Key structure and processes in esports teams: a systematic review

Abstract

Why are there numerous cases of esports teams with superstar rosters that have failed? This question highlights that having top professional players with extraordinary individual skills may not be enough to achieve success. Since winning is a primary goal, it is crucial to understand all the variables that positively influence performance. While individual performance is critical to success as part of an esports team, team dynamics, structures, and processes also foster group functioning and performance. Thus, this research aims to conduct a systematic review of the team variables involved in the performance of esports teams. For this purpose, we conducted a literature search following the PRISMA guidelines in Science Direct, Web of Science, and PsycInfo databases since 2023. This search resulted in 371 articles, and after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of twenty-three scientific articles were analyzed. The results were grouped under seven main topics: 1) Organigram, 2) Stages of a team, 3) Team structure, 4) Team variables and processes, 5) Leadership, 6) Lack of experience in team integration, and 7) Holistic and integral perspective. To conclude, more research is needed to study the effect of team dynamics in esports, as well as to highlight the role of the psychologist in fostering group dynamics to improve team cohesion, coordination, motivation, performance, and synergy.