Adventurers – Path to Greatness, an African-made game developed by Raven Illusion Studio and DOJ Gaminz under the banner of Adventurers Software Limited, was featured at the renowned DreamHack gaming event in Sweden. This annual event celebrates the rich culture of gaming and entertainment and provides a platform for game development showcases.

Adventurers – Path to Greatness was one of only three indie games showcased at an event that hosted over 40,000 Gamers, highlighting its unique appeal and the significance of the selection. DOJ Gaminz, now part owners of “Adventurers” and key partners with Raven Illusion Studio in Adventurers Software Limited, sponsored the DreamHack event and played a crucial role in securing the game’s showcase. Their partnership with the event organizers further solidified the strategic objective to promote “Adventurers” on a global stage.

The Founder of DOJ Gaminz – Dede Lori who was at the showcase, commented on this strategic move:

 “To tap into a new market and reach a broader audience. By showcasing the Adventurers in Sweden, we hoped to reach a new demographic that we hadn’t reached before. This exposure was crucial to increasing our player base and gaining a foothold in a competitive international market. Another key goal was to gather direct feedback from players in a new region. Understanding their preferences, play styles, and feedback allowed us to tailor our game to better meet their needs.”

At DreamHack, the reception exceeded expectations. The game resonated with a diverse audience, spanning from Generation Alpha to Baby Boomers. A company representative noted:

 “The game appealed to both casual gamers and professional players, affirming our vision of positioning “Adventurers – Path to Greatness” as Africa’s first Esports title, rooted in African culture.”

A significant highlight of the showcase was the interaction with the cultural elements embedded in the game. As the company representative observed:

“The feedback from the international audience in Sweden was very positive and motivating for us. We soon realized that this was due to the international audience being equally fascinated by four factors: the game was perceived as highly entertaining, the environment of Lagos, the game developers being Nigerian themselves, and the overall quality of the game. We were overwhelmed by the requests to see more games set in Africa, which is a rarity on other continents.”

These observations underscore a key theme: gaming as a medium of cultural exportation, an area where Africa has not fully leveraged its potential, particularly in comparison to other entertainment subsets like music and film.

                                                 Gamers playing Adventurers at DreamHack in Sweden

GAMING, MUSIC, AND FILM – THE NEXUS INSIGHTS

The proliferation of African entertainment content has added a new dimension to the globalization of media. “It’s a paradigm shift. Global media consumers, particularly younger, more diverse, and tech-savvy audiences, are looking for representation and authenticity in the content they consume,” says Victoria Popoola, co-founder and CEO of TalentX Africa, a film-financing marketplace, via The Current.

She adds, “There’s an interest in stories that either resonate with [consumers’] own experiences or provide insights into different cultures and perspectives. There’s also a significant diasporan market that’s interested in content that reflects their roots and heritage.”

The emergence of a diasporan market interested in reflective content has driven growth in Africa’s music and film industries and could offer valuable lessons for the gaming industry and titles like Adventurers with international expansion goals.

For instance, streaming royalties for Nigerian artists on Spotify doubled in 2023, exceeding 25 billion NGN—a staggering 2,500% increase since 2017—with most earnings coming from streams outside the continent. Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Managing Director for Spotify in sub-Saharan Africa, notes:

“One would think that Nigeria is the biggest consumer of the Afrobeats genre, but in fact, both the U.S. and the U.K. are out-streaming them.”

This insight aligns with British-Ghanaian hip-hop artist Sway’s observation:

“When you’ve got African swag and African traditions combined with up-to-date Western styles and singing in English, well — you’ve got a winning formula on your hands.”

This fusion of African swag and traditions with Western styles, which has driven the global consumption of Afrobeats, is similarly reflected in the film industry. For example, Nigeria’s popular movie “The Black Book,” directed by Editi Effiong, garnered more viewership from South Korea than from Nigeria. This success has prompted efforts to change how global audiences interact with his films, enhancing their value (via Anita Eboigbe’s newsletter)

This exportation of African swag and traditions has fueled year-on-year growth in Africa’s music and film industries, yet it remains underutilized in the gaming industry. Participating in international showcases could be a catalyst for the African gaming industry to experience similar commercial growth.

AFRICAN GAMING AND THE EXPORTATION OF SWAG/TRADITION

The lack of cultural infusion in African-made games was highlighted by a gaming representative at the Sweden showcase:

“The game had similar feedback in Nigeria in terms of fascination with seeing a game set in Africa, the developers being Nigerian, and the quality of the game. The irony is that in other countries, a developer usually creates a game set in the country or continent they live in. For example, Rockstar Games, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in New York City. Their games are mostly based on real-world American cities, with the only exception being London. However, African game developers tend to create games set in foreign destinations. The reason behind this is unknown, but feedback from different continents indicates a high demand for games set in African landscapes.”

Music and film industries facilitate this cultural exportation in various ways, and for gaming, participating in international showcases can help the African gaming industry achieve similar growth.

Below is a screenshot of where Nigerian Movies have been showcased as part of international showcase strategies:

                                                   Screenshot via Anita Eboigbe’s newsletter)

With music, it has become normal for top notch artistes to book shows abroad and all of these adds to the continuous growth of both industries abroad and drives growth locally to create impact.

GOING FORWARD

For the makers of Adventurers, the plan is to maximize the opportunities presented by participating at DreamHack Summer. The feedback from the showcase provides valuable insights on how to fine-tune the game to meet global audience needs, thereby naturally increasing its popularity. Recent developments, such as Africa’s largest delegation at Gamescom, present further opportunities to showcase the best of African gaming. For the African gaming industry to achieve significant commercial success, lessons can be learned from the music and film industries regarding the “winning formula” of cultural exportation.