Capitalk Reporter/ Valeria Mhandu |  6 months ago | top

Econet Wireless says it is ready to connect with its customers at the Zimbabwe Agriculture Show (ZAS) and showcase its products and services after not being able to fully participate in the popular trade event over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, the leading telecommunications company participated at ZAS with limited staff and a scaled-down exhibition due to national lockdown restrictions.

Econet launched its gaming services in September 2019, on two platforms: YoPlay and YoGamez, which offer over 4,500 games categorized as virtual reality, trivia, racing, action, and adventure.

"Mobile gaming has emerged as one of the world’s key sources of fun and entertainment, especially in the digital era." We are seeing a significant uptake of gaming in Zimbabwe, with more than 90% of gaming enthusiasts using a mobile device to enjoy a wide variety of content. "Deeper penetration of smartphones and the availability of 4G has led to the growth and adoption of gaming, making it a popular choice for fun and entertainment, especially among the younger customers," said a representative from Econet.

Under YoPlay, which has over 2,000 exclusive games, customers can subscribe to any of four different categories: Gold daily, Gold weekly, Silver daily, and Silver weekly. The platform, which is currently available to Android users for free, offers the best gaming experience for all age groups.

In Yoplay, users can pay the subscription fees using airtime, which is very convenient for Zimbabwe game lovers. 'In-application’ payments for life points in the game, or purchasing missions, are also done using the local currency.

Mobile gaming enthusiasts and new players can enjoy various games in 3D, such as FIFA 2021 and virtual reality games, at the Econet digital center at the Zimbabwe Agriculture Show.

Econet is also showcasing Buddie Beatz, a digital platform that gives customers access to over 45,000 songs and 4,000 artists that offer several music genres, including Gospel, Hip-hop, House music, Mbira, Traditional, Sungura, Jazz, ZimDancehall, and Afro-fusion, leaving customers spoilt for choice.

Buddie Beatz is now Zimbabwe’s number one digital music platform that promotes and supports the local arts industry through the digital distribution of local music across Zimbabwe and beyond.

Buddie Beatz entertains customers and also plays a pivotal role in sustaining the livelihoods of Zimbabwean artists, with over 3,500 artists having received thousands of dollars as pay-outs for their music being streamed on the platform in the past year.

Several artists, including Enzo I shall, Nutty O, Feli Nandi, Fusion 5, and Mbeu, among others, who are part of the Buddie Beatz, are expected to perform at the Econet stand and entertain customers.

The 112th edition of the show, running under the theme "Unequalled Business Opportunities, Accessibility, Accountability, and Abundance", started on Monday and ends on Saturday.