Esports has emerged as a thriving subculture within colleges and universities on the island of Ireland, as revealed by the recent Ireland Esports Collegiate Series survey. The study delves into various aspects, including demographics, study backgrounds, working insights, student esports insights, lifestyles, and esports preferences, providing valuable insights into the growing trend of competitive gaming in theIrish academic sphere.
“These survey findings demonstrate the depth of insight we’re now starting to unlock from the Irish third level student community, highlighting the positive impact esports has on their personal and social development,” says Kurt Pittman, Nativz Gaming’s Founder & CEO.
“With the Ireland Esports Collegiate Series as a driving force, the future of esports within the academic community on the island of Ireland appears promising and dynamic. We’re certainly looking forward to building on this insight during the coming academic year.”
The 2023/24 Ireland Esports Collegiate Series launches next week, outlining improvements, new opportunities and key dates as registrations commence for the Winter Semester.
Demographics:
The survey encompassed a diverse group of participants, with 71% falling within the age range of 18 to 21 years, while24% were aged between 22 to 25 years. The gender split was predominantly male, accounting for 82.5% of respondents, with females comprising 17.5%. Regarding ethnicity, the majority of participants identified as White Irish (76%), followed by 14% of Asian background, and 8% belonging to other mixed backgrounds.
Study Background:
The survey showcased a strong representation of local students, with 82.5% hailing from the Republic ofIreland (ROI), and 6.3% from Northern Ireland (NI). Notably, 11.1% of respondents were international students, while none were from Great Britain. Among student origins, Dublin emerged as the dominant region with 27% representation, while both Cork and international students accounted for 9.5% each.
Working Insights:
The survey also shed light on the future career paths of students. A considerable 55.6% of respondents expressed their intention to enter full-time work after graduation. Meanwhile, 20.6% remained undecided, and 15.9% aspired to continue their studies.
Student Esports Insights:
The survey noted that 57% of students participated in esports before commencing their studies.
Key factors driving the growth of local esports communities included student awareness of collegiate esports (67%), access to kit and equipment, access to rooms and venues, and a positive perception of gaming, all ranked as fairly or very important by 63% of respondents.
A notable finding was that 93.7% of respondents felt that collegiate esports had positively contributed to the development of their social skills. Additionally, 47.6% believed that it had improved their esports industry-specific skills, and 33% acknowledged its impact on their career skills.
Lifestyles:
The survey also explored students' lifestyles, revealing that 71.4% engaged in physical activities on three or more days per week. Walking, working out, running, team sports, and cycling were the top five physical activities they participated in.
Beyond studying and esports, students spent their leisure time on various activities, including watching content, spending time with friends, listening to music, paid/unpaid work, and playing sports or exercising.
Esports Activity and Preferences:
An overwhelming 90.5% of students participated exclusively in what is now known as the Ireland Esports Collegiate Series. Among those who competed outside of the series, 42.9% engaged in non-Collegiate amateur tournaments, while 4.8% participated in semi-professional level competitions.
When it comes to esports broadcasts, college-only competitions (84.1%) and professional-level events (81%) garnered the most engagement. Watching other collegiate regions, semi-professional level competitions, and non-collegiate amateur events also garnered significant attention.
The survey emphasised that the primary motivation for student participation in esports was improvement and becoming better players (63%), closely followed by making and maintaining friendships (57%).
Moreover, a notable proportion (39.7%) of respondents acknowledged that involvement in collegiate esports played a role in maintaining positive mental health, while 41.3% felt that it contributed "somewhat" to their well-being. Conversely, 9.5% were unsure about its impact, and another 9.5% did not perceive any positive mental health effects.
The sample size reflects 10% of registered participants and was taken from the first survey of this kind for collegiate esports in Ireland. For further information in relation to the Ireland Esports Collegiate Series please email collegiate@nativz.gg.
About Ireland Collegiate (powered by Nativz)
The 2023/24 Ireland Esports Collegiate Series is made up of 8 weeks of games and play-offs, followed by a final’s day in the Winter Semester. This is repeated again in the Spring Semester. Students will register to play in one or more of six titles in the 2023/24 Series.
Last academic year titles for teams to register in were League of Legends, Valorant, CSGO and Rocket League plus individuals could register to compete in Formula 1.
During the series each University and College will generate points from their respective teams across the titles played. These points will determine the overall table. The top two institutions field a team in each title to compete in the Ireland Esports Collegiate Challenge, the culmination of the series that will determine who the top University or College is for the series.
Find further information at www.irelandcollegiate.com
