For a long time, gaming was seen as a pastime for children or gaming addicts tucked away in their rooms.
But in today’s world, things are different and gaming, specifically online gaming is the new big thing.
With online game, the game is played over the internet, with the players able to talk in real time as they engage in the game.
“Online gaming has grown in popularity and it started since this time of Covid, because you remember the restriction, people couldn’t move. So people were left to either watch streamers playing online or play online. And right now, football is a mobile game, a lot of people there are playing football, and they are playing against actual people,” said Brian Dianga, an experienced gamer.
According to Evans Kiragu, Founder Mekan Games, the growing popularity of online gaming can be attributed to the modern ways of living, where connections have been made easier by the power of the internet.
“With the current age we’re living in, we crave not just connecting in person, with relatives and friends, we are now going global. So I think it was only a matter of time before we got to a point where gaming was also online,” said Evans.
Unlike in the past, when gaming required expensive consoles or high-performance computers, today almost anyone can participate.
With just a smartphone and an internet connection, players can dive into immersive experiences.
Mobile games like Call of Duty and FIFA have made competitive gaming accessible to millions. Cloud gaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce Now allow players to stream high-quality games without needing powerful hardware.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are making gaming more immersive, blurring the line between the digital and physical worlds.
“When we talk about smooth online gaming, two things really matter: the game servers themselves and the internet connection. Servers are basically where the game ‘lives’ online, and the closer they are to players, the less lag you feel. Internet connectivity also plays a big role, because even if you have a nearby server, a poor network will still slow things down.”
“Now, in Africa we do have some servers for example, PUBG recently set up servers in Nigeria and South Africa. But for the bigger titles like Call of Duty or Fortnite, most of those servers are still hosted outside the continent. That’s why players here often experience higher latency compared to gamers in regions with lots of local servers,” said James Ahere, Weza Interactive Entertainment Co Founder.
The future of online gaming is bright, as the space is opening opportunities in other areas such as streaming and content creation.
Watch the video below to learn why online gaming is growing in popularity.
