• rAge Expo made its in-person return this past weekend, with the event also featuring a few noteworthy announcements.
• One of these included a partnership between NAG and Trace Studios on an upcoming TV series.
• It is called Ultimate Game Master and it aims to identify and highlight the best in local gaming talent.

This past weekend saw rAge Expo return as an in-person event after a three-year hiatus brought about by the pandemic. While there was a new venue in the form of the Gallagher Convention Centre, the three-day-long event did feature its usual bevvy of announcements.

One of the more interesting involves NAG and Trace Studios, with the pair working on an upcoming TV series called The Ultimate Game Master. Think Ultimate Braai Master, but with games.

Explaining the concept of the series, the Ultimate Game Master is described as a “Competition game show that creates an immersive and realistic game world, providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for gamers from all walks of life to team up in pairs and compete for the title of being the Ultimate Game Master. The TV series will only be open to amateur gamers who will compete in studios across multiple platforms.”

“We are very proud to have created a spin-off from our title The Ultimate Braai Master. The gaming sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world and commands the attention of a massive audience. Partnering with NAG means that we can credibly run a competition on television that is supported by the best gaming minds in South Africa,” enthused Trace Studios CEO, Sivan Pillay, in a press release sent to Hypertext.

The project is still in the early phases, so it remains to be seen when and where it will be airing, but Trace Studios and NAG are currently looking to partner with the brands that have been supporting the gaming industry in order to bring this series to fruition.

They add that the series will be distributed globally after broadcast in South Africa, but further details have not been disclosed at the time of writing.

“We are always looking for opportunities to grow the gaming ecosystem at grassroots level and partnering with Trace Studios to bring together a mix of contestants who are at the early stage of their gaming journey, is the perfect fit for us. Providing the building blocks for young gamers in a fun and interactive way, will yield the Ultimate Game Master,” added NAG MD, Len Nery.