Psychological and Behavioral Effects of League of Legends Rank System for Italian Competitive Players

Abstract

This study presents the relationships between levels of toxicity, validation-seeking behavior, emotional affectivity, and desire to quit at higher ranks in the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, namely League of Legends. Analysis of data collected from Italian participants (N= 370) supports positive correlations between rank and toxicity, rank and validation-seeking behavior, and rank and positive emotion affectivity. In addition, higher ranks are associated with a reduced desire to quit the game caused by toxic behavior. These findings underline the importance of supporting positive interactions between players and intervention programmes to tackle toxic behavior in competitive gaming environments.