Discover how Dominion Eromosele turned his love for gaming into a thriving career and learn about the exciting opportunities in Africa’s gaming scene.
As an African, you probably grew up with many sayings or hard talks from grownups about how things like video games were a waste of time. Read your books; education is the only key; you donât need this and all that. They werenât lying, but the thing is, they werenât exactly accurate as well.
With new lines of work coming in to take over the traditional doctor-lawyer-banker-engineer trade cycle, you already know this. But if you need extra proof, then Dom Eromosele is enough proof.
This edition of the SimplVest newsletter is adapted from Joyfulness Adeniyiâs chat with Dom, Head of Community at Carry1st, Africa’s leading games publisher, which has raised over $56.5 million from investors like NAS, Sony, and Konvoy Ventures. Weâll enter the exciting world of African gaming and also:
- đČLearn about his journey into a career in gaming,
- đźExplore hot trends in African gaming that can give you an edge and
- đŒUncover exciting opportunities for aspiring players and professionals alike.
About Dom
With over a decade of dedication to gaming, Dominion Eromosele has emerged as a thought leader in the African gaming ecosystem. At Carry1st, Africa’s leading game publisher, he manages a vast network of over 450,000 gamers and leads initiatives that engage more than 20,000 students across 50+ universities.
Before this, though, he was a Game Designer at Twin Drums, a company most famous for building the Wagadu Chroniclesâ the first Afrofantasy multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG).
He also founded Arutu Gaming, a community of gaming creatives focused on bettering the African gaming experience. The outfit successfully raised 25k USD for its community and game-designing efforts.
From Casual Gamer to Gaming Maestro
Dom’s love for gaming began with a classic: Halo: Combat Evolved.
âI canât forget that game. Halo: Combat Evolved was the first campaign-patterned game I played and the first story mode I ever got through. At that time, my dad had just gotten this PC for the house, for the children to be entertained, and Halo: Combat Evolved was the first game we would play on it. Iâm not joking when I say thisâ for about three weeks, I couldnât get past the first stageâ like the first scene in the game; where you are born into a spaceship. I just couldnât get out of there, and my brother and I were stuck on this level for about three weeks. We even gave up until one day, we tried again and passed the new door, and suddenly, the game continued. Getting through this level opened this mad new world for us.â
This experience would go on to spark his curiosity about game design.
âThat shifted me into gaming. I then started to realize there was a problem. Why did it take so long to know that this is what we should follow? It shouldnât have been this hard. So it started making me question things in gaming, like âWhy are things arranged the way they are?â
This aspect is what people call âLevel Designâ now in gamingâ the art of crafting engaging challenges and worlds for players to explore. Encouraged by this fascination, Dom set out to understand the gaming industry from the inside out.
Building a Community of Gamers
At Carry1st, Dominion Eromosele leads the charge in building a robust gaming community. His and the teamâs strategy? Collaboration & Partnership.
ââŠ.I think collaboration and partnership [are our best tools], you know, finding communities that already existed and working with them and sort of getting them within our program was by far one of the best ways we grew and grew so quickly like we didnât have to track every single gamer that was out there and go through this funnel of convincing them to join. We just went to existing communities, and those communities put out the word for us, and suddenly people joined in.â
Instead of reinventing the wheel, Dom focuses on forging partnerships with existing communities, leveraging their networks to expand Carry1st’s reach organically. This helps create a sense of belonging and ensures the right people discover the value Carry1st brings to the table.
Success is a Balancing Act
So, how does Dominion Eromosele measure success? He emphasizes a two-pronged approach: scale and impact.
âFirst is Scale, second is Impact⊠the scale is how large you grow, right? For example, you can say weâve built a community thatâs 450,000 strong or that we [have a presence] in maybe 50 universities across Africa and all these things, so thatâs scale. Itâs super easy to measure, the easiest one, and the surface KPI that I and most people would think of.â
âThe second one is the more tricky one, right? It is impact, and working with what impact usually means is challenging. [Iâd say the best definition is that] impact is determined by what ought to be impacted, like where you want to make a change. For example, letâs say we want to go viral on social media; impact means how many likes, comments, or tweets this 450,000-strong community can drive. Or letâs say we want to scale a product; impact then means maybe downloads and customers and usage, so it changes from time to time, it varies, but at every point within the community, weâre always looking at scale and impact, thatâs what we balance with.â
Scale is easy to trackâthe number of gamers and universities involved. Impact, however, is more nuanced. It hinges on the specific goals of each initiative. For instance, is the objective to generate social media buzz or drive downloads for a new product? By constantly evaluating both scale and impact, Dom ensures Carry1st‘s efforts are well-directed and deliver real results.
Africa: The New Gaming Frontier
Dominion Eromosele is bullish on the future of African gaming. And if you wonder why; the stats speak for themselves:
- Africa’s socio-economic trends make it the next gaming frontier.
- â By 2050, one in four people worldwide will be of African descent.
- â Gaming surpasses the music and movie industries combined in revenue.
- â African youth energy drives media trends.
- â Gaming’s immersive nature boosts popularity and revenue.
It makes sense. But if you were looking for extra motivation, Dom highlights two key trends driving this growth and his belief: Africa’s youthful population and the surging popularity of gaming globally. With a median age of around 20, Africa boasts a demographic perfectly positioned to embrace this dynamic form of entertainment.
“By 2050, 1 in 4 people will come from Africa or be of African descent. The average African is about 20 years old, compared to 33 for Americans and 43 for Europeans. This youthfulness is driving media trends, making Africa the next frontier in gaming.â
“Africaâs young and energetic population is pushing trends in media. Anything that wants to thrive in media must involve Africans. Gaming, as a growing form of media, is no exception.”
Furthermore, the gaming industry itself is booming, surpassing the combined revenue of music and movies.
“The gaming industry’s revenue is bigger than the music and movie industries combined. This is because gaming is more immersiveâyou don’t just watch or listen, you live the story.”
Carry1st: Riding the Wind
âThereâs a popular saying which goes this way: âWhen the wind is strong, it doesnât matter how strong the boat is; it will move.ââ
Carry1st isn’t just participating in this growth; they’re leading the charge. Their secret sauce? Doing things at scale.
“Carry1st recognized the trends and pushed forward at scale. Our mission is to scale awesome content across Africa by solving hard problems. We donât just create content; we make it big and impactful.”
By delivering successful pan-African projects, they’re sending a clear message: Africa is a viable market for gaming, with immense potential for investors and developers alike.
“People often ask, ‘Is there enough money in Africa to justify investment?’ Carry1st’s success with large-scale projects across multiple African countries proves that Africa is a valid and profitable market. This is definitely why Dominion Eromosele and the team are hosting the first-ever Carry1st Africa tournament.
âThe tournament will feature the best teams across Africa and a prize pool of $15,000 from JUNE to AUGUST 2024. Weâre excited for the spirit of competition and the universal feeling it brings.â
So, if youâre wondering where you could throw your lots in next, you might have just hit the jackpot in information.
The Future of African Gaming
Doubling down on the points from the previous section, the future of African gaming is brimming with opportunities. Dom emphasizes the growing demand for African-themed content.
“I think one thing that can identify as a trend in gaming right now is thereâs massive investment or at least interest to invest in reproducing African-themed content. Black Panther still sells as the Holy Grail while pushing peopleâs eyes toward how interesting African content can be. It was such a successful hit that people realized that including African heritage in any form of contentâmusic, movies, or gamesâcan drive profit. For example, movies like ‘The Woman King’ have also received massive investment and were successful. This trend is happening in the gaming space as well. People want to invest in creating games that tell stories of African characters or characters with African heritage. Companies are willing to invest if people spend the time and gain skills to make this content.â
âOn the development side, gaining programming, designing, or artistry skills to contribute to such games sets you up for a really good life.
This presents a golden opportunity for aspiring artists, character designers, and storytellers to develop their skills and contribute to a burgeoning market.
Mobile Esports: The Next Big Thing?
Another exciting trend on Dom’s radar is the rise of mobile esports.
“Another trend I am certain of is the growth of e-sports, specifically mobile e-sports. In Africa, gaming as a sport is becoming increasingly popular. Instead of traditional gaming setups like PS5s or gaming PCs, which are expensive and not easily accessible for many young Africans, mobile phones are used for game competitions. Games like PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, and Free Fire are played on phones, making it easier for more people to participate in e-sports.
âMobile e-sports can become the next big thing because it allows a young person from anywhere, even from the slums in Agege, to join and potentially become a world star. The mode of sports isnât as important as the stories being told and the ability for everyone to buy into it. Mobile e-sports offers this inclusivity and potential for growth.â
âThe hike in demand for African-themed content and the growth of mobile e-sports are two frontiers that amaze me daily. These trends show the immense opportunities in the African gaming landscape and how it can shape the future of entertainment and sports on the continent.”
This democratization of esports can potentially cultivate a massive new wave of talent across Africa.
The Wrap-Up
Dom Eromosele’s journey from a passionate gamer to a leader in Africa’s gaming industry is inspiring. His insights into the growth and potential of the African gaming market highlight exciting opportunities for gamers and developers alike. For a deeper look into our conversation with Dom, check out the full-length audio interview below.
Listen to The Interview
Cheers,The SimplVest Team đ
