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Creators, developers, international recognition and remarkable achievements – these are the terms that define the South African gaming market.

30 January 2017

South Africa has talent. Not in the Simon-Cowell-dancing-puppies-and-bendy-children way, no. This is a different stage entirely, where men and women with skills, creativity and ingenuity create entertainment and escapism so good, so noteworthy, that international organisations are opening their chequebooks. Local game development studios such as Fuzzy Logic, Sea Monster, Inessoft and RetroEpic are creating critically received games and are working with big name-studios to create heavyweight titles. However, it’s not all shiny pixels and artificial sunlight in the South African gaming space – talent is leaving, legislation is crippling and co-operation can be dependent on factors out of anyone’s control.

The first of these factors is the double-edged sword called the economy. When the rand drops, the services provided by talented South Africans become immeasurably cheaper than overseas studios. Local game developers are instantly more affordable than those based in the UK or US, making them a very attractive proposition for the international budget-conscious studio.

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