The Gaming Dilemma in South Africa: A Personal Take

Growing up as a gamer in South Africa has always meant navigating affordability, accessibility, and internet challenges. While gaming has never been more accessible globally, South African gamers face a unique blend of obstacles and opportunities when it comes to multi-platform gaming.

The Multi-Platform Gaming Landscape

Multi-platform gaming refers to the ability to play games across multiple devices, whether it’s on a console, PC, cloud, or mobile. The idea is that gamers should be able to pick up their progress on any device they own. This concept has become increasingly mainstream with cross-play and cross-progression becoming industry standards.

For South Africans, this is an exciting but tricky landscape. Gaming in SA is still dominated by console and mobile players, with PC gaming requiring significant investment. I personally still use my PS4 because it remains one of the most affordable ways to play quality games, and I know I’m not alone in this.

Affordability and the Cost Barrier

The biggest challenge for many South Africans is the cost of hardware. A PS5 or Xbox Series X remains out of reach for many due to high prices and import duties. Even mid-range gaming PCs can set you back tens of thousands of rands. This is where services like Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, and even Netflix Games come into play.

Subscription Services Making Gaming More Accessible

Xbox Game Pass: Offers hundreds of games for a monthly fee, making it an excellent choice for gamers who want variety without breaking the bank. However, hardware limitations mean those without an Xbox or decent PC must rely on cloud gaming, which isn't fully supported in SA yet.

PlayStation Plus: Sony has expanded its offering with PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium, bringing more games, including some classic titles. The problem? PlayStation’s cloud gaming isn’t available in SA yet, limiting access to streaming-only titles.

Netflix Games: While still new, Netflix is investing in mobile games available through its app at no extra cost to subscribers. They have also announced plans to expand into cloud gaming, which could be a game-changer if it lands in SA with proper infrastructure.

Steam & Epic Games Store: PC gamers still rely on direct purchases, though Epic’s free games and Steam sales help soften the cost burden.

The Internet and Infrastructure Issue

One of the biggest barriers to fully embracing multi-platform gaming in SA is our internet infrastructure. While fibre and 5G are growing, many areas still rely on expensive mobile data or unreliable connections. Cloud gaming—whether it’s via Xbox Cloud Gaming, PlayStation Now (if it ever arrives), or Netflix’s future plans—requires low-latency, high-speed internet, which isn’t a reality for most of the country yet.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Despite these challenges, multi-platform gaming is becoming more accessible. The rise of mobile gaming, the increasing affordability of older-gen consoles, and the growing adoption of subscription services all point towards a future where more South Africans can enjoy gaming across different devices.

For now, affordability remains a key issue, and until cloud gaming is properly supported in SA, many of us will continue relying on consoles like the PS4 or older PCs to keep up. But if companies like Netflix, Microsoft, and Sony invest in making their services work locally, South Africa could see a major shift in how we game in the next few years.

As someone who loves gaming but has to be mindful of costs, I remain hopeful but realistic. Until then, my PS4 stays plugged in, and I’ll keep finding ways to make the most of what’s available.

2024: Was a Year of Growth and New Beginnings

The year 2024 was a truly special one for me. It’s the year my third son was born, the year I started my current job, and the year I got to work alongside people I can confidently say are the engine of the company. It was a year filled with milestones, both personally and professionally.

Beyond that, my wife and I went on vacation to Mpumalanga, where we finally got to experience things I had only dreamed of doing. That trip was a reminder of how important it is to take time to enjoy life and create memories with the people you love.

A Simple Goal for 2025

After such a big year, I decided to keep things simple in 2025. My focus is to:

• Be a great husband
• Be a great father to all my children
• Be a great employee and colleague

But knowing myself, I realized I’d need some help staying on track. That’s when I thought, Why not try reading books?

When we did Secret Santa at work, I asked for a book as my gift—my first real step into this journey. I put three books on my wishlist, and my Secret Santa picked The Alchemist.

A New Habit: One Book Per Month

Now that I’ve finished The Alchemist, I’ve decided to commit to reading one book per month. I’ll start with the two other books I had on my list:

• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

From there, I’ll explore more titles—maybe with a little help from ChatGPT. Let’s see where this journey takes me.

More to Come

Besides my one-book-per-month challenge, I’m also working on another personal project that I’ll share in my next blog post.

For now, if you have any book recommendations, let me know! I’d love to hear what books have made an impact on you.

Disney+ in My Streaming Setup: A Game Changer

The last time I wrote about Disney+, they were just about to launch in South Africa, and I was figuring out how to fit it into my streaming setup. Fast forward to now, and not only did I jump in as soon as they launched, but Disney+ has also become a major part of our household’s entertainment.

Changes to My Streaming Setup

With the addition of Disney+, I also made a few adjustments. One big change was cutting back on my VPN—the provider I was using got bought out by a larger company, and the price hike that followed just didn’t make sense for me anymore. Then came the relaunch of Showmax 2.0, now running on Peacock’s platform from the U.S., adding yet another layer to the local streaming scene.

What We’ve Loved About Disney+

Since its launch, Disney+ has been a hit in my household—especially for my wife. She’s watched every single episode of Abbott Elementary, Only Murders in the Building, and Family Guy. The best part about Family Guy was that we got to start from Season 1, something we couldn’t do on Netflix, which only had it from Season 17. That alone was a huge win.

When it comes to the kids, Disney+ has completely taken over. We’ve watched Encanto so many times that I’ve lost count. But nothing beats Bluey—I can’t even say the name out loud because my middle child will immediately start singing the theme song. At this point, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen every episode at least ten times over.

Reevaluating Netflix’s High Price

With Disney+ becoming the main streaming service in our home, I’m starting to question whether I should still be paying so much for Netflix. The last time I talked about this, I said I’d cut back—but I never actually did. Now, with Disney+ offering so much of what we actually watch, maybe it’s time to finally reconsider that high Netflix subscription fee.

How has Disney+ changed your streaming habits? Let me know!

Getting Lost in the Limpopo Rap Scene

Last year, while I wasn’t writing for the blog, I found myself getting completely sucked into the Limpopo rap scene. Back when I was running my old blog, Thabang Things, I even wrote an article about Myzo Phyll, calling him the Venda Rap King or something along those lines.

But things took an interesting turn in May last year when I stumbled upon a rapper who goes by the name H&Them. Now, I’ve come across a lot of rap names, but this one? Easily one of the oddest I’ve heard. That said, this kid is something else. His style, his flow—it all pulled me in.

Exploring More Venda Rappers

Once I got hooked on H&Them, I did what I always do—I went deep. I started listening to more of his tracks, checking out the artists he collaborates with, and before I knew it, I was fully immersed in this world.

That’s how my 2023 Spotify Wrapped ended up looking the way it did. My top five artists?

1. H&Them

2. Given Da Chief

3. King Lutendo

4. Myzo Phyll

5. Some other kid I can’t even remember right now

And yes, they all rap in Tshivenda—and they do it like no one before them.

Curating the Ultimate Limpopo Rap Playlist

I got so deep into this sound that I did what I do best—I created a playlist. This one is special, though. It’s a collection of songs featuring rappers who rap in Sepedi, Tshivenda, and Xitsonga. And honestly? It’s one of my best works.

If you’re interested in checking out these kids and experiencing something different, I’ll leave the link to the playlist below. Just a heads-up—there’s nothing from Shebe or whatever you call him in there. This one is strictly about the new wave of Limpopo rap.

Let me know what you think if you give it a listen and we can maybe do a deep dive!