Defining Tilt in Esports: A Review

The purpose of this review is to examine and interpret the current literature on the phenomenon known as “tilt” in esports. The term tilt originates from the game of pinball but has been used to describe poker players and more recently been adopted by esports athletes. Tilt in esports is described as becoming frustrated and making poor gameplay decisions based on perceived injustices and has been a topic of interest within the esports community for some time. While the current literature offers common definitions for tilt in esports, the authors of this review recommend further exploration of the relationships between various psychological variables, physiological variables, and tilt to inform and improve interventions for players.