- GamesConnect AFRICA is aiming to “shape the future of gaming across the continent”.
- It wants to help mid-sized game studios grow by giving them access to tools and supporting them in scaling up, improving game quality, and competitiveness.
- It plans to participate in at least nine gaming industry events across the African continent this year.
Much has been made of Africa’s gaming landscape in recent years, with it seen as being on the rise from a player perspective, but the same cannot be said of African game developers.
We hear about a small team making waves in the industry every now and then, but there is nowhere near enough being done to support local game developers and studios, which is why the GamesConnect AFRICA initiative aims to play a pivotal role.
The GamesConnect AFRICA initiative is regional project carried out by the Goethe-Institut Sub-Saharan Africa, and is supported by the EU National Institutes for Culture Cluster Fund in partnership with SpielFabrique.
The latter is also offering online mentoring for African game developers from now until November this year.
“This initiative is dedicated to fostering a strong, interconnected, and sustainable gaming ecosystem by empowering African game studios, facilitating global collaborations, advocating for policy support, and showcasing African-made games to the world through the support of festivals and gaming events,” it highlights in a release shared with Hypertext.
More specifically, it wants to help mid-sized gaming studios grow by giving them access to the tools and support they need to scale up. It also seeks to help the studios improve game quality and be more competitive against international studios.
“At the same time, it’s creating opportunities for African developers to collaborate with international gaming professionals, share knowledge, and work on co-productions that put African stories at the forefront,” it continued.
While Africa’s gaming industry is gaining traction, challenges like funding, limited access to global markets, and lack of policy support still hold many developers back, which is another crucial aspect that this initiative hopes to address.
“GamesConnect AFRICA is dedicated to creating a more connected and sustainable gaming ecosystem across the continent. By fostering collaborations and supporting mid-sized studios, we’re ensuring that African games are not just developed but celebrated. We are working to be present at key gaming events, helping local talent gain international exposure and meaningful opportunities,” added Vulane Mthembu, project coordinator at Gamebox, for the Goethe-Institut Johannesburg.
Outside of making contact via the Goethe-Instiut, GamesConnect AFRICA will also be present at a number of gaming industry events on the continent, with eight being earmarked below.
These would serve as worthwhile opportunities to meet with the initiative’s team, as well as other African game developers wanting to connect.
The events currently earmarked are:
- Game Jam+ (May 13-17) in Angola,
- Lagos Games Week (June) in Nigeria,
- Gamathon (September) in Nigeria,
- Fak’ugesi (October 9-12) in Johannesburg,
- FEJA (November, Date TBA) in Abidjan,
- Joburg Games Fest (Date TBA) in Johannesburg,
- Africa Games Week (Date TBA) in Tunisia or Cape Town,
- Playtopia (Date TBA) in Cape Town.
