Bottom line: Mixed patterns - some games show defense-favoring trends (chess, soccer, StarCraft) while others like basketball show strong offense-favoring patterns at higher skill levels.
Chess: Higher-rated players play longer games (more moves). Microsoft Research's analysis of 12 million games found games systematically increase in length with rating.
Soccer: Elite leagues average 2.6-2.9 goals per game versus higher scoring in lower-tier leagues. Longer periods between "rounds" (goals) at professional levels.
Basketball: NBA games have much higher scoring per minute (2.19) than college games (1.7), showing offense-favoring trends at elite levels.
StarCraft II: Professional players show decreased early rush frequency compared to lower skill levels, leading to longer average game duration.
| Game/Sport | Metric | Skill Effect | Offense-Defense Shift | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chess | Game length (moves) | ↑ Longer | ↓ Defense | Microsoft Research¹ |
| Soccer | Goals per game | ↓ Fewer (2.6-2.9 elite vs higher amateur) | ↓ Defense | CIES Observatory² |
| Basketball | Points per minute | ↑ Higher (NBA: 2.19 vs NCAA: 1.7) | ↑ Offense | Multiple sources³ |
| StarCraft II | Rush frequency | ↓ Less rushing, longer games | ↓ Defense | Thompson et al.⁴ |
| Boxing | Activity ratios | → More consistent (elite maintain patterns) | ↔ Neutral | Thomson et al.⁵ |
Most game research focuses on playing style rather than basic duration/scoring metrics. The available data is frustratingly sparse for such a straightforward question. Many domains lack systematic collection of skill-stratified game length data.
Mixed results: 3 games show defense-favoring patterns (chess, soccer, StarCraft) while basketball shows strong offense-favoring trends. The pattern may depend on game structure - turn-based and sports with discrete scoring events tend toward defense, while continuous action games favor offense at higher skill levels.
¹ Microsoft Research Maia study (2020) - 12 million games per rating bracket
² CIES Football Observatory analysis (2017) - 31 European leagues
³ Multiple sources - NCAA: ~68 ppg/40 min, NBA: ~105 ppg/48 min
⁴ Thompson et al. (2013) - 3,360 StarCraft II players across 7 skill levels
⁵ Thomson et al. (2012) - 92 English amateur boxers