Professional gamers use social media to build careers – and push for change

A new study by MMTC member Adele Berndt Opens in new window. explores how professional gamers use Twitter/X for much more than promoting their gaming careers – including entrepreneurship, professional identity-building and raising awareness of social and gaming-related issues.

Published in the Journal of Media Business Studies Opens in new window., “Professional gamers on Twitter/X: tweeting for change” examines the motivations behind professional gamers’ use of social media.

Drawing on an analysis of 23,356 tweets from South African professional gamers, Adele identifies social interaction, information sharing and promotion as important motivations for using X. The research also reveals three additional motivations: sharing personal opinions, pursuing entrepreneurial activities and addressing gaming-related issues.

From professional players to media actors

The findings illustrate how the changing esports landscape is expanding the role of professional gamers. Players use social media to communicate directly with fans and other gamers, promote teams and sponsors, develop their professional identities and explore opportunities that can support their careers both within and beyond competitive gaming.

Importantly, their influence can also extend beyond commercial and professional activities. The study finds examples of gamers using X to highlight social causes and issues within gaming, including toxicity, bullying and racism, and to encourage their followers to support particular causes.

This provides another perspective on transformation within contemporary media and esports. As gaming has developed into a professional and increasingly complex media industry, professional gamers are not simply participants within it. They also create and distribute media content, build audiences and networks, develop commercial opportunities, and contribute to conversations that can influence gaming communities and wider society.

The study contributes to understanding esports as an evolving media and business environment, while also extending research beyond the geographical contexts that have traditionally dominated esports scholarship.