FILE. rAge 2026 at Fourways Mall is expanding beyond traditional gaming into an immersive, community-driven entertainment ecosystem. Seen here: A supporter cheers during the semi-final of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 Counter Strike tournament at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, western Germany ob June 20, 2026. Picture: INA FASSBENDER / AFP
With South Africa's premier annual gaming expo, rAge, fast approaching, the rapidly evolving video game industry has shifted sharply into focus once more.
“Gaming used to be treated as a niche interest, but that view no longer reflects reality. It has become a primary space where people socialise, compete, create, learn, and entertain themselves,” said Barry Louzada, managing director of Mettlestate—which has joined rAge as a strategic partner—in an exclusive interview with IOL.
rAge will take place at Fourways Mall from November 27 to 29, bringing together diverse communities across gaming, esports, technology, content creation, cosplay, anime, and mainstream entertainment.
Despite the rising costs of PC hardware and consoles, the industry continues to grow steadily, Louzada explains.
