In a bid to grow and legitimise the competitive gaming industry further in South Africa, Kagiso Media has acquired the eSports platform, Mega8 eSports, from Cape Town based software developers, Critter, which is now a shareholder in Mega8.
Mega8, together with headline sponsor MTN, will stage its first tournament, The Summer Invitational, from 2-4 December 2016 to give the top Dota 2 teams across South Africa the opportunity to participate on the new platform and compete for R50,000 in prize money. The online tournament will also be streamed live via Twitch.tv and YouTube.
Kagiso Media, chief innovation officer, Vincent Maher explains, “Mega8 was born with gamers in mind. While the eSports industry in South Africa has grown somewhat recently, with local tournaments featuring better prize pools, it is still a relatively young industry. It is poised for an explosion in growth with improved internet speeds now more widely available. Predictions suggest that by 2019 the local gaming market will be a R3bn industry.”
Kagiso Media CEO Mark Harris says, “The launch indicates the company’s commitment to being at the forefront of developing media trends. We are a progressive media company that has identified the eSports phenomenon as a burgeoning industry.”
In 2017, Mega8 will launch official seasons and regularly host tournaments.
Maher explains, “With direct links to large media and broadcasting corporations, Kagiso Media intends to grow the local audience. We also hope to turn our local gamers into sports icons, much as top gamers are viewed in other parts of the world. It’s an exciting time for eSports in South Africa.”
For more information, go to www.mega8.com.
