ERNC 2021 – Esports Research Network Conference
Conference Overview
The first Esports Research Network Conference (ERNC 2021) was hosted by the Esports Research Network in collaboration with the Institut des Sciences du Sport-Santé (I3SP) at the University of Paris. The conference took place online on 9–10 December 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and brought together an international and multidisciplinary community of researchers, students, and industry professionals. Across two days, ERNC 2021 featured 104 authors and speakers, 638 registered attendees, and reached more than 2,300 unique viewers worldwide.
Theme and Contributions
ERNC 2021 focused on Esports Health and Well-being Management, addressing physical, mental, and social dimensions of health within competitive gaming. The conference positioned esports as both a high-performance environment and a lens through which broader questions of health, wellbeing, and sustainability in digital society can be examined.
Contributions explored physical health topics such as injury prevalence, musculoskeletal strain, physical activity, sleep, recovery, and nutrition in esports contexts. Several sessions addressed the physiological demands of esports participation and the development of health-oriented training and prevention strategies tailored to competitive gaming environments.
Mental health and psychosocial dimensions formed a central pillar of the programme. Presentations examined stress, coping, performance psychology, emotional regulation, motivation, and wellbeing across amateur, elite, and professional esports. Particular attention was given to the distinction between intensive play and problematic gaming, as well as to the implications of high-performance cultures for mental health support structures.
Social health, education, and governance perspectives complemented these discussions. Contributions addressed inclusion, equity, parental environments, identity, peer communities, and educational pathways in esports. By combining empirical research with applied perspectives, the conference fostered dialogue across disciplines and sectors and highlighted esports as a future-oriented field for health research in digital society.
Keynotes and Panels
ERNC 2021 featured two international keynote addresses that framed the conference’s focus on health and wellbeing from applied and scientific perspectives. Joanne Donoghue addressed esports health management beyond exercise, highlighting injury prevention, health myths, and future research directions. Ismael Pedraza-Ramirez drew on his scientist–practitioner experience to discuss wellbeing and performance in high-performance esports teams, emphasising the integration of research and applied practice.
The conference included four expert panels designed to bring together academic researchers, health professionals, industry practitioners, parents, and professional players. The Esports and Physical Health panel featured Dr. Lindsey “GamerDoc” Migliore, Dr. Caitlin McGee, and professional coach Jacob “Jake” Lyon, moderated by Dr. Seth E. Jenny. The Esports Nutrition panel included Anton “Foxy1” Mihailov, Jessica Turner, and Stephanie “missharvey” Harvey, moderated by Dr. Stephanie Orme. The Mental Health in Esports panel brought together Martina Čubrić, Mia Stellberg, and professional player Sébastien “Ceb” Debs, moderated by Dr. Tobias Scholz. The Esports and Parental Environmentpanel featured Shae “Shaemmon” Williams, Koen “Koenz” Schobbers, and Michael “CAPS.dad” Winther, moderated by Dr. Brian McCauley. Together, these panels reinforced the conference’s commitment to interdisciplinary and practice-oriented exchange.
Media and Recordings
All sessions of ERNC 2021 were recorded and are publicly available via the official ERNC YouTube playlist, enabling continued access to keynotes, panels, and presentations.
Sponsors and Partners
In addition to I3SP, ERNC 2021 was supported by Ubisoft, France Esports, and We Are Esport. Their support contributed to the delivery, visibility, and international reach of the conference.
Conference Chair
Nicolas Besombes
University of Paris, France
Organising Committee
Bernard Andrieu (University of Paris, France); Iman Nefil (University of Paris, France); Marie Agostinucci (University of Lorraine, France); Marie-Philippine Seba (PhD Candidate, University of Paris, France); Hajer Rmadi (PhD Candidate, University of Paris, France); Gaëtan Guironnet (PhD Candidate, University of Paris, France); Jolan Praud (MSc Student, University of Poitiers, France).
Scientific Committee
Tobias Scholz (University of Siegen, Germany); Sylvain Laborde (University of Cologne, Germany); Laurent Bosquet (University of Poitiers, France); Seth E. Jenny (Slippery Rock University, United States); Stephanie Orme (Emmanuel College, United States); Andy Miah (University of Salford, United Kingdom); Juho Hamari (Tampere University, Finland); Bernard Andrieu (University of Paris, France); Maria Törhönen (Tampere University, Finland); Brian McCauley (Jönköping University, Sweden); William Partin (University of North Carolina, United States).