Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 7-30-2020 3:30 PM Professional gaming and work: Challenges, trajectories, and labour market impacts amongst professional gamers Michael Haight, The University of Western Ontario Supervisor: Adams, Tracey., The University of Western Ontario : Quan-Haase, Anabel., The University of Western Ontario A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Sociology © Michael Haight 2020 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Other Sociology Commons, and the Work, Economy and Organizations Commons Recommended Citation Haight, Michael, "Professional gaming and work: Challenges, trajectories, and labour market impacts amongst professional gamers" (2020). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 7563. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/7563 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract Over the last decade the popularity of video games has risen tremendously. A new industry around professional gaming has emerged alongside this growth in the popularity of video games. In professional gaming, individuals play video games competitively while their matches and games are streamed online to a global audience. As a result of the growth in the sector, compensation for some individuals has reached well into six and seven figures. Knowledge of these salaries has resulted in an influx of individuals interested in working in professional gaming. This study investigates not only those individuals who play video games professionally, but also those who work in the periphery and infrastructure of the gaming industry. This dissertation critically investigates work in the professional gaming industry drawing on qualitative interview data. Two primary questions are asked: What is the nature of work in professional gaming? What are the experiences of individuals who pursue careers and work in this industry? This exploratory research utilizes thirty-four semi-structured interviews with individuals involved in the professional gaming industry. The participants describe a range of challenges, difficulties, and issues they experience both transitioning into and working in this industry. The results suggest that work in professional gaming is rife with exploitation, precarity, and non-standard work arrangements. Pursuing a career in this industry is difficult, and participants often lack social support during their transition from playing video games as leisure to being employed in professional gaming. This lack of social support is not determinative and the participants often accessed their social capital in other ways in order to succeed. Financial difficulties, geographic challenges, ii and issues with discrimination and sexism were faced by the participants working in this industry. The present study provides important recommendations for future research. Overall, the study sheds new light on the nature of work in this industry – work that many dismiss as simply leisure – revealing tensions, contradictions, and inequalities within it. Keywords Sociology of work; video games; gaming; esports; streaming; Twitch; professional gaming. iii Summary for Lay Audience Over the last decade the popularity of video games has risen tremendously. An entirely new industry around professional gaming has emerged alongside this growth in the popularity of video games. In professional gaming, individuals play video games competitively while their matches and games are streamed online to a global audience. As a result of the growth in professional gaming, compensation for some individuals has reached well into six and seven figures. Knowledge of these salaries has resulted in an influx of individuals interested in work in this sector. This study investigates not only those individuals who play video games professionally, but also those who work other jobs in professional gaming. The participants describe a range of challenges, difficulties, and issues they experience as they transition into and work in this industry. The results suggest that work in professional gaming is rife with exploitation, precarity, and non-standard work arrangements. Pursuing a career in this industry is difficult, and participants often lack social support during their transition from playing video games as leisure to being employed in professional gaming. This lack of social support resulted in participants accessing their social networks in different ways. Financial difficulties, geographic challenges, and issues with discrimination and sexism were faced by the participants working in this industry. The present study provides important recommendations for future research. Overall, the study sheds new light on the nature of work in this industry – work that many dismiss as simply leisure – revealing tensions, contradictions, and inequalities within it. iv Acknowledgments I would like to express my gratitude to those individuals, named and unnamed, who have helped make the completion of this dissertation a reality. Thank you to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for the funding support that I received. I want to extend my thanks to the members of my defense committee. During this difficult and stressful time, your involvement and commitment is greatly appreciated. I also want to say thank you to all of the support staff in Sociology. You do so much work behind the scenes and allow everyone to focus on their work, thank you for all that you do. I would like to thank my supervisors, Dr. Tracey Adams and Dr. Anabel Quan-Haase. Tracey, your guidance and support have been invaluable in the success of this project. Your quick responses, reasoned explanations, and editing of drafts was very much appreciated. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work with you and I truly would not have made it without your support and mentoring. It is difficult to properly convey the level of gratitude I have for your involvement in my journey. I will be forever appreciative. Thank you, Tracey. Anabel, I have worked with you for nearly 10 years and your guidance has always been appreciated. You taught me how to approach academic research and your feedback pushed me to think more critically and expand my methodological toolbox. My graduate school experience would not have been the same without you and for that I am grateful. Your genuine concern for my health and wellbeing was valued. Thank you, Anabel. I also want to thank the faculty at King’s University College. In particular, I want to specifically thank Joe Michalski, Tara Bruno, Christine Lavrence, and Kristin Lozanski. v Your support and advice over the last 10 years with both my research and teaching is greatly appreciated. To my friends, thank you. You have all had an impact on my life and this dissertation. I want to especially thank Shawn Hendrikx, Andrew Nevin, and Beth Torrens. The three of you read drafts, provided comments, and gave feedback. Most of all, you were there to support me. I truly would not have finished but for you being there for me at all hours of the day (and night). Thank you. Darlene Balandin, our friendship started over ten years ago and we became lifelong friends. You have been there for me through so much. I appreciate your emotional support and friendship; I would not be where I am today without you. Thank you. To my partner, Kaila, your patience, love, understanding, and edits helped me push through. You have been there for me twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. (Note: The previous sentence was written pre- COVID-19 quarantine and was meant figuratively. It has taken on a more literal meaning during the final preparations of this dissertation.) I am forever grateful for the support you have shown me throughout this long journey. Both you and Lola made me smile when I wanted to break EndNote, and made sure I made it through. With love, thank you. To my parents: I am done! You have always assisted and supported me. For that I am eternally grateful. You have been incredible role models, and you are both examples of the type of person I hope to become. Your willingness to drop everything and provide help has assisted me throughout the completion of my dissertation more than you can ever know. I would not have finished without you. vi Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... v Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. vii List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... xi List of Appendices ............................................................................................................ xii Chapter 1 ............................................................................................................................. 1 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Contextualizing