VIDEO GAMING IN NIGERIA

A game can be seen as any activity guided by a set of rules channeled towards particular goal either as a competition or entertainment. There are a lot of indigenous games in Nigeria like Ayo, ludo and whot cards. For this blog post, we will focus on video games.

HISTORY OF VIDEO GAMES

Video game is at $140 billion dollar global industry. Now nearly two-thirds of the developed world household have a member who is a video gamer. It may come to a shock to some Nigerian that video game started in a academic settings. 

British Professor A.S Douglas created tic-tac-toe as part of his doctoral dissertation at the University of Cambridge in 1962. Steve Russell from MIT invented Spacewar for PDP-1 (A state of the art computer mostly found at universities that time). It became the first video game that could be played on multiple computer installations. Then finally in 1967, Ralph baer, who is regarded as the father of video games, led a team of developers at sanders associates inc. to invent a video game system that play on tv known as Brown Box. He licensed the device to Magnavox, which sold the video game system as odyssey in 1972 making it the first video game console. It's success lead to other investor picking an interest in it. 

BENEFITS OF VIDEO GAMES 

Research over the years has shown that video game play a beneficial role in the development of the brain and human well beings.

Below are some of the importance of video games.

1. Video games improves hand and eye coordination.

2. It improves problem solving skills.

3. It enhance memory.

4. It improves attention and concentration.

5. It is a great source of learning.

6. It improves brain speed.

7. It improves and aids social skills.

8. It may slow down aging.

9. It makes one a better decisions maker.

10. It may help treat depression.

11. It could be a good pain killer.

12. it helps curb cravings in recovering addicts.

VIDEO GAMING IN NIGERIA.

One of the major setbacks to video gaming in Nigeria is lack of proper recognition as a revenue generating sector even though it has proven globally that it out earns a lot industries. It's other problems includes negative stereotypes like gamer being immature and lazy in Nigerian society, video gamer are often seen as gamblers which lead to some police clamp down on video game centres, this also dent the image in the Nigerian society making it difficult for young ones who could advance it's cause to abandon that route. Another problem is that there is no Nigerian made game console, poor electricity and internet services.

These problem never stopped gamer from accessing games, in Nigeria, there are three main source of gaming and they are PC, consoles and mobile phone games. Due to the electricity and internet issues in Nigeria, only hard core gamers have them at home. Due to the easy accessibility and affordability of mobile phone coupled with user friendly data plans. Mobile phones have become the breeding ground for Nigeria gamers of all types. This attitude towards gaming lead to the emergence of game developers like maliyo games, Gamesole, Tonielrosoft who have graced us with games like Aboki run, Gidi and Naija whot. Which are all remarkable efforts. The revenue from mobile games comes from selling the game on app store, in app purchase etc.

Another problem is lack of funding, this limit the progress of ambitious companies looking to do bigger and better projects.

CONCLUSION 

POSTIVE

Nigeria has a young population with more than 60% of the population being under 25 years old. Not only that 83% of the population has a mobile phone. Although internet penetration is 42%. The advantage coupled with the novelty of gaming on mobile phone and it's potential revenue coming into the light in Nigeria. It will only be a matter of time before professional and people with genuine interest in it start picking it up. There is still a lot to do.

NEGATIVE 

All in an attempt to meet global standard . Most game developers are neglecting Nigeria content and making 'rip off" games. The ones based on Nigeria content lacks appeal. More research, effort and funds are needed to make it better.

TBH

Nigeria gaming sector will grow, if developers can find a way to move their mobile consumer to a Nigerian made game console. For this to be done, if developers start learning their basic gaming genres and intentionally make an effort to produce quality games not quick cash grabs.

Another thing is that we need more innovative and dogged people in the industry. Innovative in the sense of creating something and worthwhile with Nigeria originality, dogged in the sense even if this thing will take ten years for it to be created the person is willing to take the journey. This will help them create masterpieces to encourage other to do the same.

Thank you for reading.

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