South African gaming enthusiasts are keen to turn their passion into a career – but most are unaware of the training and job opportunities available to them.
This is one of the findings of a new gaming and esports report from HP.
“What is resoundingly clear from the report is that there is strong interest in SA’s gaming and esports industry and careers within it,” says Yesh Surjoodeen, MD: southern and central Africa at HP. “As a company committed to accelerating digital equity, it is important for us to gain an understanding of the youth’s needs as we work to provide solutions such as the HP Gaming Garage, a free online designed to help them develop their skills and succeed in the growing digital economy.”
Home to a whopping 26,5-million gamers, South Africa’s esports industry revenue spend is expected to reach $26,4-million (approximately R473-million) in revenue this year, with a projected market volume of $34,9-million (over R5000-million) by 2029.
This growth positions gaming and esports as a powerful, yet underutilised pathway to combat youth unemployment and foster digital innovation in the country.
Even though seven out of 10 respondents expressed strong interest in pursuing a career in gaming, underscoring a clear demand for programmes like the HP Gaming Garage to fast-track their professional growth, an overwhelming 80% cited a lack of knowledge about educational initiatives that could prepare them for future roles in the Gaming, Media, and ICT industries as the main challenge revealing a critical gap in awareness despite the growing enthusiasm.
Evidence of this rise in career interest was reflected by participants who indicated that they were nine times more likely to pursue a career in the gaming industry, and 4 times more likely to become a game developer, if they also showed high interest in participating in a programme like the HP Gaming Garage.
The report reveals that anticipated entry-level salaries in the gaming industry are expected to range from R10 000 to R30 000 per month (R120 000 to R360 000 annually), depending on skills and qualifications. This aligns with the average South African salary of just under R26 800 per month, well above the national minimum wage of approximately R5 000 per month. However, with an average IT sector salary of R840 000 per year in South Africa, a tech career presents a highly attractive opportunity.
The report highlights the urgent need to close the information gap around opportunities in the gaming and esports industry and expand access to programmes that can turn growing interest into real career paths.
With the high cost of such educational programmes identified as a major barrier by respondents, free courses like HP Gaming Garage play a vital role in providing access to the necessary education and skills for aspiring professionals.
Based on the respondents’ views, formal institutions must take an active role in promoting careers in gaming and esports by bridging the information gap. Adapting learning materials to meet the rising interest among youth presents a unique opportunity to tap into this underexplored sector, which holds significant potential to elevate the broader African gaming and esports industry.
On this front HP is working closely with educational institutions and government agencies9 across the region to raise awareness and close the gap between enthusiasm and knowledge.
When enrolling in tech-related education programmes, respondents prioritise 4IR skills and measurable technical abilities like teamwork, problem-solving, programming, and game design. The HP Gaming Garage Esports Management and Gaming Development Academy which was launched globally in 2021 to prepare students for professions in gaming and esports, forms part of HP’s commitment to accelerate digital equity for 150-million people by 2030.
“HP’s report showcases the appetite of South Africans for accessible streams of education in this space, especially as South Africa is at the forefront of African esports. HP Gaming Garage is bridging a pivotal gap that helps students connect directly with game development and esports industry experts through workshops and internship placements,” says Mayank Dhingra, senior education business leader at HP.
Hosted on edX, HP Gaming Garage offers free access to 82 modules, in 12 languages including Swahili and French, and offers curated courses Esports Management, Game Design, Game Programming and Gen AI Game Development.