In Kenya, the video game market is expanding rapidly. Since the country's adoption of broadband internet in 2009, a new generation of ICT-savvy youth has emerged, and Kenya now has one of Africa's major game industries.
The availability of high-speed internet access and gaming cafés and tournaments that have established bases in various sections of the city to tap into the rapidly expanding number of online players have significantly changed the local gaming landscape.
The global video gaming sector is currently estimated at US$150bn (Sh15 trillion), and Kenyans are vying for a piece of the enormous market.
By 2018, there were 500 million gamers in Africa alone. This increase can be attributed in part to the widespread use of smartphones.
Kenya is now ranked as the ninth most popular gaming hub in Africa. Today, a gamer playing behind closed doors with soundproof earplugs and control pads may become an overnight multimillionaire.
One of the rising markets that offer prospects that can change the fortunes of gamers in the nation is the worldwide E-Ligue Tour.
This month, Kenya's 2023 E-Ligue 1 Tour qualifying will be launched, providing sports fans all around the nation with a once-in-a-lifetime exhilarating experience.
Soccer fans and professional gamers from all around the world will be attending this hybrid esports tournament, with Ligue 1 Uber Eats and EA Sport working together to make it a success.
The event is bound to provide economic opportunities for Africa's youth with competitors having a shot at winning millions of dollars in the virtual arena.
Online qualifying rounds will be used by gamers to compete for a free trip to Paris, France, for the championship match where contestants will have the chance to win from the 10,000 Euro prize pool.
The first round of the Kenyan qualifiers has been scheduled for February 26 at the Alliance Francaise in Nairobi with the national finals also being held there on March 11.
The global E-Ligue 1 Tour Finals are planned for Saturday, May 13 in the Freaks 4U Gaming studios in Paris. The Kenyan qualifiers are open to all gamers and football fans residing in the country and above the age of 16.
Those willing to be part of the experience can register for free on the link https://indexgesports.com/eligue1-tour.
Participants under the age of 18 must have parental permission. The winner in Kenya and the top two finishers would each receive Sh25,000 and Sh15,000.
The prizes for third and fourth place are Sh10,000 and Sh5000, respectively. At the international level, the victor will get €4,000 (Sh535,958).
A total of €1,500 (Sh201,020), €750 (Sh100,510), and €250 (Sh33,511) will be given to the second, third, and fourth-place finishers, respectively.
Athletes from China, the Middle East, Morocco, Senegal, North America, and Latin America will participate in France alongside the Kenyan champion.
Beyond the contest, the winners will get the chance to enjoy a remarkable weekend in the heart of Ligue 1 Uber Eats, which will include VIP match attendance, stadium backstage tours, and excursions to several French places.
The unfavorable narrative that has been perpetuated through time about millennials and how much time they spend in front of screens and on their smartphones needs to be changed.
Professional gaming is a source of income for people all around the world, so efforts should be made to show young people that whatever abilities and talents they possess may also be commercialized.
Contrary to popular belief, research also suggests that playing video games may be healthy for the development of the brain
