Can Africa get on the esports map?
On Tuesday, March 16 at 19:30GMT:
It’s fast-paced and dog-eat-dog but these sports stars don’t have to get out of their seats – the playing fields of the booming esports world are on screen.
In 2019, competitive video gaming raked in more than a billion dollars globally with some experts predicting that number will triple by 2025. Africa wants a piece of the market.
It is estimated the gaming industry across the continent will increase by 12 percent over the next five years. One of the major reasons for this explosion is youth. According to the World Economic Forum, by 2050 two in every five children born in the world will be born in Africa and much of the continent’s youth are moving to urban centres seeking access to technology and employment. The young are, by some distance, the key demographic for esports.
There are hurdles, too. Among them, lackluster internet infrastructure, high data prices and hefty import tariffs on gaming consoles.
In this episode of The Stream, we speak with some of Africa’s rising gamers about the esports industry, the challenges to growing the sport on the continent, and the work being done to remove those obstacles.
In this episode of The Stream, we are joined by:
Sam Wright, @TechGirlZA
Esports Shoutcaster
Julio Bianchi, @TheBeastBianchi
Professional FIFA Player, Goliath Gaming
Douglas Ogeto, @douglasogeto
Co-Founder & CEO, Ludique Works