Esport's Legacy of Social Good

This paper, an award-winning entry in the APRU Student Esports Paper Competition 2021, argues that esports has built a meaningful legacy of social good, particularly through its capacity to connect people across geographic and social boundaries. Its central thesis is that the competitive gaming scene has taken concrete steps to address mental health, gender representation, and multiculturalism, and that these efforts should be recognized and extended. The author frames the discussion around three areas, using a mix of anecdotal examples, organizational initiatives, and secondary statistics rather than original empirical research.

On mental health, the paper highlights charity events such as Play with Heart, a Super Smash Bros. tournament that raised $12,443 for the Canadian Mental Health Association in 2019, along with large donations to suicide prevention following the death of streamer Byron "Reckful" Bernstein. It notes that professional organizations, such as Misfits, have begun employing psychologists and extending support to staff as well as players. The paper cites a National Institute of Mental Health figure that roughly 25 to 29 percent of young adults experience at least one mental illness, a population overlapping heavily with the gaming audience.

The discussion of women and diversity draws on examples including Se-yeon "Geguri" Kim's success in the Overwatch League and Sarah "Scarlett" Hostyn's Starcraft II major win, and it points to the fighting game community as comparatively diverse, citing Pakistani Tekken champion Arslan Ash. The evidence is largely drawn from online encyclopedias, news articles, and organizational websites, and the paper's scope is primarily North American and international competitive esports during the late 2010s and early 2020s.