Read also: “Monetizing Games in Africa is Pretty Difficult” – Roy Tzayag, VP of Ilyon Gaming Company eSports, the new oil Electronic sports, fondly called eSports, is a new segment that adds a competitive flavour to gaming and is touted to be “ one of the biggest and fastest growing industries in the world.” Statista expects eSports to be worth $1.8 billion by 2025.Īlthough Esports is highly popular in Asia, Europe, and North America, the niche is gaining ground in Africa with local and regional competitions being organized regularly. Gebeta by Qene Games – an Ethiopia-based game development studio with Aki and PawPaw: Epic Run – a creation by Nigerian studio Blueportal – are fitting examples. The result? Mr President – a hyper-casual game Kiragu and his team developed at the accelerator – rose to the top of the Android download charts last year.Īfrican game titles have also begun appearing on Google Play Store and the iOS store, a trend that’s spotlighting the continent’s rich heritage. Last year, Evans Kiragu – Kenyan developer and CEO of Mekan Games – participated in a 5-month game development accelerator in Cape Town. What’s more, African game developers are killing it.

Technology has revolutionized the scene, transforming players of foreign titles into game developers. According to GSMA’s 2022 State of Mobile Connectivity Report, 240 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa are connected to the Internet. Their popularity spurred people to open gaming shops where kids (and adults) would spend hours attempting to pass difficult missions like “Demolition Man” in Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, or score more goals than the opponent in the Pro Evolution Soccer series (1995 through 2020).Īlthough PlayStation has maintained an enviable consumer base since the 2000s, mobile gaming – thanks to the growing smartphone and internet penetration – is ushering in a new era. The emergence of video game consoles like Sega, PlayStation, Xbox, and handheld consoles like Nintendo’s Game Boy and the PlayStation Portable introduced children to many game titles belonging to diverse genres. These outdoor activities afforded children the opportunity to build social skills, develop strategic thinking, and most importantly – have fun. ESports has become a buzzword these days but games like Ayo in Nigeria, Lintonga in South Africa, and Ampe in Ghana were the pastime of the average African kid back in the day.

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