#ENHANCE – The Social Side of eSports

🎯 Main Purpose

In contemporary societies, video gaming fulfils several functions promoting social interaction, health, well-being and unique experiences. At the same time that the eSports environment contributes to social benefits, it also provides various risks to the young community because of mocking, insulting, racism, homophobic comments and hate speech. Despite millions of Europeans playing several online games, the impact of video gaming on European culture and society, including their social value and risks, has not been thoroughly explored. Therefore, we need to further help the eSports community in ways which are compatible with the social capital and well-being of players, by reducing toxic behaviours and promoting prosocial behaviours through social connected education.

🧩 What is ENHANCE?

ENHANCE aims to develop a structured model to:

• Analyse social risks and benefits of gaming
• Raise awareness within youth gaming communities
• Support young players in shaping future careers and creating social value

👥 Target Groups

• 🎮 Young players aged 16–26
• 🧑‍⚖️ Decision makers and policymakers
• 🕹️ Game developers and publishers

✅ Specific Objectives

1. 🔍 Identifying social risks and benefits of eSports through in-depth analysis of the scientific literature, and the study of European youth player community
2. 📢 Raising awareness among youth players, decision makers, and stakeholders about the social side of eSports and its impact on careers and value creation
3. 🛡️ Intervening to prevent toxic behaviours and promote prosocial behaviours through education

📦 Project Outputs

1. 📄 Research & Dissemination
   • Scientific papers
   • Reports
   • Policy recommendations
   • International Conference
2. 💻 MOOC & Open Learning Platform
   • Free online course for social education in eSports
   • Open-access repository of learning materials
   • Ethical and inclusive code of conduct for the eSports community
3. 🕹️ Simulation Game-Based Training
   • Training package for reducing toxic behaviours and promoting social awareness
4. 🧰 Toolkit with Policy & Practice Recommendations
   • Actionable tools and guidelines for institutions and industry professionals

🔗 Stay Connected

🌐 Website coming soon
📘 Follow us on social media