A Mixed Methods Investigation into the Social Impact of Small-Scale Esports Events

A mixed-methods investigation examines the social impact of three small-scale esports events hosted at The Hague University of Applied Sciences between 2024 and 2025. Its central proposition is that modest, university-based esports gatherings can meaningfully strengthen community involvement, social cohesion, and inclusivity. The study combines survey responses from 157 attendees, predominantly men aged 17 to 22, with eight semi-structured interviews conducted after the first event, to assess inclusivity, social interaction, and integration within the student population.

Survey findings show strong agreement that the events build community, with a mean rating of 4.04 out of 5, and broaden participants' professional and social networks, with a mean of 3.87 out of 5. Interest in attending future events was notably higher among men than women, at 34 percent versus 19 percent, and among those who regularly watch professional esports, at 48 percent versus 11 percent. Interview participants described the events as welcoming and diverse, emphasizing belonging, socialization, and networking. Their accounts, however, draw on a single organizer's perspective, and the reported demographic differences receive limited statistical testing.

The authors conclude that these small events produce social cohesion, inclusivity, and social capital comparable to those associated with traditional sports, and they suggest such benefits can support both competitive performance and participant wellbeing. They also assert gains in empathy and long-term relationship-building. These claims, however, rest on a single-institution context, a small qualitative sample without follow-up after the first event, a male-skewed and student-dominated participant base, and possible self-selection bias. The study is therefore best understood as exploratory, and the authors call for larger, longitudinal, and more diverse research comparing esports with traditional sports.