What explains the next level of gaming? An experience-anticipation model for amateur esports participation

Esports is a professionalized form of organized video game competition. Despite professional esports as the current dominant mode, amateur esports is emerging as the next level of gaming for mass gamers. The prosperity of amateur esports is critical for the whole esports market's sustainable success. Active participation among mass gamers is the key to achieving a high popularity of amateur esports. However, little is known about what factors explain mass gamers' participation in amateur esports. To bridge this gap, an experience-anticipation model was built to investigate the roles of (1) in-game experience and (2) future-oriented factor in mass gamers' amateur esports participation. Results indicate that not all in-game experiences impact amateur esports participation. Immersion significantly influences participation, but enjoyment does not. Notably, mass gamers' anticipation concerning the future of esports (a specific future-oriented factor) plays a crucial role in participation. The experience-anticipation model has implications for both research and practice.