Step-Bro emerged winners in the just concluded Red Bull Campus Clutch, a global university e-sports event. The event offered students a unique opportunity to compete in Valorant, a fast-growing game.
According to global market research firm YouGov, the Middle Eastern countries are home to the fastest growing online gaming population in the world with a growth rate of 25%. The region’s gaming community is also the most engaged and displays a passion and energy for adventure.
“Our win today was mostly attributed to teamwork, our composure, and the fact that we ensured everyone was having fun while playing the game. We are looking forward to meeting the rest of the gamers globally,” said Glenn Mascarenhas the Step Bro Captain.
According to the Digital Report 2020, Kenya is leading in mobile internet usage and internet penetration in Africa. The number of internet users rose by Ksh. 22.86 million, while the number of social media users increased by Ksh. 8.8 million, representing an increase of about 16% and 13% in 2020 consecutively.
Valorant is relatively new to the global e-sports scene, and has fast become one of the most exciting games to watch. In 2020 the disruptive FPS from Riot Games broke the single-day hours watched record in a single game category with 34 million hours, according to Twitch. Red Bull Campus Clutch offers an equal chance and a starting point for any budding Valorant teams looking to break out on the world stage.
The National final was concluded on 15th May and the six-player panda Step-Bro team will head to the prestigious World Final to compete against the world’s finest student Valorant competitors. The team that emerges victorious at the World Final will secure Ksh. 2,604,424 (€20,000). In addition, Riot Games, the creators of Valorant are offering the Red Bull Campus Clutch World Final Winners a chance to see the winners compete at the upcoming Valorant Masters event in 2021.
As the e-sports industry continues to thrive, university e-sports plays a pivotal role in ensuring the ecosystem remains sustainable and provides a path for new talent.