Xbox recently concluded its Game Camp Africa workshop series across the continent. The two-day hybrid event was hosted physically in Nairobi, Kenya, Johannesburg, South Africa, and Casablanca, Morocco. The events brought together industry experts from Xbox, aspiring game developers, and gaming enthusiasts from across the continent to foster innovation and collaboration.
In Nairobi, the event was hosted at the Microsoft Africa Development Centre. Participants were treated to a series of hands-on workshops covering various aspects of game development, including design, storytelling, brand building, and marketing. The camp also included meetings with various game development studios who pitched their projects to receive support from the Xbox Global Expansion Team.
Some of the projects presented included ‘Tingish’ and ‘Finke Desert Race’ by Arkitech Studios, who won the Fak’ugesi Festival Awards in 2022, an African first awards in video gaming, animation, XR (VR and AR), digital art, and music.
According to estimates, Africa’s video game industry is expected to reach USD 1 billion in revenue for the first time this year, up from USD 862 million in 2022. This growth demonstrates a robust growth trajectory that will reverse the global trend of declining video game activity. The Xbox Game Camp Africa aimed to capitalize on this growth by supporting talent development, providing support, and inspiring the next generation of African game developers.
Speaking in Nairobi, Temi Afolabi, Xbox Global Expansion Team (GXT) Lead for Africa and Middle East said, “The Xbox Game Camp Africa represents a pivotal moment for us at Xbox. It’s not just about coming to Africa; it’s about immersing ourselves in the incredible talent here and figuring out how we can truly make a difference. Leveraging our extensive industry experience, this initiative is our commitment to paying it forward—empowering individuals and equipping them with the tools and knowledge they need to excel in the gaming industry.”
On her part, Irene Githinji, Education Engagements Lead at Microsoft ADC said, “The Xbox Game Camp offers a great opportunity for us to meet up with the Xbox team as well as game developers and see what we can do together in the space. We get to see the talent that is budding in the gaming industry and begin designing skilling initiatives that will support the growth of the industry. Also, with different countries taking part in the camp, we try to understand their pain points and begin to curate programs and projects that align with the industry needs.”