This study investigates a novel form of digitally mediated labor in the esports industry: professional game companions, through the lens of experiential marketing, examining how technique-oriented and entertainment-oriented companions sustain career stability by leveraging both functional and experiential values. Using qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews with 16 professional League of Legends companions and virtual ethnography, the research reveals distinct strategies between the two groups. Technique-oriented companions attract and retain clients by showcasing gaming expertise and adapting rapidly to patch updates, while entertainment-oriented companions rely on image construction and emotional labor to meet customers’ social and affective needs. The findings extend esports professionalization and experiential marketing research by focusing on non-elite esports digital labor. Practical implications suggest that platforms should offer differentiated training and support: Technique-oriented companions need to enhance social and communicative skills, whereas entertainment-oriented companions should strengthen gameplay abilities. Such measures may improve occupational resilience and contribute to the sustainable development of the esports companionship industry.
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Share and Cite
Gou, W., Lefebvre, F., Recours, R., Yang, J. (2025) Experiential Marketing in the Esports Industry: How Technique-oriented and Entertainment-oriented Game Companions Sustain Career Stability. Journal of Social Development and History, 1(6), 107-117.