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Kenyan eSports sensation Eric “Demon” Ngige hopes for glory in France

Eric “Demon” Ngige poses for a photo after retaining his esport title. He defeated Joash “Jojo” Agutu 2-0 in the national final of the eLigue1tour played at Zetech University © ELigue

By Michael Kirwa | Thursday, April 18, 2024

Ngige will also get a rare opportunity to watch a high-profile Ligue One game over the weekend

Kenyan eSports sensation Eric Ngige alias Demon left the country for France last night to compete in the International e-Ligue 1 Tour Sports finals which will take place in the European nation’s capital, Paris, from April 18 to April 22.

Ngige earned the right to compete in that tournament after defending his national title in March at Zetech University where the national championships were held.

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“It was a close shave. I almost got eliminated in my first match during the qualifiers but I managed to come back and go all the way to defend my title. I am happy to have had another chance to showcase my talent at the international stage again,” Ngige told The Eastleigh Voice.

Ngige, who plays for the Nairobi-based gaming side Masters of Mayhem, hopes for an improvement on his performance at the International e-Ligue 1 Tour Sports this time round after finishing 7th out of eight competitors during last year’s competition.

“Last year was first time at that competition and I struggled to adjust to the settings we were using to play the game. Also, getting used to certain camera angles was challenging for me but this time I am well prepared and I hope to perform well,” the 23-year old said.

“This year I will also be competing against seven other players from seven different countries. Last year I competed against players from Brazil, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and the USA,” Ngige added.

Kenyan gamer Eric “Demon” Ngige is the 2023 eLigue1 tour finals champion after coming from 2 goals down to beat Dennis Mbemba 3-2 in the final.Ngige will represent Kenya in France at the eLigue1 tour global finals on May 13-14,where a prize pool of 8000 Euros is on the line. pic.twitter.com/0whkopVfru
— Chris Migwambo (@CMigwambo) March 14, 2023

Ngige would have hoped to travel with his coach but is hopeful of linking up with another eSports coach based in France to help him with preparation for the competition.

“I will not travel with my coach to France but I hope to link with another eSports coach based in France,” he said.

In France, Ngige will also get a chance to tour the French capital as well as watch the Ligue 1 clash between PSG and Olympique Lyon at Parc des Princes on Sunday.

“The event organisers have arranged a tour of Paris for us and we will also get to watch some Ligue 1 matches. We will watch the match between Lens and Clermont on Saturday and the big clash between PSG and Lyon on Sunday,” Ngige said.

Ngige, who is a second-year Information Technology student at Kisii University, is currently on a break from his studies and admitted to encountering resistance from his parents when he started gaming.

“At first, my parents were against me gaming but over time, they have warmed towards my passion especially now I am earning an income from it,” Ngige said.

At the competition, Ngige and his fellow competitors will only be allowed to compete against each other while selecting only Ligue 1 or Ligue 2 teams.

The gaming industry has become popular in Kenya over the years and a 2022 report by audit firm PwC estimates that the industry in Kenya is worth US$ 137 million.