Psychosocial factors affecting intention to play esports

According to a report by Newzoo (2023), global e-sports revenue will reach US$187.7 billion in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 2.6%. By understanding the motivations of esports players, marketers can tailor their strategies, messages, and products better to meet the needs and desires of the esports community, ultimately enabling more effective marketing campaigns and increased brand success. This study explored the psychosocial factors that influenced esports participation and attempted to identify the most influential motivational factor among these three factors: enjoyment, escapism, and social interaction. The data for analysis is based on reliable responses from 200 eSports players gathered through an online survey. They vindicated that enjoyment and escapism were crucial predictors of behavioral intention in playing esports. Surprisingly, social interaction was not a significant factor. The paper also discusses the theoretical and managerial implications of these results.