When Your Child Says They Want to Be a Gamer: What Every SA Parent Must Know
A father in China recently made headlines across the world.
Frustrated that his adult son spent most of his time playing online games instead of working, he reportedly hired skilled gamers — often called “virtual assassins” — to repeatedly kill his son’s character in multiplayer games. His plan was simple: make gaming so frustrating that his son would eventually quit and focus on finding a real job.
The plan backfired completely. Instead of quitting, the son simply adapted and kept playing. He admitted he had no interest in working and was comfortable relying on his parents financially.
The story sparked enormous debate about gaming addiction, parenting and the growing gap between generations.
I thought about that story when my own 8-year-old son El Roi — who has always talked about becoming an engineer or a palaeontologist — was playing with a friend and suddenly declared that he wanted to be a gamer when he grew up.
My immediate reaction was: absolutely not.
But then I stopped. And I asked myself a better question: do I actually understand the world my son is growing up in? Or am I reacting from fear and unfamiliarity — the same way African parents have always reacted to things they do not understand?
This post is my honest attempt to answer that question. For myself and for every South African and African parent whose child has said those words: “I want to be a gamer.”
Is Gaming Addiction Real? Yes. And It Is Serious.
Before we talk about gaming careers, we need to talk honestly about gaming addiction. Because the Chinese father’s story did not happen in a vacuum — and the concern behind his desperate strategy was completely valid, even if the execution was not.
Gaming addiction is a recognised clinical condition. Furthermore the World Health Organisation officially classified Gaming Disorder as a mental health condition in 2019 — describing it as a pattern of gaming behaviour characterised by impaired control, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities and continuation despite negative consequences.
In South Africa, screen addiction among children is growing rapidly. As I have written previously on this blog, South Africa has one of the highest average daily screen time rates in the world — and gaming is a significant contributor.
Additionally the games most popular with children today — Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite, FIFA — are specifically designed by billion-dollar companies to maximise engagement and minimise the desire to stop. Consequently when your child says they want to spend their life gaming, it is worth asking whether that desire comes from genuine passion — or from addiction speaking.
Signs gaming has crossed from enjoyment into addiction:
- Your child chooses gaming over food, sleep and social interaction
- Removing screens causes extreme distress — anger, crying, shutdown
- Your child has lost interest in everything they previously enjoyed
- Academic performance has declined significantly
- Your child talks about gaming as the only thing that makes them happy
- They spend real money — or pressure you to spend it — on in-game purchases
If several of these apply — the conversation is not about career choice. It is about getting help. Furthermore resources like SADAG can provide guidance on screen addiction support in South Africa.
Is Gaming a Real Career in South Africa and Africa?
Here is where many African parents need their minds opened. 😊
The honest answer is: yes — but not in the way most children imagine when they say “I want to be a gamer.”
The esports gaming industry in South Africa grew by 25% in 2025 — and this growth is creating real employment across multiple disciplines. Furthermore the South African gaming and esports scene offers a massive range of real, paying careers beyond being a professional player — including developers, coaches, commentators, marketers and even security consultants.
Additionally esports has already been recognised as a legitimate sport under SASCOC — a key milestone that lays the foundation for future policy and funding support. Universities like Wits University and Stellenbosch University now host active esports clubs, giving students opportunities to compete, collaborate and pursue tech-related careers in gaming, coding or media.
So yes — gaming careers exist in South Africa. However the important question is not “can my child make money from gaming?” The important question is: which part of the gaming industry are they suited for?
The Two Types of Gaming — What Parents Must Understand
This is the most important distinction in this entire post. And it is the one that most parents completely miss.
Type 1 — Passive Gaming (The Addictive Kind)
Passive gaming means playing games for entertainment — consuming content that others have created. This is what most children do when they sit on their phones or laptops playing Minecraft, Roblox or FIFA for hours.
Passive gaming is not inherently harmful in controlled amounts. However it is passive — meaning it does not build significant career-relevant skills. Furthermore it is the type of gaming most vulnerable to addiction, because the entire experience is designed to keep you consuming.
A child who spends five hours a day playing FIFA is not building a career. They are consuming a product. There is a significant difference.
Type 2 — Active Gaming (The Career-Building Kind)
Active gaming means engaging with games creatively, analytically or technically — building, designing, competing strategically, creating content or developing technical skills around gaming.
This is where real careers live. And this is where parents need to pay attention — because active gaming looks very different from passive gaming.
Real Gaming Careers in South Africa — What Is Actually Possible
1. Game Developer / Software Engineer 🏆
What they do: Build the actual games — writing code, designing systems, creating game mechanics.
Is it real in SA? Absolutely. Companies in South Africa are actively recruiting passionate developers to create high-quality gaming products in a full-stack capacity. Furthermore game development requires exactly the skills that engineering-minded children like El Roi already show interest in — mathematics, logical thinking, problem-solving and systems design.
What your child needs: Strong mathematics, coding skills (Python, C++, Unity), creativity and persistence.
SA relevance: VERY HIGH — tech skills are globally transferable and highly paid.
This is where my son’s engineer dream and his gaming passion meet. 💙
2. Esports Professional Player
What they do: Compete professionally in organised gaming tournaments for prize money and sponsorships.
Is it real in SA? Yes — but extremely competitive. Groups such as Bravado Gaming, Energy Esports and Mind Sports South Africa provide structured training, tournament management and international competition opportunities.
The honest truth for African parents: Professional gaming at the highest level requires exceptional talent, years of dedicated practice and significant access to equipment and fast internet. Furthermore only a very small percentage of players reach a level where it becomes a sustainable full-time income in Africa.
SA relevance: POSSIBLE but HIGH RISK as a primary career — better as a pathway into the broader gaming industry.
3. Game Designer / UX Designer
What they do: Design the look, feel and user experience of games — creating characters, worlds, interfaces and storylines.
Is it real in SA? Yes. Game design combines artistic and technical skills and is increasingly in demand. Furthermore 22 On Sloane ; Africa’s largest startup campus — offers game development programmes specifically designed to build these skills.
What your child needs: Creativity, drawing or design skills, storytelling ability and basic coding knowledge.
SA relevance: GROWING — particularly as the SA gaming industry expands.
4. Gaming Content Creator / Streamer
What they do: Create video content about gaming — YouTube videos, Twitch streams, reviews, tutorials and commentary.
Is it real in SA? Yes — but again, highly competitive and income is unpredictable, particularly in Africa where monetisation of streaming platforms can be limited compared to Western markets.
The honest truth: A South African streamer faces significant challenges — data costs are high, the local audience is smaller than in the US or Europe and monetisation thresholds on platforms like YouTube require large international audiences. Consequently this is better pursued as a supplementary income alongside a primary career — not as a standalone plan.
SA relevance: POSSIBLE but UNPREDICTABLE — needs to be combined with other skills.
5. Gaming Journalist / Content Writer
What they do: Write about games — reviews, news, features and analysis for gaming publications and websites.
Is it real in SA? Yes. MyBroadband — South Africa’s leading digital media company — actively recruits gaming journalists, welcoming both experienced journalists and new graduates with a love for technology and gaming.
What your child needs: Strong writing skills, genuine gaming knowledge and digital media understanding.
SA relevance: REAL and accessible — particularly for children who combine writing talent with gaming passion.
6. Esports Coach / Event Manager
What they do: Coach competitive gaming teams, manage esports events and tournaments, handle logistics and operations.
Is it real in SA? Opportunities exist in professional play, event management, streaming, coaching, content creation and tech support — with universities and schools increasingly offering clubs and leagues to develop skills relevant to these careers.
SA relevance: GROWING — particularly as esports becomes more formally recognised.
What African Parents Should Actually Say to Their Gaming Child
Many African parents respond to “I want to be a gamer” with one of two extremes:
Extreme 1 — Complete rejection: “Gaming is not a real job. Focus on school.”
Extreme 2 — Complete acceptance: “Okay my child, whatever makes you happy.”
Neither response serves your child well. Consequently here is what I recommend instead:
Ask Better Questions
Instead of reacting — get curious. Ask your child:
- “What part of gaming do you love most — playing, building, designing, watching?”
- “Do you know who makes the games you play? What do you think their job is like?”
- “Would you like to learn how games are actually built?”
These questions help you understand whether your child is expressing genuine interest in the gaming industry — or simply saying they want to play games all day because they are currently addicted to screens.
Redirect the Passion Toward the Career
If your child loves Minecraft — introduce them to coding. Minecraft is literally built on Java. A child who loves building in Minecraft and learns to code has taken the first step toward becoming a game developer.
If your child loves watching gaming YouTube channels — introduce them to video editing and content creation as skills.
If your child loves the strategy of gaming — introduce them to mathematics, computer science and systems thinking.
The passion is valid. The direction just needs shaping. 😊
Be Honest About the African Reality
Have an honest conversation with your child about what is realistically achievable in South Africa and Africa right now. Not to crush their dreams — but to point them toward the most viable version of those dreams.
“Gaming careers exist — but the ones that pay well require skills like coding, design and writing. Let’s find out which of those you’re interested in.”
This is not limiting your child. It is equipping them. 💙
The Connection Between Gaming and STEM Careers
Here is something that should excite every African parent of a gaming-obsessed child:
Many of the skills developed through active, analytical gaming directly translate to high-demand STEM careers.
- Spatial reasoning developed through building games → architecture and engineering
- Logical thinking developed through strategy games → coding and mathematics
- Problem-solving developed through survival games → engineering and science
- Pattern recognition developed through competitive gaming → data analysis and AI
Furthermore research shows that children who engage analytically with games — rather than passively consuming them — develop cognitive skills that give them advantages in STEM subjects.
My son El Roi wants to be an engineer. He loves Minecraft. These two things are not in conflict — they are connected. The key is ensuring that his gaming remains active and analytical rather than passive and addictive. 💙
Practical Steps for SA Parents Right Now
If your child is under 10:
- Introduce coding alongside gaming — try free platforms like Scratch (scratch.mit.edu) or Code.org
- Encourage building games like Minecraft in Creative Mode over passive play
- Limit screen time firmly — the passion is fine, the addiction is not
If your child is between 10-14:
- Have the honest career conversation
- Research game development courses together
- Encourage them to start a gaming journal or YouTube channel as a creative project
- Look into Mind Sports South Africa for structured esports opportunities
If your child is a teenager:
- Explore game development programmes at institutions like 22 On Sloane
- Research computer science degrees at Wits, UCT, Stellenbosch and UNISA
- Encourage building a portfolio — a game they designed, code they wrote, content they created
- Keep the conversation open and ongoing
From One SA Parent to Another
When El Roi said he wanted to be a gamer, my first instinct was to say no.
But I have learned — through years of counselling, through raising a neurodiverse child, through building a platform that speaks to African parents — that our first instinct is not always our best response.
The world our children are growing up in is genuinely different from the one we grew up in. Gaming is a real industry. Gaming careers are real. And a child who combines gaming passion with engineering thinking, coding skills and creative ability has a future that most African parents simply cannot yet imagine.
However the addiction is also real. The passivity is also real. And our job as parents is not to say yes to everything our children want — but to understand what they actually mean, redirect their passion wisely and equip them for the version of that dream that will actually sustain them.
So talk to your child. Get curious. Learn about their world. And help them find the path where their passion and their future meet. 💙🎮🇿🇦
Does your child want to be a gamer? How did you respond? Share in the comments — let us navigate this together!
Roe is the founder of Raising Smart Kids SA — a South African parenting blog covering parenting, budgeting, neurodiversity and digital safety for SA families. She is a Publisher, Digital Marketer, Editor and Child and Family Counsellor
