South African pay-TV giant MultiChoice has launched its first mobile game, Shaka iLembe: Match Challenge, in a surprising pivot into gaming aimed at reviving user engagement and loyalty. The new title is based on the company’s popular South African TV series Shaka iLembe, and is now available through the MyDStv app in South Africa.

The move comes as MultiChoice grapples with declining revenue and subscriber numbers, squeezed by inflationary pressures across its African markets. By March 2025, the company had reported a drop in revenue as cash-strapped viewers began cutting back on pay-TV services.

The company’s foray into gaming reflects a growing trend among global streaming platforms: using original content to create immersive digital experiences. Netflix, for instance, now releases more games than Candy Crush maker King. MultiChoice appears to be following a similar strategy — leveraging its original African stories and its platforms DStv, GOtv, and Showmax to keep audiences engaged across multiple formats.

Though starting small with Shaka iLembe, MultiChoice says it has plans to launch several more mobile games in the coming months. The aim is to extend the life of its most successful franchises, strengthen brand loyalty, and create cross-platform engagement as competition in the streaming space intensifies.

The rollout also comes amid shifting market dynamics. In Ghana, regulators recently ordered a 30% reduction in DStv prices to reflect the strengthening of the cedi, while in Kenya, MultiChoice plans to raise DStv prices from August 1 but cut Showmax fees to attract digital-first users.

With gaming, MultiChoice hopes to transform its entertainment model, blending storytelling and interactivity in a bid to remain relevant in a fast-evolving media landscape.