The African video game market is experiencing a rapid surge and is gaining global recognition.
Gaming is fast becoming one of the biggest industries in the world; in 2020, it generated $162.32 billion in revenue, more than both film and music combined. This is primarily due to the accessibility of gaming. Anyone can be a gamer since it requires three essential components – the internet, electricity, and servers.
About 60% Africa’s population is under the age of 25, making Africa the world’s youngest continent.
Over 4.6 billion of us use the internet every day. With a population of over 1.2 billion – Africa is the fourth largest continent in the world, and about 60% of Africa’s population is under the age of 25, making Africa the world’s youngest continent. This new generation is embracing alternative methods of innovation and new ideas – by adopting the use of the internet to connect them to the world.
Two of those components are generally accessible – costly but still accessible the third and arguably most crucial component – servers, has finally been connected, that is if these rumours are true. [EA has apparently put servers in Nigeria]
The lack of servers on the African continent has led to a multitude of problems that have had a follow-on effect.
Gamers who are interested in pursuing a career in esports are held back due to the lack of servers. Some of the biggest tournaments in the world are organised from region to region. Only countries with servers in their country are eligible to sign-up and compete, which means the entire African continent is barred from competing in some of the biggest tournaments in the world.
Budding game developers who are interested in creating games are limited in the games they can create. Developers who are interested in creating a game designed for an international audience would need access to servers to host their game would be stunted. A multitude of talent is being lost as game developers are limited in their choices when it comes to the kinds of games they can create. Many young developers either leave to find business elsewhere or create games that are strictly for mobile only.
The lack of servers in Africa leads players to feel like they are ‘playing with one hand tied behind their back.’ – James Gaise – League of Legends player based in Ghana.
The lack of severe problem is not only a problem for game developers or gamers but for anyone who is interested in working in this industry as the gaming industry is reliant on these two factors, thereby, other jobs that are created and are part of the industry; marketing, PR, content creation, writers etc. There are so many jobs that are created because of the gaming industry that will not be able to succeed without these two important factors.
The lack of servers in Africa leads players to feel like they are ‘playing with one hand tied behind their back.’ – James Gaise – League of Legends player based in Ghana. The server problem does not only stop players from being able to compete in some of the biggest tournaments in the world, but when they are able to, e.g. Tekken World Tour tournament is open for anyone from anywhere to sign-up. They experience a problem called lag.
Lag is a term coined by gamers: it is a spike in time between an action the gamer makes to the reaction of the server. High ping creates lag to describe the response between an action the gamer makes to the reaction of the server. A player can experience lag for a multitude of reasons, with the main issue being Geo-proximity to a gaming server. When it comes to competitive play, seconds and milliseconds of delay can mean the difference between winning or losing.
Players in Africa are playing with a distinct and debilitating disadvantage; when it comes to casual gaming, the off-putting effect of lagging in the
Players in Africa are playing with a distinct and debilitating disadvantage; when it comes to casual gaming, the off-putting effect of lagging in the game or lag is a frustrating experience, but when it comes to competitive play, it is considerably worse and essentially, their opponents are given an advantage over them as even if they react on time due to the lag, the game won’t register their command until it is too late, thereby their competitor who may not be as skilled stands a higher chance of winning.
However, if there is, in fact, a server in Nigeria, West Africa, gamers will be able to experience smoother gameplay, faster response times, and improved overall performance.
The natural progression of eliminating the server issue has countless benefits, not just for the pro scene but for the gaming industry as a whole.
The establishment of gaming servers in West Africa will help bolster the local gaming industry. With reduced lag and improved gaming experience, more gamers will be inclined to invest time and money into gaming. This increased demand can pave the way for the growth of local game developers, publishers, and distributors. Incidentally, the presence of one gaming server will naturally lead to more and can attract international gaming companies to expand their operations in the region, leading to job creation, technological advancements, and economic growth.
It is crucial now more than ever to help bridge the divide
MG has championed and promoted the gaming industry on the African continent, and the presence of servers cannot be overstated. It is crucial now more than ever to help bridge the divide when it comes to technological advancements, and establishing not just one server, but many are the way forward.
I am Annabel or creativelyanzy as I’m known online! I am the founder of Melanin Gamers: a gaming community that promotes diversity and inclusivity in the video games industry, with a special focus on content creators; whiles also providing a safe space for people of colour to come together and game
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