Discussions about the impacts of video games on both the personal and social spheres of individuals are quite common. Many studies involving video games have focused on the investigation of their negative effects, especially when related to violent games, while the positive effects remain relatively unexplored (Jones et al., 2014). Additionally, games in the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) genre, a group to which League of Legends belongs and which is currently the most popular, still do not have support of the scientific literature compatible with their importance and scope in terms of number of players and commercial impact (Bertran & Chamarro, 2016). Thus, this research aims to investigate how passion and personality impact the ranking performance of the League of Legends players in Brazil.

League of Legends is a real-time strategy game in the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) genre. At their core, MOBA games consist of two teams of five players competing against each other, with each player controlling a single character (Mora-Cantallops & Sicilia, 2018b). In each League of Legends match, two teams face off on a map called Summoner’s Rift. The objective is to destroy the enemy base called Nexus. To achieve this goal, the five players on each team, usually unknown in the most popular ranked mode, interact with the goal of optimizing resources (gold), building advantages over the opponent’s mistakes and destroying structures, such as towers (which act as a line of defense for the enemy base) and eliminating neutral monsters that reward those who eliminated them with different benefits (Mora-Cantallops & Sicilia, 2018c).

League of Legends is a game that focuses heavily on cooperation and teamwork (Bertran & Chamarro, 2016). In order to achieve victory, each player must perform their individual role well and there must be good teamwork among the team members, as players are interdependent in order to perform their particular task well. In addition, each player can choose a champion (character) from a universe of more than 140 – according to the champions section on the League of Legends website (https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/champions/) – with each champion displaying 4 unique abilities, resulting in a very broad combination of strategy possibilities to achieve the final objective.

The game has a ranking system that classifies each player individually into different Leagues or rankings. The possible classifications, in ascending order of performance or presumed skill, are: unranked, which includes those who do not play competitively; Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Master, Grandmaster and Challenger, the latter being considered the best players in the region. At the end of each match, the system itself evaluates and classifies the player’s performance individually and awards a score in the event of a victory (the so-called league points or LP) or subtracts them in the event of defeats, which allows the players to advance or regress to the different levels (Mora-Cantallops & Sicilia, 2018a; Pereira, 2018).

In order to ensure fair competition, the game’s creators promote a matchmaking system that puts players of similar skill levels against each other (Sapienza et al., 2018). In other words, Platinum League players will not face players ranked in, for example, the Master or Silver Leagues in ranked matches. Thus, in order to sustain progression in the Leagues, which is usually the players’ objective who dedicate themselves to ranked matches, the player must constantly evolve in terms of skill level. This requirement arises from the fact that a player who is positioned in a League, which represents their current skill level, will tend to have a winning percentage close to 50%. When their win rate is below 50%, they tend to move down to lower leagues (where they will face less skilled players) until you reach a balance point, i.e., a win rate per number of matches close to 50% (which indicates that the position you are currently occupying represents your skill level in the game). The opposite happens when the ratio is positive. You tend to move up in the leagues until you find players with similar skill levels, resulting in a win rate of around 50%. In this way, the ranking system in the leagues ends up being a great tool for measuring players’ skills.

In traditional sports, a lot of research has been conducted in an attempt to understand the factors that influence performance. However, in electronic sports or “e-sports”, research is still in its infancy, despite its great popularity (Bertran & Chamarro, 2016). Among these studies, Bertran and Chamarro (2016) attempted to understand the influence of passion on both performance and abusive use (playing as a way to escape reality and other negative consequences) in the game League of Legends. To address the implications of passion on performance, the authors used as a reference the work of Vallerand et al. (2003), creators of the concept of Dualistic Model of Passion, who defined passion as “a strong tendency to perform an activity that pleases the individual, seems important to him or her, and in which he or she invests time and energy” (Bertran & Chamarro, 2016, p. 29).

For an activity to represent a passion, according to Vallerand et al. (2003), it has to be important, in other words, something that people enjoy and spend time on regularly. The authors define two types of passion, Harmonious Passion (HP) and Obsessive Passion (OP), which are distinguished by the way in which the passionate activity is internalized into people’s identity. Passions are internalized into the identity as central or defining characteristics of the self, which results in a self-description that encompasses the activity. For example, many people have a passion for running or swimming. They do not simply run or swim; they are runners or swimmers (Vallerand et al., 2003).

However, there is a difference in how the activity is internalized that allows the distinction between the two types of passion. In HP there is an autonomous internalization of the activity into the person’s identity. That is, the individual freely chose to engage in the activity without any other contingency or coercion. Such internalization causes a motivation for the activity in which it is seen as important, but it does not displace other activities or occupy an oversized role in the identity. Thus, such involvement is in harmony with other aspects of the individual’s life (Vallerand et al., 2003; Vallerand et al., 2006).

In OP, on the other hand, there is a “controlling internalization”. Since internalization originates from interpersonal or intrapersonal pressure resulting from needs such as social acceptance, self-esteem or even the excitement of the activity itself, it becomes uncontrollable. Although individuals enjoy the activity, they feel compelled to engage in it because of these internal contingencies. The activity may end up being beyond the person’s control and become oversized, harming other activities and areas of the individual’s life (Vallerand et al., 2003; Vallerand et al., 2006).

In summary, both types of passion can have consequences resulting from the practice of the activity. However, in HP there are more positive and adaptive consequences, while in OP there is a tendency to have fewer positive effects and, sometimes, maladaptive consequences. In HP, because it provides greater quality in engagement with the activity, there is a tendency to promote higher levels of self-growth. People with obsessive passion, on the other hand, can often feel a sense of insecurity and threat to the self when practicing a passionate activity, due to the nature of internalization. For example, people with OP may perceive damage to their self-esteem when their performance in the passionate activity is poor, as well as experience negative feelings, such as shame or guilt. The reactive style leads them to see failures as threats and not as opportunities for learning (Vallerand, 2015).

Still regarding the two types of passion, Bertran and Chamarro (2016) highlight that in HP the subject may abandon the activity if he/she understands that it is harmful to him/her. In OP, on the other hand, engagement in the activity becomes more rigid and the person tends to maintain the activity even in the absence of positive feelings, which may even result in a deterioration of interpersonal relationships or in the failure to fulfill work obligations.

Vallerand (2015), regarding the Dualistic Model of Passion, also defines that HP and OP are part of a continuum. The internalization of passionate activity is rarely completely autonomous or controlled. Thus, it is possible for both types of passion to coexist in a person, from the moment it is defined that the activity is a passion. In other words, one may experience similar levels of Harmonious Passion and Obsessive Passion for an activity, as if one were in the middle of the continuum, which would define the mixed type, while one of the passions may also predominate over the other (Vallerand, 2015). Thus, it is possible to consider the existence of four possibilities, regarding the passion for the activity that a subject may experience: (a) harmonious passion; (b) obsessive passion; (c) mixed passion (similar levels of OP and HP); and; (d) absence of passion. However, Vallerand (2015) highlights that passion is not an immutable and definitive construct, and it is therefore possible to change from HP to OP, or vice versa, depending on the context or over time.

Regarding the relationship between performance and type of passion, Bertran and Chamarro (2016) hypothesized that OP would be positively related to abusive use of the game League of Legends and performance while HP would be negatively related to abusive use, but positively related to performance. The results of the survey partially confirmed the hypotheses. Players who scored higher in OP presented a higher level of abusive use and better performance, while individuals who were characterized by presenting harmonious passion type had a lower level of negative consequences, but no relationship with performance. Thus, the authors concluded that OP appears as a predictor of maladaptive play, while HP can be considered as a protection against the negative consequences of playing League of Legends.

Regarding the explanation of the results found between passion and performance, Bertran and Chamarro (2016) state that the League of Legends ranking stimulates the purpose of achieving social recognition within the game. Therefore, it should be a primary objective for players with a prevalence of obsessive passion, as social desirability is one of the causes of non-autonomous internalization due to the need to demonstrate competence (Bertran & Chamarro, 2016).

Vallerand et al. (2008) attempted to test the hypothesis derived from the Dualistic Model of Passion regarding the supposed predictive factor of both HP and OP for performance. The research developed involved two distinct studies: the first with high school basketball players, seeking to understand the predictive character of the two types of passion for performance; and the second with water polo and synchronized swimming athletes that replicated study 1, but also investigating the relationship of the two types of passion with subjective well-being and the type of approach in relation to goals.

Vallerand et al. (2008) suggest that in order to achieve high levels of performance in an activity, an active learning process is necessary, the specific objective of which is to improve skills. Among the various works cited that support this hypothesis is the research carried out by Helsen et al. (1998), which found a positive and linear relationship between the accumulation of deliberate practice, an active, highly structured training process aimed at improving skills, and the level of soccer players at state, national and international levels. Since Vallerand et al. (2008) consider passion to be a force that drives the individual to greater deliberate practice, they suggest that passion is essential to achieve high-level performance.

Regarding the passion models, both types of passion will lead to greater deliberate practice, which will consequently affect performance. However, the way in which this deliberate practice occurs tends to be different depending on the type of passion. In HP, it is assumed that there is a coherent process focused on achieving specific objectives characterized by adaptive activities that promote mastery and individual development (Vallerand et al., 2008). On the other hand, in OP, a tendency towards a more conflictive process is assumed, where adaptive/functional strategies would coexist with maladaptive/dysfunctional ones. While HP predicts the use of strategies with the objective of achieving mastery (the evolution of skills for that activity), in OP there may be the adoption of three types of approaches (focused on the search for mastery, focused on performance/results by comparing oneself with others, and adoption of avoidant strategies, due to the fear of failure in the comparative process with other individuals). Thus, the authors suggest that of the three possibilities, only the focus on achieving mastery promotes greater deliberate practice (structured training with the objective of improving skills) and, consequently, improves performance. Therefore, HP would tend to predict better performance, while OP would not necessarily (Vallerand et al., 2008). The results found were consistent with the model created. There was a positive correlation between both types of passion and deliberate practice and performance. Regarding study 2, the research concluded that HP actually predicts a more adaptive and functional process than OP. HP was a predictor only of the approach focused on the pursuit of mastery, while OP was a predictor of the three types of approach, including the performance-avoidant approach that showed a negative correlation with performance. Furthermore, HP was positively associated with subjective well-being while OP was not.

Vallerand et al. (2008) discussed the results of the survey, presenting two possible paths. The first, originating from a HP, promotes an attempt to achieve mastery in the activity. This focus would lead the person to seek an improvement in their skills, and deliberate practice would result in an evolution in performance. Furthermore, this path is fully compatible with subjective well-being. The second, on the other hand, originates from an OP through the activity that is more winding due to the coexistence of adaptive and maladaptive strategies. This path would, therefore, be less optimal and with less possibility of satisfaction.

Thus, based on the studies considered, the present research hypothesizes that: (1) Obsessive passion will be associated with improved performance between the 2018 and 2020 seasons − both due to the importance attributed to social recognition by individuals with high OP and possibly satisfied in the ranking classification, and due to greater deliberate practice and; (2) Harmonious passion predicts improved performance − due to greater deliberate practice, use of more adaptive strategies and search for mastery.

Derived from the lexical hypothesis, a theory that argues that important personality traits would eventually become descriptors incorporated into language, the Big Five Personality Factor Model emerged. The Big Five model has become a consensus among researchers as being an adequate representation of personality structure (Pereira, 2018).

For Hauck Filho et al. (2012), the five fundamental dimensions are: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness. Individuals with high scores in extroversion are characterized by being assertive, socially active, communicative and reinforced by positive emotions. Pereira (2018) highlights that, at the other extreme, there are quiet and withdrawn individuals. Socializing or agreeableness characterizes individuals with pro-social tendencies, such as loyalty, generosity, flexibility and altruism. On the opposite side of the continuum are individuals who demonstrate indifference, selfishness, cynicism and envy. Conscientiousness involves aspects such as competence, determination, organization, discipline, persistence and impulse control. Low scores indicate negligence, irresponsibility and careless individuals. Neuroticism or emotional instability characterizes individuals with a tendency to experience anxiety, hostility, anger, depression, impulsivity, maladaptive coping strategies and negative affects in general. A low score on neuroticism indicates that individuals are calm, content, and emotionally stable. Finally, openness encompasses aspects such as intellectual curiosity, creativity, flexibility regarding personal beliefs, and appreciation for complexity and new and unconventional experiences. On the other side of the spectrum are individuals who prefer simplicity and the ordinary (Allen et al., 2011; Hauck Filho et al., 2012; Pereira, 2018).

A study that sought to identify the associations between personality, sports participation and success as an athlete showed that high-level athletes score higher in each of the personality dimensions, except openness, when compared to “non-athletes”, while lower-level athletes presented higher scores than “non-athletes” only in extroversion and agreeableness (Steca et al., 2018). In addition, conscientiousness and emotional stability (low neuroticism) differed only between “non-athletes” and high-level athletes, indicating that these dimensions are more associated with athletic success than with sports participation. Thus, regarding the association between personality and sports success, the results indicated that the most successful athletes score significantly higher in agreeableness, conscientiousness and are more emotionally stable than less successful athletes (Steca et al., 2018).

The association between personality traits and performance in electronic sports or e-sports was investigated by Matuszewski et al. (2020). These investigators used a sample of 206 League of Legends players and considered the ranking in the game itself as a measure of performance, dividing the sample into two groups: players positioned at the top of the ranking (therefore, with better performance) and players positioned at the lower strata in the ranking.

The authors point out that some research on traditional sports has shown associations between extroversion and performance, conscientiousness as a predictor of sports success, and the combination of high conscientiousness and low neuroticism as a predictor of performance, in addition to this combination characterizing athletes who compete at higher levels (nationally and internationally). They also add that two studies have indicated that superior athletes have high scores in conscientiousness and socialization, as well as low neuroticism (Matuszewski et al., 2020).

The results indicated a significant difference between players in the lower rankings and those in the higher rankings, regarding personality factors. Players within the low-performance group presented significantly higher scores in extroversion and agreeableness, as well as lower scores in openness (Matuszewski et al., 2020). Due to the cooperative nature of League of Legends, a positive association between performance and extroversion and agreeableness was expected, which was not confirmed.

For Matuszewski et al. (2020), the low scores in socialization and extroversion can be explained by the nature of the ranking measure. Although the game is cooperative, climbing the ranking is an individual’s quality. Thus, it is possible that those players who are more focused on themselves during the game are more likely to adopt an individualistic mentality, assuming full responsibility for the outcome of the match. After all, although the League of Legends is a cooperative game, in the most popular ranked mode, teammates are not chosen. Consequently, there is a high degree of variation in terms of team performance in each match. Thus, a more self-centered approach to the game, focused more on individual performance, may be a good strategy, in the long term, to reach higher positions.

Regarding the personality factor openness, which was more prominent in the group of higher-ranked players, people with higher scores in openness tend to be more flexible and creative. In the context of the League of Legends, where the game is constantly changing and requires players to be able to adapt, players with low scores in openness may have difficulty dealing with such demands and, consequently, perform worse (Matuszewski et al., 2020).

Regarding neuroticism, the study did not show significant results with performance. For Matuszewski et al. (2020), a possible explanation for the lack of associations may be that the sample was comprised of non-professional competitors. Therefore, they would not experience the same level of pressure, in relation to performance, when compared to professional athletes. Thus, perhaps low neuroticism is a crucial characteristic for professional athletes, but not so important for ranked competitors, the same being true for the lack of association involving conscientiousness (Matuszewski et al., 2020).

Thus, considering the studies cited, our study r hypothesizes that: (3) High neuroticism predicts a worsening in the ranking classification between the 2018 and 2020 seasons and; (4) openness, socialization, conscientiousness and extroversion will predict an improvement in the ranking classification.

Still regarding the game, its competitive model is organized in seasons, which usually start at the beginning of each year and end at the end of it, but the system that guides the competition, the ELO, does not restart each season. The ELO is a system used in games such as chess to mainly measure performance, classify in rankings and pair opponents. In League of Legends, it has the same function (Li et al., 2020). Therefore, it was decided to evaluate the performance of the participants between seasons 8 and 10, in order to promote results that are more consistent with the game’s competitive dynamics and the ELO system. For example, a player who was a challenger in the previous season will return to that classification much more quickly than a player who leaves platinum and tries to climb to that position, as his ELO continues to be higher even with the start of a new season, since it is not reset.

Additionally, the learning curve, due to the complexity of the game, makes it extremely rare for a player with 1 year of experience, for example, to be ranked in the most advanced positions. Thus, when comparing seasons 8 and 10, it becomes possible to identify the factors that imply in the improvement or worsening of performance throughout the seasons, making the analysis of the factors that influence performance more precise, both by expanding the time frame and greater adaptation to the ELO system, and by homogenizing the sample by removing players with little experience and knowledge of the game who could impact the validity of the results.