In the grand scheme of things for most people, the world has been at a standstill for the best part of two years during the pandemic. Many businesses have fallen or have struggled throughout this time, but one big industry has benefited from this strange year in the gaming industry. With so many people trying to pass the time at home, game developers have seen a boost in popularity.
Following are a few highlights highlighting the massive strides made in the African games industry in 2020, despite some undeniable challenges. In the process of developing robust educational programs, some dynamic new businesses were spawned. Among the most notable achievements of the African continent was the creation of the African Gaming Development Agency. In addition, initiatives such as Prosearium continue to provide a platform for women to gain exposure to the development industry, helping to lay the groundwork for increased investment and representation.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will enable Africa to become a free-trade zone. It is expected that 1.2 billion people will use the AfCFTA once it becomes fully operational in 2030.
From 2020 through 2025, the games industry in Africa is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12%. Moreover, almost two-thirds of Africans under 25 are young, which means that growth will be fueled by youth. Clearly, the business sector is in a solid position to grow over the upcoming few years.
Funding
New game projects and prototypes are always in need of funding, and it has been a continual push from game developers using applications such as Kickstarter. In Africa, this has become more apparent than ever, with the majority of developers from this region having to battle against the perceived looks from the rest of the world. For this reason, Kickstarter has become a prevalent option to search for alternative funding options. But, unfortunately, although there are many success stories with African game developers and their projects, there seems to be a downside for every positive for every positive, where promising ideas don’t get the funding they are searching for.
Kiro’o Games, a Cameroonian developer, have built their own way of fundraising that goes further than investors getting the chance to contribute to a single project. Instead, they have given investors the opportunity to put money towards the entire company, a scheme that the Cameroonian government has wholly backed.
Overall the growth and success of the African gaming industry are down to the developers and creators. 2020 saw lots of achievements from lots of game developers, but with a new year comes a new set of hurdles to jump.
Educating the Nation
Education, no matter, is always essential, and with the growth in the gaming industry in Africa, there has been lots of development. With the growing amount of African youth experiencing the multiple educational plans and services available, game developers are becoming more in tune with current technologies. There is still lots of work needed to turn this bedroom dream into more of a reality for a lot of young developers, but the steps are beginning to happen, pushing people in this direction.
Large Publishing Landscape
It’s safe to assume at least one more commercially oriented publisher will enter the local mobile gaming scene soon. Carry1st has set the bar high and established a solid brand to build the local mobile gaming scene. Having multiple publishers to choose from is a real advantage for developers who face a competitive landscape.
It is also possible that this year businesses will provide international consumers with a variety of payment options for their online purchases.
Live Casino Gaming
With the pandemic still being prevalent in lots of areas of Africa, the world of online gaming has taken a leap in popularity, especially live gambling. As a result, companies and developers have been setting up a live casino experience for their users, giving them that familiar feeling.
Smartphone Friendly
With the growth of mobile technology and the digital age, smartphones have taken giant steps, especially throughout the pandemic. Five of the fastest-growing mobile markets are found in Africa, helping bring people together with businesses around the country interacting in a more convenient way than ever before. This communication is supported further due to the free trade agreement that has helped the African government identify this communication level.
Collaboration across continents
The whole gaming industry seems to be much more open to continental collaborations after the first steps from the link between Africa and Malta developers back in 2020. With this, there are no reasons why other countries will not do the same. For example, the game Warshmallows have already seen excellent results. This game was initially conceived by a Tunisian team with lots of development occurring, but it has since been based in Malta. So there’s a strong possibility that budding gaming nations will visit each other to discuss ways to support their respective ecosystems.
Overview
With the gaming industry growing in lots of areas during the pandemic, Africa has seen lots of positives that have helped with other industries such as education. With the advances in education, the dream of game development has left childrens bedrooms and entered into the real world as a tangible thing to do. With 2020 having such an advance, 2021 is open to a world of new possibilities in the African gaming scene.