Sea Monster Insights

In the wake of the Games for Change Africa festival, which took place towards the end of 2022, it’s becoming increasingly clear that gaming – and impact gaming in particular – has the potential to be a significant force for good across the African continent. Not only can the sector help drive positive change in fields such as education, financial literacy, and skills development, but impact gaming can also promote job creation and help foster diversity and inclusivity.

While it’s important to acknowledge the potential risks of any hobby turning into an obsession, the moral panic around gaming has largely been overstated. Research increasingly shows that gaming can have positive effects on mental health, especially when we consider the unique benefits of impact games. As the world grapples with widespread mental health challenges, there’s a compelling case for integrating gaming into our wellness toolkits.

According to the GMSA State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money for 2022, there were 184 million active mobile money accounts in Africa in 2021, which completed over 36 billion transactions, valued at more than $700 billion. While the growth in payments and e-commerce have been nothing short of stellar- driven in large part by the pandemic- fintech is driving major changes throughout the entire banking ecosystem.

Between the Baby Boomers and the Millennials, Generation X is widely considered the forgotten generation. It’s easy for marketers to think of this group as a small and unimportant target market, but if they do, they could miss out on a captive, ready-to-spend audience with more money to spend than younger consumers.

The definition of gamification is the use of game-design elements and principals in non-gaming contexts to make learning fun. For example, an 'in-game' principal such as acquiring currency would be adapted for use in another part of a curriculum or outside the bounds of gaming, to provide an engaging experience. Gamification can be defined as a set process that solve problems with characteristics provided by a game.

HIV still poses a threat, but many young people no longer see it as an immediate risk. To shift this mindset, we need to meet them where they are, through play. Serious games allow us to tackle tough topics in a way that feels relevant and engaging. By making HIV awareness part of a game, we spark conversation and create lasting impact in an effective way.