No. 10, pp. 33–33

Received: 20.05.2026 | Published: 04.10.2026

CC BY 4.0

Keywords: sport, socialization of athletes, digital sport, phygital games, esports.

Introduction. The formation of an activity such as digital sport allows for the adaptation and realization of potential opportunities at a fundamentally new level, as the virtual space creates its own field of possible scenarios for the development of the personality and social groups of athletes involved in digital competitions.
Aim of the study: to identify the features of the socialization of athletes engaged in digital sport.
Methods and organization of the study. The scientific work was conducted in 2026, involving 150 athletes participating in phygital games for three years or more. Of these, 45 were female and 105 were male, aged 18 to 25 years. The analysis of participants was carried out through phygital game player communities on the VKontakte social network.
Results of the study and their discussion. During the audience research, it was revealed that young people love playing video games (virtuality and digitalization cannot be reversed), so it is possible and necessary to engage young people, giving them opportunities to develop volitional qualities, perseverance, striving for victory, etc. - 22%. The second point is spectacle (28%). Spectacle in the digital space leads to the ability to gather an audience from all over the world. This can be a way of earning money (advertising, sale of related accessories, digital programs, etc.). This is the audience attention that is attracted to the digital space. For the participants themselves, this can be an opportunity to earn quite well, to acquire their own financial and social capital - 27%. This is especially evident when not only athletes compete, but also robots, software developments, drones, etc. In addition, esports is a tool of politics (23%). The ability to conduct phygital games bypassing sanctions and restrictions creates conditions for shaping the image and reputation of the country. This is an analogue of the Olympic Games, which does not compete with them, but allows earning points in favor of athletes and the country without the use of political levers.
Conclusions. The socialization of esports participants, in particular phygital games, allows them to acquire their own personal social capital, to be confident in themselves and their future within digital sport and beyond it. Athletes see resources and opportunities for their personal and team growth, which allows for the expansion of this direction in our country.

References

1. Polyushkevich O.A. Patriotizm i sport v prosotsialnoy aktivnosti molodezhi [Patriotism and sport in the prosocial activity of youth]. Teoriya i praktika fizicheskoy kultury. 2025. No. 10. P. 41.