GAMeS (Global Assembly Marketing eSports), in partnership with rAge, will launch Africa’s first Esports Branding Summit at the rAge Expo on Friday 7 October 2016. 
The half-day event will explore the opportunities that esports presents to South African business and how it can capitalise on the phenomenon.
Discussing the Superdata stats which show impressive esports industry value calculations, Mlondi Mashinini, GAMeS summit Programme Director commented: “Despite these impressive figures, for many, esports remains the biggest thing most people have never heard of.
“The goal of the Summit will be to unpack the trends which are happening internationally as well as locally and expand brands’ horizons around the potential of eSports in an African context.”
Until 2016 esports has largely been an underground movement in South Africa though the gaming industry itself is thriving.
Mashini continued: “While millions of gamers across the country buy games every month and fill up local servers every night competing against their online adversaries, for the most part, they have remained a market segment which is largely unidentified nor targeted by South African business.”
That’s fast changing however with cumulative prize money at local esports competitions approaching the 2 million rand (£105,000) mark this year, while international esports competitions have for the first time appeared on local TV networks.
Representatives from the local esports industry, as well as broadcasters and agencies working in the industry will discuss the size, activities and audience the local gaming community represents and how esports is likely to become a household viewing activity in South African homes in the years to come.
33,000 people attended the rAge expo in 2015. Michael James, rAge Expo Senior Project Manager, said: “Our intention since the inception of rAge has been to broaden the gaming community while exposing consumers to the vast scope of entertainment and educational aspects of gaming. For 14 years we have introduced visitors to new concepts, products and culture. rAge has always been a place of discovery and our rAge eSports initiative falls in line with this approach.
“Esports has a definite place among general sports participation and spectatorship, with international cyber athletes setting the bar for future professionals. This is an opportune time to find out more – before the ‘eSports phenomenon’ becomes a reality in SA.”
You can find out more about the rAge Expo and GaMeS esports branding summit here. Topics will include esports globally, the South African landscape, how to reach millennials and media and esports.
This story was first delivered by Games Press Digest
