The Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct’s newly launched gaming incubation hub aims to lower the barriers preventing South African game developers from benefiting from the gargantuan and growing global gaming market.
The launch of the gaming incubation hub in 2020 followed research on the local gaming industry. Barriers to entry identified by the report include a lack of local employment opportunities, support for founders, and the ‘masculine’ perception attached to games. In response, the hub allows students and entrepreneurs to upskill their business sense, showcase their work, and access commercial opportunities.
The Tshimologong show
While the African gaming market is the smallest globally, South Africa has one of the fastest-growing mobile gaming markets worldwide. The report emphasised the importance of private investment and government support to realise the full potential of gaming in South Africa. The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is one such investor.
Investment Officer at AFD, Chloe Bertrand, believes that the establishment of an incubator in Johannesburg is important to increase gaming’s accessibility. “Most of the gaming talent gravitates towards Cape Town as that is where some of the bigger studios are located. There is however a great talent pool right here in Gauteng,” says Bertrand.
The establishment and support of Tshimolongong is a long-term investment to develop sustainable local gaming enterprises. “Tshimologong has demonstrated that they can leverage our funds to crowd in other funders and investors – and that is what we want to see,” says Bertrand.
The AFD investment officer looks forward to seeing more games that are made by and for underrepresented gamers. She believes “there is a demand for diverse and authentic content from various distribution platforms and consumers.”