Affect and Performance across Double-Elimination Tournaments: A Field Study of Super Smash Bros Competitors

Abstract

Esports provide an opportunity to study the relationship between affect and competitive performance in highly structured yet ecologically valid environments. In this study, we examine self-ratings of affect, performance pressure, and self-other focus within 90 competitors over the course of 327 sets of games in national-level Super Smash Bros tournaments. Within competitors, higher arousal is associated with loss in the next tournament set, even when controlling for known predictors of outcome such as competitor and opponent skill levels, time, and the random effect of competitor. Mediation analyses suggest that perceived performance pressure does not cause increased arousal leading to loss, nor does increased arousal lead to elevated self-focus. In all, esports competitors may benefit from emotion regulation skills training to down-regulate arousal and optimize performance. To conclude we consider the role of double-elimination tournament structure in shaping the affective experiences of competitors.