1.2.1 Violence in Video Games 9 1.2.2 Violence and Aggression as a Result of Playing Video Games 13 1.3 Esports and Physical Activity 17 1.
3.1 Physical Activity and Professional Esports Players 17 1.3.2 Physical Activity and Nonprofessional Esports Players 19 1.4 Esports and Psychological Well- Being 20 1.5 Esports and Inclusion 22 1.6 Loot Boxes, Skins, and Their Relation to Gambling 27 1.7 Participation Costs 31 1.
8 Conclusion 34 2 Are Esports Considered Sports? 35 2.1 Introduction 35 2.2 Earning Money from Traditional Sports or Esports 36 2.3 Similarities and Differences Between Esports and Traditional Sports 36 2.4 The Role of Superstars 42 2.5 The Aging of an Athlete: When Players Retire 45 2.6 Conclusion 47 3 Professions in Esports 49 3.1 Introduction 49 3.
2 Salary and Wage Distribution for Professional Players 50 3.2.1 Example: Fortnite World Cup 2019 Tournament Earnings 51 3.2.2 Example: CS:GO and Dota 2 Tournament Earnings 53 3.3 Esports- Specific Issues and Perspectives for Professional Players 57 3.4 Job Opportunities in Esports 59 3.4.
1 Streaming 59 3.4.2 Coaching 62 3.4.3 Event Organization and Personnel 66 3.4.4 Content Creation 69 3.4.
5 Game Development 73 3.4.5.1 Sponsorship 76 3.4.6 Other Job Opportunities 77 3.5 Conclusion 78 4 Games 80 4.1 Introduction 80 4.
2 Describing a Game 81 4.3 What Makes a Game Successful? 84 4.3.1 Complexity 85 4.3.2 Equality - Balance in the Game 86 4.3.3 Player/Fan Interaction with the Game - Modifications (Mods) 89 4.
3.4 Extra Content 91 4.3.4.1 Extra Content that Potentially Improves the Game or the Game's Story 91 4.3.4.2 Extra Content That Does Not Change the Game at All or Only Cosmetically 92 4.
3.5 Player and Fan Interaction with the Game 93 4.3.6 Professional Tournaments 95 4.3.7 Marketing 98 4.3.8 Fun Factor? 101 4.
4 Conclusion 103 5 Using Data from Esports 105 5.1 Introduction 105 5.2 Data for Players and Supporters 107 5.2.1 Example: Country of Origin for The International Participants 108 5.2.2 Example: Tournament Earnings for StarCraft II Players 110 5.2.
3 Example: Posts in Overwatch, Fortnite, League of Legends, and Doom Subreddits 111 5.2.4 Example: Aiming at Targets 113 5.3 Data for Teams and Groups 114 5.3.1 Example: Team Diversity and Performance for Teams Participating in The International 115 5.3.2 Example: Organizations Focusing on Multiple Teams 117 5.
4 Data for Games, Nonprofessional Players, and Tournaments 119 5.4.1 Data for Games and Their Longevity 119 5.4.2 Data for Nonprofessional Players 122 5.4.2.1 Example: Player Nationality and Gaming Platforms 123 5.
4.2.2 Example: Player Demographics 125 5.5 Concluding Remarks 127 Conclusion 130 Related Literature and Media 132 Example Data Sets and Exercises 134 Bibliography 140 Appendix 161 Index 174.