Microsoft has announced its plans to host Xbox Game Studios Game Camp Africa, a two-day conference that will recognize and celebrate game creators from over 50 countries and regions in Africa. The event will take place from July 15th to 16th, 2023, and applications are open now.
With the increasing number of Africans getting connected to the internet, the gaming industry is set to grow exponentially across the continent. According to a report by the GSMA mobile economy, 303 million people, about 28% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa, are connected to mobile internet. The number is set to grow to 474 million by 2025, which presents many opportunities for gaming and local creators to grow and develop in the market.
The gaming industry has seen significant growth in the last five years, with the number of sub-Saharan gamers more than doubling. The region is projected to be the fastest-growing globally for both mobile gamers and people who pay for games. In South Africa, 24 million people play games within a population of 59 million, which is the highest saturation of gamers in Africa.
“At Xbox, we’re on a mission to bring the joy and community of gaming to the world’s 3 billion gamers and we recognize that Africa is home to the largest population of youth in the world, many who love to play. In 2019 I attended the opening of our Africa Development Centre and met with tech leaders, educators, and developers from across the region to understand their vision for the future of game creation. Through the inaugural Xbox Game Studios Camp Africa, in collaboration with Microsoft’s Africa Transformation Office, we have an opportunity to continue to deepen our relationships with talented developers in region and help African games studios realize their vision and role in the global gaming industry,” said Phil Spencer, CEO, Gaming at Microsoft.
The Xbox Game Studios Game Camp program aims to empower creators worldwide to realize their potential in the gaming industry through unique learning experiences from industry leaders. Game Camp is an initiative that unifies various Xbox initiatives under one umbrella where talent is celebrated, and game developers are empowered to pursue their dreams. The conference will include presentations, panels, and workshops and will be available online for all registered campers. Additionally, Game Camp will host four in-person locations for campers in Cairo, Johannesburg, Lagos, and Nairobi.
Participants must be of legal age, reside in any African country, and be studying or working part or full-time in the field of software development, visual arts, 3D, music and audio, web design, narrative design, or professional project management. The event’s theme will be “The Journey of a Game,” and there will be significant online learning components to the camp that will allow participants to engage with focused training modules on topics that align closely with their skills and interests before and after the event.
Microsoft’s Africa Transformation Office and Xbox personnel will combine efforts to identify game studios to invest in through their Startups acceleration program and venture capital investment partners. The goal is to enable African game developers and creators to build faster through access to tools and resources and help their games be discovered by players in Africa and around the world.
The event’s aim is to deepen relationships with talented developers in the region and help African game studios realize their vision and role in the global gaming industry. The event promises to be an exciting opportunity for game developers to showcase their games and learn from industry leaders.
