EXCLUSIVE: A pan-African drama series based around competition e-sports gaming in Cape Town and Lagos is in development.
Sonepa Studios, a new production house based in Nigeria, is working on the nine-episode Respawn, with a plan to unite Nollywood with South Africa’s production ecosystem. Mayowa Adegbite is the creator and showrunner, with Sonepa, Moses Babatope’s Nile Entertainment and African e-sports company GameEvo teaming for the project.
Scripts have been written and pre-production is planned for the first quarter of 2026. A late 2027 delivery date is being eyed. Currently no networks, streamers or distributors are attached.
Respawn will follows two rival e-sports teams navigating a high-stakes tournament for the fictional game ‘New Dawn,’ a tactical hero shooter. In Lagos, a reclusive gamer assembles a scrappy squad of underestimated talents, who are driven by an array of personal traumas, while in Cape Town, a disgraced gaming icon rebuilds a polished team of professionals, who are grappling with debts, familial duties, and hidden passions.
Producers say they’ve been inspired by China’s e-sports drama series such as Tencent’s The King’s Avatar and Go Go Squid!. Adegbite, whose vision draws from the grassroots hustle of Nigerian gaming houses and structured LAN gaming centers in South Africa, said the series was developed as a “cultural touchstone for Africa’s youth-driven tech boom.”
“We’re thrilled to announce Respawn at this pivotal moment, when Africa’s gaming market is projected to reach $2.39B this year,” she added. “This isn’t just about pixels and prizes – it’s about rival teams from Lagos and Johannesburg overcoming personal demons and social divides to build something greater. By partnering Nollywood’s raw energy with South Africa’s world-class infrastructure, we’re building on the blueprint for pan-African collaborations that could redefine global storytelling.”
Abena Amu, Ayomide Adekoya and Mpho Kunene are co-producers, with Kunmi Adenipebi serving as executive producer. Directors for the Nigerian and South African shoots will be announced shortly, with casts from both nations revealed in the coming months.
GameEvo, which is working with the TV producers on the show, has organized more than 600 e-sports tournaments under its belt since 2007.
“The commercial potential of the African gaming and e-sports community has been an open secret for years,” said Adekoya. “By creating a premium, character-driven series like Respawn, we are bridging the gap between the entertainment industry and a billion-dollar market. This project will not only resonate with gamers but will provide a powerful platform for brands and partners to connect with a deeply engaged and digitally-native audience”
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