Indexing league of legends performance: A systematic review and focus group study

Sharpe, B. T., Nicholson, M., Leis, O., Poulus, D., Birch, P. D. J. and McNulty, C. (2025) Indexing league of legends performance: A systematic review and focus group study. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. pp. 1-13. ISSN 2048-397X

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Abstract

This study investigates competitive League of Legends performance indicators through systematic review and focus group analysis. A review of 15 studies identified 87 performance variables across eight domains: game metrics, skill, cognition, strategy, awareness, knowledge, vigilance, and physical/physiological factors. Focus groups with panellists consisting of competitive players ( n = 15) from university, national, and international levels led to the construction of crucial insights: performance measurement should be role-specific; traditional statistics provide incomplete assessment without context; team synergy often supersedes individual skill; both consistency and peak performance represent distinct aspects of effectiveness; and evaluation criteria vary across competitive contexts. The findings suggest League of Legends performance is best conceptualised as an integrated dynamic system rather than isolated variables, challenging researchers to develop more sophisticated methodological approaches. The disconnection between statistical measures and player-perceived performance indicators highlights the need for multidimensional assessment frameworks that integrate objective metrics with subjective expertise. Future research should explore role-specific performance parameters, longitudinal tracking across competitive seasons, and advanced statistical techniques to test hierarchical relationships between cognitive capacities, skill execution, and performance outcomes.

Publication Type: Articles
Additional Information: cognition, esports, game metrics, skill, team dynamics, vigilance
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV1199 Games and amusements > GV1469.15 Computer games. Video games. Fantasy games
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV557 Sports
Divisions: Academic Areas > Institute of Education, Social and Life Sciences > Psychology
Academic Areas > Institute of Sport
Research Entities > Centre for Health and Allied Sport and Exercise Science Research (CHASER)
Research Entities > POWER Centre
SWORD Depositor: Publications Router Jisc
Depositing User: Publications Router Jisc
Date Deposited: 02 Dec 2025 15:56
Last Modified: 02 Dec 2025 15:56
URI: https://eprints.chi.ac.uk/id/eprint/8284

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