Flow state as a performance measure in Esports

Abstract

Esports (i.e. electronic sports) are a kind of sport characterized mainly by being facilitated by an electronic system. Currently, Esports is a growing discipline that is getting popularity year after year. The most played games in Latin America are Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) and League of Legends (LoL). However, there is yet little research on Esports and the psychological factors involved during games that may affect player performance. In sports, the Flow State (sometimes simply called “flow”) is a sensation in which one's own skills are adequate to face the challenges that are presented to us. Literature suggests that entering Flow State may improve performance. This work seeks, on the one hand, to determine whether Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) and League of Legends (LoL) players manage to experience a Flow State during such activity. On the other hand, improvement of player performance due to entering into Flow State was tested. Finally, the study assessed whether a more satisfying subjective experience was obtained in players who managed to enter the Flow State. For this purpose, an online survey (n = 323) was conducted using a Flow State Scale and an Optimal Experience Questionnaire after the participants had played their last game. Results show that most of the surveyed players entered in Flow State, and that this would have generated both a more satisfying experience and a better performance. These results deepen knowledge about Esports and may help in improving players’ experience in video games and their performance.