Andrew Kagia made history on June 17, 2015, when he launched Kenya’s first Video game. This first has caused quite a buzz, and Kenyans are still talking about it. The first-person shooter game is set in Nairobi and is centred on a fictional character, Otero, who is part of the recce squad and is intent on saving the city from an alien invasion.
The game begins at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, where Otero begins his mission after being briefed. Though the game pales in comparison to global heavyweights such as Call Of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, it will forever be the cradle of the Kenyan gaming industry. Playing a game with Kenyan music in the background and Jua Cali billboards on the streets is quite an experience. Nothing beats blasting away aliens with Times Tower in the background, and “sheg” commands blasting through the headphones. With over 22billion dollars turnover in 2014, the gaming industry is serious business. From programmers, scriptwriters, animators, costume designers, to Hollywood superstars, video games employ an unimaginable number of people. As they aim to thrill and outdo themselves; these games spark technological advancement that ultimately finds use in other industries. To improve a gamer’s experience, companies are constantly engaged in an arms race that has seen video games rival traditional entertainment. It is estimated that more than 155 million people in the USA play video games, many of whom admit watching less TV, and movies as a result. Also, video game graphics have become so realistic, that it almost feels like you are watching and acting in your own movie.
The game begins at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, where Otero begins his mission after being briefed. Though the game pales in comparison to global heavyweights such as Call Of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, it will forever be the cradle of the Kenyan gaming industry. Playing a game with Kenyan music in the background and Jua Cali billboards on the streets is quite an experience. Nothing beats blasting away aliens with Times Tower in the background, and “sheg” commands blasting through the headphones. With over 22billion dollars turnover in 2014, the gaming industry is serious business. From programmers, scriptwriters, animators, costume designers, to Hollywood superstars, video games employ an unimaginable number of people. As they aim to thrill and outdo themselves; these games spark technological advancement that ultimately finds use in other industries. To improve a gamer’s experience, companies are constantly engaged in an arms race that has seen video games rival traditional entertainment. It is estimated that more than 155 million people in the USA play video games, many of whom admit watching less TV, and movies as a result. Also, video game graphics have become so realistic, that it almost feels like you are watching and acting in your own movie.
GAME INCOME
As game income surpass those of Hollywood blockbusters, Game developers are even using Hollywood stars in their games, where they use advanced videography to capture facial expressions and body movements. Mad Men star, Christina Hendricks, starred in “Need for Speed: The Run” and Liam Neeson voiced the main character’s father in the post-apocalyptic “Fallout 3.” Often, these stars likeness is replicated on screen, so gamers can take part in a street fight as Carmen Electra, or take part in a street race as Vin Diesel. Speaking of likeness, Kevin Spacy's appearance on “Call of duty: Advanced” in 2014, cemented the dominance of games and established them as legitimate artistic expression. Andrew’s achievement is no mean fit, considering it takes a team of approximately 200 five years to develop a game at a cost of 100 to 500 million dollars. He says: “I actually lost weight during the development process, I’d lock myself in a room for days without eating. It took me a year to make this game; I did all the work on my own.”He adds, “I’ve always played games where I killed aliens in New York, Los Angeles and London, so I thought to myself, why not bring aliens to Nairobi?”