Vusumuzi Dube
It might be strange to read, but digital entertainment in Southern Africa is at a crossroads of sorts. Of course, mobile and online gaming are thriving, and the African gaming industry is expected to grow significantly in the coming decade when it comes to these industries. However, the best and most successful game developers in Southern Africa leave the region once they achieve maturity. For instance, it is estimated that more than 80 % of game development companies in South Africa migrate to other countries once they achieve maturity due to a lack of investment, regulatory environment, and opportunities within the region.
This ‘brain drain’ has tangible economic and cultural effects. Game development studios don’t just produce entertainment. They create jobs in tech, art, and design; nurture transferable skills in software engineering; and forge intellectual property that can generate export revenue long after it’s created. They also help forge a locally relevant digital culture that resonates with regional audiences.
A practical example of the gaming ecosystem taking shape locally is Spina Zonke slot games: a range of online slot games offered on platforms like Hollywoodbets (and reflected elsewhere under regional casino collections). Spina Zonke (“spin all” in isiZulu) has become a recognisable brand for slot-style gaming in South Africa, hosting hundreds to over a thousand titles curated for local players. These games are developed by a mix of international and regional software studios, and they demonstrate how culturally familiar gaming experiences can thrive when tied to a strong local platform and audience.
Yet, slot games are just one subset of a larger industry that Southern African economies could benefit from cultivating more broadly, if game studios are incentivised to stay. Here are core approaches policymakers and industry stakeholders can take to retain talent and grow the region’s footprint:
- Develop Local Funding and Investment Incentives
One of the reasons why studios leave is the lack of local venture capital and funding mechanisms in place for game development. Studios can try using all sorts of methods of funding, like grants, low-interest loans, and tax breaks. But these methods can definitely prove to be a little harder than not. By offering incentives and tying them to schemes that promote reinvesting in local developers and coders, the economic benefits are maximised.
- Formalise Supportive Regulatory Frameworks
Games and digital entertainment as a whole are typically caught up in regulatory no-man’s-lands when it comes to Southern Africa. This makes it really hard when it comes to investments. Having a clear regulatory framework for digital products, intellectual property rights, and international payments can help make it easier to for game studios to stay active in the area.
- Build Skills & Community Ecosystems
The development of video games of all sorts requires programming, artistic, audio, and production skills. It’s really no easy feat, regardless of who is behind the project. Working with higher learning institutions, coding boot camps, and trade organisations to create entry points for people who are interested in working within the gaming industry can really help to improve the pool of workers interested in working in games and ensure that the local population benefits from the jobs generated within this industry.
- Promote Regional IP and Culture
Games that are based on African stories, languages, and art will attract more local and international interest. The use of local identity in Spina Zonke slot games shows the importance of culturally relevant experiences. Supporting more local content creators ensures that the creative capital remains rooted and that the stories remain from the place they represent.
However, if the Southern African states and players in the private sector agree to provide structural support for the development of the gaming industry, it could be possible for the region to retain its game developers and turn the gaming industry from an infant industry into a thriving industry.
Online Reporter