Solitary confinement aka Lockdown is happening all over the world in a bid to curb the spread of the COVID19 Pandemic, and although deemed necessary, it has meant that most people have had to unwillingly stay at home. Gamers, on the other hand have not been too perturbed by the lockdown as they are quite happy to stay at home and do exactly what they do Best. Game!
According to reports by Newzoo it was indicated that there were 2.47 billion gamers on the planet at the end of 2019. It has been predicted that by the end of 2020 these figures will reach a staggering amount of 2.6 billion gamers worldwide. Statistics show that 38% of video game players fall into the 18 to 34 age group with 6% being older than 65 years old.
Record Earnings for videogame businesses amidst the COVID 19 Pandemic
It has been estimated that by the end of 2020 the video game market will be worth over $90 billion and reports also show that the gaming industry will see an increase of 2.29% annually from 2020 to 2024. This ever-growing industry is believed to reach over $300 billion by the year 2025 and it is predicted that video game platforms will continue to develop well into 2020.
Nintendo has reported its best April-June quarter since 2008, while Electronic Arts (EA) reported a 21% increase in revenue by increasing their player bases by more than 100%.
Other companies such as The Sims 4 reported more than 30 million players and Take-Two Interactive’s total revenue went up by 54% making a record $831 million.
Epic Games which is the company behind Fortnite did not report earnings, but we do know that they closed a funding round with investors such as Sony and Fidelity boosting its total valuation to $17.8 billion.
Gaming in South Africa
A study two years ago by PricewaterhouseCoopers showed that in 2017 there were more than 11 million gamers living in South Africa with the annual amount spent on gaming to be approximately R3million. South Africa is host to a few game servers such as HIZI KOTK, Battlefield 1, Overwatch and League of Legends where players get to choose their region from American, European and Asian servers.
Must haves for Gamers
For some people gaming is not just a pastime, it is an Art, and in order to maximise your skills and enjoy the experience to its fullest you should make sure to have the following items:
- A good console (there are various types to choose from depending on the type of games you want to play).
- Controllers
- A keyboard
- A mouse
- Smart Lighting towers
- Mousepad
- USB Desk fan
- Portable Hard Drive
- Gaming chair
- Gaming bed (Japan has just designed the Ultimate Gaming Bed which includes mounted screens, shelving and even a screen mount to hover over you while sleeping!)
When it comes to Keyboards there a variety to choose from. The Razor Huntsman Mini portable keyboard is a good choice if you are opting for a compact keyboard with a peripheral 60% smaller than an original keyboard. It features all the functionality that you require when gaming and typing. This keyboard can be customized to adhere to the preferences of the user due to onboard memory and lighting pre-sets and is also designed with fewer parts to reduce the amount of friction created during use.
The Durgod Fusion keyboard features a stylish range of peripherals and provides gamers with the tools to maintain a productive workstation. They maintain a compact design suited for smaller areas and draws on inspiration from the 1980’s design.
The Zephyr Gaming Mouse keeps hands cooler when used for extended periods of time thus decreasing the instances of sweaty palms leading to discomfort. Sporting a perforated design which increases airflow around the user’s hand with an internal fan circulating the air underneath, it also boasts an RGB lighting function to add a touch of colour coupled with an ergonomic design to enhance the comfort of the peripheral.
Smart Lighting towers such as the CORSAIR iCUE LT100 aid in expanding illumination from the digital environment into the real world and are packed with LEDs that can be used with PC’s to bring games to life and enhance the users gaming and computing setup.
Top Ten Console Games in 2020
Overwatch
Red Dead Redemption II
Super Smash Bros: Ultimate
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Grand Theft Auto
Fortnite
Minecraft.
Call of Duty: Warzone
League of legends
Roblox
Top Ten PC Games in 2020
Rumour has it….
According to Telstra, Xbox Series X Pre-orders will be opening soon!
Get ahead with the latest Gaming News
- Suicide Squad Game from Rocksteady games has officially been revealed!
- PS5 Sales are expected to Overtake Xbox Series X sales!
- The action game 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is coming to PC and consoles on the 16th October 2020!
Local SA game development success
In South Africa there are an estimated 224 game developers. This includes companies that are involved in programming and animation.
There is a vast amount of money to be made if you are a South African based studio making games for entertainment. It is, however, a very high-risk market that is very hit driven, but you will receive a huge return on investment if you successfully break into the market. This success has been accomplished in the past with locally developed games such as Viscera Detail, Stasis, Broforce and Semblance. A contributing factor towards South Africa having the upper hand is the fact that we are in the right time zone and speak neutral English making it much easier to work with countries such as Europe.
Mobile Game Development
Game development has become a lucrative business with simple games like Ping Pong costing around $20 000 to develop. Games with extra features and graphics can cost around $50 000 to develop. Game developers use many software and computing languages for a variety of different purposes and there is no doubt that it takes special skills and technical training to develop a game.
There are essentially 6 steps to follow in order to develop a successful Game:
# 1 Work on an idea
# 2 Tell a Story
# 3 Identify the platforms you want to use
# 4 Create a design
# 5 Decide on your finance strategy
# 6 Choose a Developer
BW Digital Game Development
BW Digital is a company that loves building games and can turn your ideas into reality by taking professional app design, strategy and development to new levels. Thinking out of the box is our speciality and our expertise and unique ways of working have assisted many people in following their dreams by creating innovative online, software and hardware solutions. Our team is made up of expert coders and electrical engineers who share in your dreams and visions.
Stimoral Waves System
A few of our many accomplishments have been to write a multi-platform version for Mondelz with full integration to all mobile devices accessible to Android and iOS for the duration of the activities. This was an opportunity for Stimerol to showcase their different product offerings in one digital place with a familiar game. The Stimoral Waves System was based on a 4D app that used all 5 senses, taste, smell, touch, sight and sound using a VR headset and game to engage people with the brand.
Castle Lite Dancing Game
BW Productions created a mobile beer truck for Castle Lite that travelled around South Africa to various Castle Lite sponsored events. Pixel Projects were asked to integrate a dance app into the truck for them. We worked closely with the agency, Liquorice and the production company to create a successful and entertaining experience. The game used motion graphics and animation triggered by people’s dancing tracked by the Xbox Kinect. The result was people “Working it” and “Twerking it” for their beers.
BW Digital creates human connections through authentic digital experiences and offers superior software that is built better through different thinking. Our team adapts to your way of thinking and creates exactly what you have envisioned. Our pledge to you is to synergise, energise, dream, design, trial, test, build and WIN! At BW digital we strive to develop and deliver innovative games to our clients without breaking the bank whilst at the same time delivering superior quality and exceeding all your expectations. Redefined Innovation, reimagined solutions and delivery before deadlines is what drives us.
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