Nyamakop: Unlocking Global Demand for African-Created Content

Nyamakop, a renowned South African game development studio, was founded in 2016 with the goal of transforming a university project into a commercial game, resulting in the 2018 release of Semblance. The studio's CEO and creative director, Ben Myres, notes that their next project is an African-inspired game, capitalizing on the growing demand for African-created content worldwide. Myres believes that the success of African-themed media, such as Black Panther and Nollywood, demonstrates the potential for African-inspired games to appeal to a global audience. To achieve this goal, Nyamakop has expanded its team to 30 people, with associate producer Sithe Ncube overseeing the project's development. The studio faces challenges in managing a large team, particularly in terms of communication, and has adopted a hybrid approach to working, combining remote work with regular office days. Nyamakop has partnered with a publisher for their upcoming title, citing the benefits of financial security and access to resources. However, the studio acknowledges the difficulties of funding game development in South Africa, where the industry is predominantly white-male-dominated. Myres emphasizes the importance of creating opportunities for people of color to enter the industry and establish their own studios. Nyamakop is working to address the lack of diversity in the South African gaming industry, with around 80% of its staff comprising people of color. The studio's leadership team is also diverse, and Myres hopes that Nyamakop can serve as a stable and safe environment for people of color to develop their skills and stay in the industry. In terms of funding, Myres suggests that the issue is not a lack of access to networks, but rather the need to create fundable projects. Ncube adds that education and the right projects are crucial, and that solutions such as co-production or large studios setting up in South Africa could be beneficial. However, she also notes that time is needed to address these challenges. The South African gaming industry faces additional hurdles, including load shedding, which requires studios to invest in backup generators and uninterruptible power supplies to mitigate the impact of power cuts. Despite these challenges, Myres is optimistic about the future of Nyamakop and the potential for African-inspired games to succeed globally. He hopes that the studio's success will demonstrate the viability of the African gaming market and encourage more developers to create content that showcases the continent's unique perspective and creativity.