Image courtesy of gointernationalgroup.com
The gaming industry has already taken the world by storm, registering around two billion players internationally, with a net worth of about R1.3 trillion. In South Africa alone, the overall industry was worth roughly R100 million just last year. More South African women are set to participate competitively in the gaming sector come 2019. But financial backing is a fundamental requirement to demonstrate gender transformation in the sector, and tech-based businesses are urged to come on-board to provide that support.
Gamers need to focus on gaming, and they need that sponsorship to give them peace of mind, it allows them to focus on what they need to, to further boost this multi-million-rand industry.
In this snippet, Scott shares the need-to-knows about gaming in SA and debunks some common myths associated with being a gamer.
What it takes:
· Commitment
· Talent and love for the game
· Practice, practice, practice
Gamers aren’t couch potatoes:
In order for gamers to perform optimally, they need to lead a balanced lifestyle, which means maintaining an exercise programme, a healthy diet and staying fit is essential.
Stick to a healthy diet and look after yourself. As a gamer you’re also spending hours in front of a screen, roughly 6-8 hours at a time, and that means you need to pay attention to your posture as well, don’t slouch. Above all else your mindset is important, healthy thoughts equal healthy actions.
Balance is basic:
It’s not all always about the game, for gamers to build and maintain relationships and to engage in activities outside of the gaming world too.
Gaming vs traditional sport:
Yes, there are a few notable similarities between the two and they include:
· Resilience
· Self-discipline
· Team player
How lucrative is it really:
It has the potential to be financially viable after about five years. To experience good financial return, gamers should be resolute, and work hard in order to participate in big league titles. Scott says a sponsorship can also contribute to extra cash in your pocket.
Sponsors take care of the big stuff, and that allows the gamer to participate fully without having to worry about any additional costs. That also means profit margin increases for the gamer.
Ryan Martyn, co-founder of tech firm Syntech agrees. Since 2015 the business has committed to sponsoring three of South Africa’s largest Multi-Gaming Organizations. He says sponsorship takes the form of helping cover costs, and helping outfit players with the best gaming gear to enable them to succeed. Syntech also sponsors the Ballistix Masters annual esports tournament, which boasts prize pools in excess of R150 000 each year.
“Distributors and key brands will continue to sponsor gamers and competitions while the market is showing growth. In South Africa, prize pools and sponsorships are unlikely to make any gamers wealthy, but they do provide enough security for individuals to develop their profiles and generate additional revenue streams via endorsements, streaming advertising and even participating in international events,” Martyn says.