Experiences of professional Southeast Asian esports players

Abstract

This paper investigated the experiences of professional mobile esports players across three Southeast Asian countries; Indonesia, Philippines, and Singapore. The study was rooted in strain theory and research data was collected through surveys and online interviews. We explored how commonly accepted socio-cultural norms and attitudes towards mobile gaming and jobs affect the professional player’s perception of themselves and their pursuit of esports as a job. We found that esports players have different goals in their jobs as professional players compared to people in more traditional jobs. Professional players also face a disconnect between their expected rewards as a result of their efforts and the actual rewards they are given in their jobs. This disconnect results in players experiencing strain, which they respond to in various ways. The findings from this study add knowledge to the rising field of study on esports and offer unique findings through the analysis of esports through strain theory.