In 2024, South Africaʼs gaming industry was valued at over R3 billion. While mobile gaming accounts for the majority of this revenue, more South Africans are turning to gaming as a form of social entertainment, and also as a potential career.
Hereʼs a brief look at the local landscape:
- In 2024, South Africa was one of the leading countries in the African gaming industry, with approximately 26 million gamers. Close to half of these gamers (47%) were aged between 14 and 28.
- Cape Town is home to over 50% of South Africaʼs game development studios, making it the epicentre of the country's gaming development landscape.
- Johannesburg is a key player in the AfriGames Consortium, a collective that aims to develop South Africaʼs gaming industry.
- The gaming industry has created more than 11 600 jobs in KwaZulu-Natal, demonstrating its role in economic development.
- In 2022, South Africa and Nigeria accounted for more than 50% of the continentʼs sector revenue.
- What are South Africans playing? An analysis of the top 20 games within South Africa reveals that there are two dominant genres – casual (30%) and casino (20%).
- In 2024, South Africa accounted for 0.7% of the global e-sports market.
- There are currently only two universities in South Africa that have an e-sports division.
The continued growth and success of the industry depends on affordable, reliable connectivity. Keen to understand more about this dynamic market, Mweb recently conducted an online survey among 40 000+ digitally active South Africans to learn more about their gaming habits and preferences.
Additionally, the survey found that gamers experience 60% fewer disconnections when using a fibre connection. A fast internet connection ensures seamless gameplay by reducing interruptions and in-game interruptions, and lag even with high-quality graphics, and enables smooth interactions with other players and reduces voice chat delays, the survey found.
One survey participant commented: “A fast internet connection has made a huge difference to our family's gaming experience. Games load faster, with little to no lag during online play, and downloads or updates happen quickly, meaning less waiting and more time actually enjoying the game. Itʼs also helped when multiple people are connected at the same time, everyone can play, stream, or browse without interruptions. Overall, itʼs made gaming smoother, more fun, and way less frustrating!ˮ
The following analysis of South Africaʼs gaming and e-sports landscape highlights three major trends shaping the industry today, drawing on current research and insights from Mwebʼs recent survey to unpack the key drivers behind these shifts.
The state of play: The game production ecosystem in South Africa
While South Africaʼs gaming industry is not in its infancy, it is still considered to be in a developing phase when compared to more mature markets. Unfortunately, limited access to funding and institutional support has hindered the growth of small and emerging gaming companies.
The South African studios that are finding success are largely creating games for or servicing the ‘indieʼ games niche. These games are created by smaller teams with modest budgets.
Some of the first locally produced games, including titles like The Harvest and Desktop Dungeons, were launched on an online marketplace called Steam back in 2013. Steam is a digital distribution platform for buying, downloading and playing PC games, and any developer can load their game onto this platform for a fee of approximately R1 700.
Desktop Dungeons was produced by Quarter Centre Forward, South Africaʼs oldest gaming studio, which was established in 2008. The game was initially developed with funds raised through crowdfunding.
In terms of developing a successful library of original games, Free Lives 10 stands out as one of the country's leading studios, with five published games. One of the most popular of these titles is Broforce, a side-scrolling run-and-gun video game. Most local studios focus on generating premium games, where consumers pay an upfront, one-off fee for a PC or console game. But other players are also making headway. In 2024, Sony invested in African gaming start-up Carry1st. The move shows that Sony is making big bets on the future success of Africaʼs gaming industry and is looking to grow the PlayStation brand across the continent.
Interesting industry insight: SAʼs largest studio – in terms of turnover and employees – is focused on service work for mostly international publishers and companies. Approximately 46% of companies in the gaming space engaged in both gaming and animation work, reflecting a need for game producers to sell their talents across the creative industry.
Levelling up learning: What do careers in the gaming sector look like?
According to Mwebʼs recent survey, around half (52%) of the survey participants who play online games believe that gaming is a viable career or income stream for young South Africans. A further 35% believe that gaming should be included in school curricula and offered as an after-school activity.
As more South Africans show an interest in turning their passion for gaming into a viable career, several universities and tertiary institutions have started offering game development education. Some options include:
- Wits offers a comprehensive Game Design programme through its Digital Arts department.
- SAE offers both a Higher Certificate and a Bachelor of Arts in Game Design and Production. These programmes provide hands-on experience in animation, 3D modelling, visual effects and game production.
- Vega offers the IIE BCIS in Game Design and Development Degree, focusing on game design principles, development processes and interactive media.
- EMENDY provides a Higher Certificate in Game Design and Development, focusing on practical skills in digital art, game development, 3D modelling and animation.
The gaming education superstar: With a solid internet connection, individuals looking to enter the gaming industry can join initiatives like the HP Gaming Garage Esports Management and Gaming Development Academy online. Launched globally in 2021, the HP Gaming Garage prepares students for careers in gaming and e-sports. The academy helps students connect directly with game development and esports industry experts offering free access to 82 modules, in 12 languages, in Esports Management, Game Design, Game Programming and GenAI Game Development.
A matter of competition: A look at the local e-sports space
No conversation about the South African gaming sector would be complete without touching on e-sports. Across the globe, the e-sports industry has developed into a cultural phenomenon. South Africa's e-sports industry has experienced significant growth over the past decade, with spend across the industry expected to hit $44.1 million by 2030.
The audience for South African streamers is relatively small compared to that of international streamers. This is due to multiple factors, the most significant being that there are only a few games with South African servers, which puts local players at a disadvantage.
From an e-sports tournament perspective, South Africa's e-sports industry has matured significantly in recent years. Some key events include:
- VS Gaming League Masters 2024 (Counter-Strike 2): Hosted in Johannesburg, this tournament featured a prize pool of R300 000.
- Mamelodi Sundowns Esports Championship: Focused on EA FC 25, this championship offered a prize pool of R200 000.
- IESF African Esports Championship 2024: South African players secured around R240 000 in prize money from this continental event.
As South Africaʼs gaming industry continues to expand, the ability of players, developers and e-sports professionals to thrive will depend heavily on access to fast, affordable and reliable internet. Fibre doesnʼt just power smoother gameplay – it unlocks opportunities for industry growth, career opportunities and greater creativity. With the right digital infrastructure, South Africa is perfectly positioned to level up from being a developing market and become a true force in the global gaming arena.
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