Transfer-Related Cognitive and Learning Profiles Across Predominant MOBA Roles in Novice Esports Players

Esports research increasingly recognizes that multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games contain differentiated team roles, yet it remains unclear whether these role differences correspond to cognitive and learning-related profiles beyond immediate gameplay. This exploratory secondary analysis examined whether naturally emerging predominant roles were associated with post-intervention transfer-related outcomes among novice League of Legends players. Here, transfer-related refers to outcomes assessed beyond immediate gameplay and does not imply causal demonstration of transfer. Data came from the experimental arm of an eight-week quasi-experimental intervention requiring at least 18 hours of gameplay. Of 42 experimental participants, one predominantly played jungle and was excluded because this created a single-participant category. The final sample comprised 41 undergraduates classified as top lane (n = 5), mid lane (n = 15), marksman/ADC (n = 12), or support (n = 9). Outcomes included EEG-based attention-related engagement, working-memory-related theta activity, and theta/alpha-based cognitive load recorded during a standardized dual n-back task, together with 21st-century learner skills and content-specific learning performance. After z-standardization, Euclidean distances were analyzed using PERMANOVA with 9,999 permutations, principal coordinates analysis, and a multivariate dispersion diagnostic. The omnibus PERMANOVA did not detect statistically significant role-based differentiation, pseudo-F(3, 37) = 0.941, p = .526, R² = .071. PCoA showed substantial overlap, no statistically detectable dispersion differences were found, and the baseline sensitivity analysis was non-significant. These findings suggest that functional role differentiation within MOBA gameplay should not be assumed to produce corresponding differentiation in transfer-related outcomes among novice players with relatively short role exposure.