Esports pros face same stress levels as football and rugby stars, new study states Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Esports pros face same stress levels as football and rugby stars, new study states "We must understand how we can best support the health of our gamers." News by Tom Phillips Deputy Editor Updated on 19 Nov 2019 23 comments Stress levels faced by top-level esports players are equal to those experienced by professional athletes. That's according to a new study from the University of Chichester, which looked at the psychological impact of major esports contests on those taking part. The study, titled Identifying Stressors and Coping Strategies of Elite Esports Competitors, will be published in the International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations. It highlights 51 stress factors similar to those faced by professional football and rugby players when competing in major sporting events. These included communication problems with teammates, and worries of competing in front of a large audience. When stressed, players resorted to aggressive comments to teammates - or avoided communicating at all - which lead to a poorer performance. "Esports has become a multimillion-pound business attracting audiences worldwide, but there is little research into the psychological factors that influence players," co-author Dr Phil Birch said. "We have discovered that gamers are exposed to significant stress when competing in top-flight contests. By isolating these stressors, we can help esports players develop effective coping strategies to deal with such stressors and optimise performance while playing at the highest level." Rams Singh, a former Quake 3 Arena pro and now a course leader of Chichester's esports degree, said it was "essential [esports] remains grounded in traditional academia to help us understand immersive gaming and its impact on mind and body". "This study is important for the industry. We must understand how we can best support the health of our gamers and keep them performing at the top level - just as any other professional athlete." Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store