Investigation of factors contributing to university students' addiction to esports games

Background: Many young people spend a significant amount of time playing esports and video games during the day and meet their social and psychological needs on these platforms. This situation can lead to people developing an addiction to esports games over time. This situation brings about many problems, notably the gradual isolation of individuals from social life over time. Especially during university years, many individuals turn to esports games as a way to escape from various issues. There could be numerous reasons for this inclination.<br /> Objective: This study aimed to uncover the factors contributing to university students' addiction to esports games.<br /> Methods: The study utilized the Q Method, incorporating qualitative and quantitative research features. Twenty-six university students who play games for at least 21-24 hours a week were included in the study group. The study group was determined using the snowball sampling method. The principal component analysis method was used to analyze the data.<br /> Results: The factors that contribute towards university students' addiction to esports games are wanting to socialize and make new friends, wanting to be a professional-level esports player and earning money by sharing game videos on social media.<br /> Conclusions: The study's findings suggest that various factors, including psychological, economic, social, and professional aspirations, contribute to esports addiction. It was also shown that there are individual benefits that contribute to the formation of addiction to these games, as well as the potential harm that esports games can cause to individuals.