Do not follow the hype

The current hype in the African space is games. On everyone’s lips currently is the Lagos game.

“If they were able to launch the game and get it into many people’s hands, why can’t I do it as well?” “Fuck, it’s just a game that I can vibe-code and put out in a matter of seconds.”

One of the facts that I have come to appreciate is that outliers are not the norm, and replicating what an outlier has achieved (which could be, for example, significant market share) is not guaranteed. Most importantly, what you do not see is the process involved as outliers operate at the intersection of action and a disruptive activity.

Outcomes, a game in this instance, do not exist in isolation. There’s normally an interwoven, multifaceted, and cascading pattern involved (the disruptor of an industry is normally oblivious to this).

“How many games that sucked did they build in the past?” “How did the game creator get so good at creating mobile games?” “How long have they spent creating mobile games?” “What was the inspiration? What was the thought process?”

I’m not saying you should not build games, especially if you are African. All I’m saying is, do not fall into the perils of copycatting while chasing quick gains. We all can achieve great things in our tiny little spaces, I believe. Other than that, we can celebrate and marvel at the success of others as it unravels before our eyes.

I have written against hype cycles, and it’s a pattern that I have come to see time and again.

PS: I could be wrong. This is just MY opinion.