82% of student esports players more likely to participate in other team sports, finds Ukie Digital Schoolhouse study

UK games industry trade body Ukie has launched a study exploring how participating in esports can positively affect children and schools.
The research, titled ‘Esports: Engaging Education’, was based on results from the Digital Schoolhouse (DSH) Esports Tournament. Research was conducted by Staffordshire University, supported by Newman University, and was based on results from the Digital Schoolhouse Esports Tournament this year.
More than 2,000 students aged 12 to 18 from 20 schools across the UK took part, either as players or as part of the school’s event management team.
The survey found that 82% of players say they’re more likely to participate in other team sports as a result of taking part in the DSH esports tournament.
94% said that taking part in the tournament made them more interested in computers/computing, while 88% of students said it made them more interested in a career in games.
 

“With the skills gap we face in the UK, this study shows that esports can be an important bridge for introducing young people to important skills through games and interactive entertainment.”
Dr Jo Twist, Ukie

 
The study also saw improvements in skills such as teamwork (80%), communication (74%), improved confidence skills as well as stronger friendship bonds over the course of the tournament (67%).
Ukie CEO Dr Jo Twist OBE said: “The report on the Digital Schoolhouse Esports Tournament shows the meaningful impact games and esports can have on confidence levels, communication skills and interest in jobs of the future.
“With the skills gap we face in the UK, this study shows that esports can be an important bridge for introducing young people to important skills through games and interactive entertainment.”
The esports report was revealed at Ukie’s annual general meeting (AGM) at EGX in Birmingham this week.
Ukie also announced its latest board members at the AGM, including esports execs such as Veronique Lallier from Hi Rez Studios and Andy Payne OBE from the British Esports Association, among others.
Ukie listed its new members too, which include a variety of esports companies such as Dexerto, National Student Esports, Edge Esports, epic.LAN and more.
Finally, Ukie announced a ’30 Years of Play’ initiative, celebrating its 30th birthday with a year’s worth of activities to showcase the positives of and the culture within the games industry.
The full esports report can be found here.

Dom Sacco

Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.

As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.