The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
COMMENT | JESSE NTALE | Online gaming is slowly but steadily taking root in Uganda and is breaking the stereotype that; all gaming is gambling. Online gaming commercial centers are subtly competing with, if not replacing internet cafes, especially for those who cannot afford to download their preferred games on their gadgets, thus opting for places where they can pay as low as Shs.1,000 to enjoy up to 1 hour of online gaming.
Computer games date back as early as the 1940s, according to a publication by Kimberly Smith: The History of Online Gaming and its Advancement Today. Many games were developed between the 1940s-1960s and gained popularity among a lot of people. Games were played on computer devices simply. But the period of the 1990s turned a new page in the history of video games.
Time-sharing and host-based network proved to be the core elements in the foundation of the Internet. Many games were designed and developed to promote online involvement. Over time, however, the availability of games online has proven to be a lot cheaper and provides a variety for people to enjoy games according to their tastes. The culture of online gaming has hence flourished around the world over the past years.
In Uganda, online gaming started gaining popularity with the penetration of the Internet in the 2000s and has continued to evolve with a variety of games that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, with fellow gamers across the world.
Over time, games like; Minecraft, PUG, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, Destiny, Roblox, Forza Horizon, Fall Guys, Backgammon, Candy Crush, Division, and Splatoon among many others have been introduced on the gaming market and have kept evolving to keep gamers engaged. Enhancements like voice controls, gesture censors, multiplayer options, visual and graphic improvements, facial recognition, virtual reality, and mobile gaming among others have helped the sport to thrive and claim its fair share of the entertainment and leisure scene.
The major challenge for gamers however has always been the internet availability and costs which have over time limited their involvement in the e-sport.
However, numerous internet providers have come up with various solutions to enable gamers to enjoy the activity at a much lower internet cost. The providers, mainly telecom companies have come up with various pocket-friendly internet packages to enable gamers to enjoy the e-sport in the comfort of their homes, offices, and even public areas.
Home-grown entities like Roke Telkom, are keen on introducing products that allow users and Ugandans to enjoy the internet in the comfort of their homes, business premises, or on the road using their computers or phones but most importantly, have a positive economic impact on the economy. For instance, with internet speeds of up to 40mbps, gamers can now play more, play faster, and conduct multiple and seamless downloads and streams as they enjoy their online games.
In the developed world, gaming is a big industry that is changing the fortunes of young people by creating employment opportunities across multiple disciplines. From software designing and development to marketing, sales, advertising, and industry events or sports. As a result, the industry is also contributing revenue to the governments through taxes, thereby driving socio-economic development.
Uganda too can benefit from the gaming industry with the support of both the private sector and the Government. Just like the internet continues to play an integral role in socio-economic transformation through the introduction and integration of digital services enabled by the Internet in their operations, gaming can also foster the growth of local and youthful talent and the economy because it can be commercialized and at a large scale.
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Jesse Ntale is the Brand and Marketing Manager, Roke Telkom
