Enhanced Esports: Community Perspectives on Performance Enhancers in Competitive Gaming

This work explores perceptions of performance enhancer usage in esports. Specifically, we explored the perception of: food and supplements; non-medical use prescription drugs; drugs with some social acceptance (e.g. alcohol, nicotine, cannabis); lower (e.g., psychedelics, opioids); non-invasive brain stimulation transcranial direct current stimulation). A mixed-methods approach was used to triangulate findings around three data sets, including both prompted unprompted online forum comments, as well survey data. The studies evidence that players are willing or already using enhancers increase their in-game performance, generally concerned about professional esports contexts. Furthermore, community perceives a substantial number e-athletes enhancers. core contribution this is comprehensive investigation into perspectives enhancement, which highlights urgent need for further research, regulation by leagues.