HP’s gaming and esports report uncovers a striking gap: while most South African gaming enthusiasts are eager to turn their passion in to a career, most remain unaware of the training and job opportunities available to them.
“What is resoundingly clear from the report is that there is strong interest in SA’s gaming and esports industry and careers within it. 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” Yesh Surjoodeen, Managing Director, Southern and Central Africa at HP says.
Home to a whopping 26.5 million gamers, South Africa’s esports industry revenue spend is expected to reach US$26.4 million (approximately R473 million) in revenue this year, with aprojected market volume of US$34.9m (overR500 million)by 2029.This growth positions gaming and esports as a powerful, yet underutilized pathway to combat youth unemployment and foster digital innovation in the country.
This growth positions gaming and esports as a powerful, yet underutilized pathway to combat youth unemployment and foster digital innovation in the country.
Youth’s growing appetite for gaming careers
Even though 7 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 9 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. This underpins HP’s efforts to ensure that the growing interest in technology fields are nurtured and catered for through accessible educational platforms, aligned with the future workforce’s aspirations.
Gaming: A booming industry
Globally, gaming is no longer just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle – and it’s booming. The sheer number of gamers in South Africa today and an engendered sense of gender inclusivity5, clearly indicates that the industry is ripe for development and investment.
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 R360,00 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 year8 in South Africa, a tech career presents a highly attractive opportunity.
Bridging the gap
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 agencies across the region to raise awareness and close the gap between enthusiasm and knowledge.
HP Gaming Garage: fuelling the next generation of professionals
When enrolling in tech-related education programmes, respondents prioritise 4IRskills 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 150million 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,” Mayank Dhingra, Senior Education Business Leader at HP says.
HostedonedX, 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.
Powering up the gaming industry with emerging talent
HP leads by example with this year’s GameOn with HP Gaming Garage hackathon, launched on Heritage Day, inviting South African university students to put their newly acquired game development skills into practice. The challenge is simple: design a game that combines culture, creativity, and coding, with a theme centred on
Celebrating South Africa’s rich and diverse heritage. The top 10 teams will have the opportunity to showcase their
Games at this year’s Age Expo, the country’s top gaming event, where three teams will be recognized as winners. For more information on the HP Gaming Garage visit edX
HP Inc is a global technology leader and creator of solutions that enable people to bring their ideas to life and connect to the things that matter most. Operating in more than 170 countries, HP delivers a wide range of innovative and sustainable devices, services and subscriptions for personal computing, printing, 3D printing, hybrid work, gaming, and more. For more information.
