Sexism in esports: How male and female players evaluate each others’ performance and agency

While equality and inclusivity are promoted in the realm of video gaming, most gamer communities remain male-dominated, which may give rise to prejudices against female players and their skill among gamer and the general public. In this study, we conducted two experiments where we measured how participants evaluate players’ performance and agency attributions. We used two distinct experimental manipulations—one utilizing videos of players playing (n = 312) and the other using narrative vignettes (n = 338). We found that performance of male players’, to a limited extent, can be attributed to the gaming outcomes compared pre-existing social preconceptions about them and other variables. Female players’ performance assessment was mostly strongly predicted by pre-existing social sex-related prejudice against females, albeit not directly, but through percieved agency of the female players’. These results contribute to the literature on gaming-related stereotypes by enhancing the understanding of societal prejudices in the evaluation of players’ skills. • Females are generally seen as worse gamers, especially by other female gamers. • Males’ gaming skills are judged more on outcomes than females’. • Females’ gaming skills are judged more on stereotypes than on outcomes. • Female gamers face prejudice in skill evaluations, mainly from other females.