Gaming Lab On The Cards
Pauline Dikuelo | Tuesday September 7, 2021 06:00
The lab, which will be housed at BIH, will be a pilot for the project that will extend to other local universities at a later stage. Game Lab is a programming environment where you can make simple animations and games with objects and characters that interact with each other.
The full value of the gaming industry has been estimated to exceed $300 billion as of 2021 driven by a surge in mobile gaming and an emphasis on social interaction during COVID-19. Gambling Authority CEO, Thulisizwe Johnson told The Monitor that this move is aimed at empowering locals as they will accord a platform for them to explore their talents and play at a global stage. “There is an enormous pool of potential gamers locally that remains untapped and we can use this lab to develop games thus tapping into this industry, which is booming and incredibly competitive,” he said. Johnson said progress on the project has been done but there has been a delay due to COVID-19 protocols.
Further, he said, they are also exploring ways of coordinating collaborations for the local talent with the global ones. Global game downloads increased rapidly last year as most people were forced to stay at home due to the pandemic.
Most of them passed time playing online games while others live-streamed them. Gaming grew as a socially connected experience, whether that was watching streams or using games as a way to connect with family and friends while safe at home. Meanwhile, the CEO said they will soon start the process of awarding a licence for sports betting once the national lottery kicks off.
This is an activity of predicting sport results and placing a wager on the outcome.