Gen Z would like esports and professional gaming taught in school, study finds

Q: What concerns or objections from older generations have been documented, and how have institutions addressed them when introducing esports education?

The primary article documents that older generations are less supportive of esports education, with support falling from 72% among Gen Z in Australia to 52% for Millennials, 39% for Gen X, and about 25% for Baby Boomers, indicating skepticism or reluctance from older cohorts. Institutions are responding by advocating for more educational pathways and noting the need for the Australian education system to adapt to offer formal courses and studies in esports to legitimize and prepare students for these careers.

72% of Australia's Gen Z would like to see formal educational pathways for esports careers, while 57% want gaming to join regular sports at school.

VIEW GALLERY - 3

Kosta Andreadis

Senior Editor

Published Jul 6, 2026 2:34 AM CDT

2-minute read time

TL;DR: A study shows 72% of Australia's Gen Z supports formal education pathways for esports careers, with 57% wanting gaming taught like traditional sports in schools. Support decreases with older generations, highlighting a generational divide on recognizing esports as a legitimate career and educational subject.

Voice: Kosta AndreadisSpeed

0:00 / 3:22

Should there be a formal pathway to a career in esports and professional gaming? That is, courses and studies offered at colleges, universities, and other specialized educational institutions focused on esports and professional gaming. With several esports competitions culminating in intense showdowns in large stadiums the world over, with countless fans watching and participating in much the same way as at other sporting events, this question is, in a sense, also about legitimizing and accepting professional gaming as a viable career path.

Gen Z would like esports and professional gaming taught in school, study finds 1

VIEW GALLERY - 3 IMAGES

A new study commissioned by Logitech G in partnership with Censuswide has conducted a global survey to answer this very question. And yes, per the headline, Gen Z supports teaching gaming in classrooms. The 18,000-person study was conducted across a wide range of countries. Although the numbers vary, the majority of Gen Z are in favor of having a pathway to building an esports or professional gaming career. And for reference, Gen Z refers to those born between 1997 and 2012.

Looking at the data, 93% of Gen Z Chinese participants support educational pathways for esports and gaming professionals, with around 83% of Swiss and Brazilians feeling the same. 72% of Australia's Gen Z participants were in favor, with 67% and 66% in European countries such as Poland and Spain following suit. With Logitech providing us with some of the survey data, we also have the numbers for Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers in favor of educational pathways for students looking to get into professional gaming.

Read more: Microsoft's latest study confirms it: AI is making us dumber

Gen Z would like esports and professional gaming taught in school, study finds 2

Turns out the percentage of people in favor drops as the generational gap widens, with 72% of Australia's Gen Z in favor dropping to 52% for Millennials, 39% for Generation X, and around 25% for Baby Boomers. Interestingly, the study also asked participants a more specific question: whether gaming should be taught in classes in much the same way as traditional sports. Here the numbers dropped, across the board; however, Australia's Gen Z was still 57% in favor of this being a thing - highlighting the generational divide when it comes to esports and professional gaming.

"Esports is a major cultural phenomenon that sells out stadiums and has created a range of new careers across sectors," says Dan Hall, Senior Category Manager at Logitech G ANZ. "Our research demonstrates growing global recognition of competitive gaming as a legitimate and respected profession, but a generational divide exists when it comes to the Australian classroom.

Frequently Asked Questions

TweakBot answers common questions about this news using TweakTown's own coverage from this page and related content from our archive. Tap a question to reveal the answer, or type your own below.

Question #1

What concerns or objections from older generations have been documented, and how have institutions addressed them when introducing esports education?

Click to reveal answer

Have a question not listed here? Ask below and TweakBot will answer it.

"As these findings show, while Gen Z are keen to see more educational pathways to careers in esports and professional gaming, this view isn't necessarily shared by Australia's older generations. But with the sector offering a genuine route to personal and professional success, more pathways will be needed to ensure the Australian education system is fit for the future."