The estimated global eSports industry worth is around $2 billion. According to Statista, in 2019, eSports generated more than 397.8 million viewers. The number of gamers increased to 474 million by 2021. According to experts, the total global viewership may increase up to 577.2 million by 2024. These statistics, along with increasing numbers of international tournaments, means the future of online gaming is bright.
Statista conducted another study related to the increasing eSports trend in South Africa. The study claimed that the eSports market value in South Africa is more than $99 million this year. Experts suggested that the market will increase to $118 million in 2022. If you want to learn more, here are the top five popular African eSports games.
African people are gaining interest in gaming, online shopping, and social media. South Africa’s youth population is increasing at a rapid pace. Experts expect more people will step foot in the competitive gaming world soon. A study conducted by the National Center biotechnology information, found that 24% of Africans have smartphone gaming accounts.
1. World of Warcraft – South Africa’s Game of Choice
World of Warcraft (WoW) is a leading online game worldwide. Mainly due to its simplicity for new gamers. Globally, WoW is one of the most successful RPG and multiplayer role-playing games (MMORPG). The game is seventeen years old and yet maintains popularity in online communities. These communities organize and participate in different WoW gaming events all around the world.
The year 2021 starts with the 14th Arena World Championship organized by Blizzard Entertainment. The first season ended in May and the second season started on July 31st. Similarly, the first season of the 5th edition ended in May. Meanwhile, the second season started in September. The prize pool for the Arena World Championship is about $900,000. There are a plethora of opportunities scheduled for WoW players in 2022. The Valor World Cup 2022 will blend two major tournaments. Honor of Kings and Arena of Valor together will offer more than $8,000,000 of the prize pool.
2. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO)
There are many reasons why CS:GO is a popular game in the eSports gaming world. What’s more, the number of players is increasing every year. In April 2019, the total concurrent players on Steam were more than six hundred thousand. The number of global players reached 1.2 million in April 2020, which is a drastic peak. CS: GO major champions is among the largest and most popular sports tournaments in the world. This year the event took place at the Ericsson Globe Arena, Stockholm from October 23 to November 7. According to bookmakers, the tournament ranked among major sports betting events like football or cricket matches.
In 2019, the global eSports market exceeded $1 billion, which was an all-time high. During the pandemic, more than eight competitions took place with millions of dollars in prizes. According to some studies, the annual eSports gaming market is expected to reach $196 billion by 2022.
The interest of CS:GO in Africa is increasing more and more. Popular African teams participated in global tournaments such as Goliath Gaming, Energy eSports, and Big 5 eSports. Goliath games have won most regional CS: GO matches. Also, they qualified for 2019 Majors and Asia Minor CSA. Unfortunately, they finished the tournament as runner-ups.
MassaCre and Adaro are popular Goliath players renowned for their incredible skills. Big 5 eSports are rivals of Goliath and competed for the 2019 Majors. Some popular CS: GO players in Africa are Sonic and blackpoisoN.
3. Player Unknown: Battlegrounds (PUBG)
The potential of video gaming is immense and will continue to prosper as the market continues to grow. Before 2017, we never knew mobile games would be as popular as they are now. Thanks to PUBG, the global gaming online industry took a huge leap. PUBG gained popularity because of its exciting game play. According to Statista, PUBG had more than 400 thousand players in September 2021. January 2018 recorded the highest number of concurrent players at 2.24 million.
The PUBG Mobile Global Championship took place from November 2020 to January 2021. During the championship, the total viewership reached 2.8 million. More than five hundred thousand viewers watched the games. Some famous PUBG players such as Pacman10154, SoDa, BISH, and Nianfo are from Africa.
Conclusion
A consulting firm conducted a survey to determine the future of gaming in Africa. Their research suggested that South Africa and Egypt will see an increase of 12% in revenue in the next five years. Many young African young players carved their names in the history of the Global eSport industry. eSport athlete, Yvng Savage, became the first African player to receive a sponsorship by Red Bull. Brian Beast Diang’a is another popular name famous for his skills in Mortal Kombat.
With gaming on the rise in Africa, it would be fair to say that this continent will make a massive mark in the global gaming scene. Gamers in Africa are quickly gaining access to faster internet, consoles, gaming PCs and other accessories. Expect an influx of world class gaming talent from this continent and soon.
