Africa’s gaming business is booming. Despite hurdles including pricey gaming equipment and poor internet, it is anticipated to grow by 13% over the next five years. Egypt and South Africa have the best gaming communities.
Africa has renowned professional athletes that are successful in gaming. Thambo Moloi, alias ‘Yng Savage’, is a South African Fifa player ranked 73rd in the world. He is Redbull’s first African e-sports player.
Kenyan gaming is growing. The inaugural Kenyan competition included 12 participants. Now competitions have above 50 participants. Despite this, two Kenyans are leading the way in the African gaming scene.
Gathoni
Sylvia Gathoni, 22, is a law student and Kenya’s first female pro-gamer. Queen Arrow is her stage and Tekken 7 is her skill. Her elder brother introduced her to e-sports when she was young. She began with Contra, Super Mario, and Tapper, then moved on to Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. She is currently a Tekken 7 pro.
Sylvia began her gaming career in 2018. She makes live broadcasts on Twitch and invites other online gamers through social media. Sylvia prepares for her live streaming by playing ‘Rise of the Tomb Raider’ and ‘Assassins Creed’. She learned her abilities from online gamers and live streaming on YouTube.
A multinational esports business has sponsored her as the first pro-gamer woman in Africa. Xit Woundz, an e-sports corporation from the US, sponsors her.
She is now 13th in Kenya. She wants to improve the gaming landscape in Africa by playing e-sports. Women make up 35% of all e-sports players globally, according to recent data.
It hasn’t been simple to get here. Athletes at all levels confront hurdles, she noted on CNN. Stereotypes and sexism in a male-dominated business Some say she was sponsored because she’s a woman. Regardless, she credits her hard work and drive for her first sponsorship.
Sylvia is using her legal degree to shift the narrative. Her legal degree will assist govern the e-sports business in Africa. She aspires to e-sports law.
Diang’a
Brian Diang’a, 28, is a Kenyan e-sports athlete. He is known as ‘Beast’ in the gaming world. Brian grew up in Kibera, Nairobi’s biggest slum. He found a console in gaming to escape the hard realities of growing up. In an interview with CNN, he admitted to going days without food and having just one pair of shoes in high school. He stated that he found meaning in games. He chose gaming over crime.
His e-sports experience began young. He would often go to the ‘After Homework’ gaming dens in Kibera to play. He honed his gaming abilities by watching YouTube videos. He learned via YouTube’s gaming lessons and gamers.
Brian began competing in local competitions in 2014, and his stage moniker ‘Beast’ became known not only in Kenya, but also globally.
Now he’s transforming the African gaming scene. It all began with him creating gaming dens for youngsters in Kibera. A weekly with Pro Series Gaming.