With his vision and determination, co-founder Kushal Jeethendra Sithlu is set to make Pineapple on Pizza Studios a significant player in the gaming industry. The Johannesburg-based indie and mobile game studio is passionately dedicated to producing high-quality, African-influenced content that resonates with local and international audiences.
Pineapple on Pizza Studios was born out of Sithlu and Imraan Arenz’s dream of creating opportunities for South Africa’s talented young creatives.
“We founded Pineapple on Pizza Studios to create opportunities for our young creatives who are often driven away from the gaming industry by the lack of opportunities,” says Sithlu. “We want to uplift and support creatives doing what they love in a sustainable and profitable fashion that contributes to the growth and betterment of the local and international gaming industries.”
As an entrepreneur, Sithlu is not just here to play – he is determined to be successful at making games and continuously producing new and innovative content. The studio’s impressive track record includes winning Best Technical Game at the Campus Game Jam 2022, exhibiting at Comic Con Africa and Playtopia, being recognised as a Rising Star by Games Industry Africa in 2023, and earning the Fak’ugesi Rising Star Award for the game Null Factor in 2023.
Currently, the studio is developing two flagship projects: the mobile title Braai Guy, a casual hybrid game revolving around local braai culture, and Moya, a 2D narrative adventure set in a mystical post-apocalyptic African setting and inspired by various African cultures, designs, and storytelling techniques.
Through these projects and a few other mobile games in the pipeline, Sithlu and his team hope to establish a stable revenue stream that will allow the business to expand, take on more young talent, collaborate with other upcoming companies, and broaden South Africa’s presence in the gaming industry.
Pineapple on Pizza Studios was recently selected as one of the top 12 entrepreneur finalists for incubation, seed funding, and immersion into international investment networks as part of the Création Africa programme.
Sithlu’s participation in the programme is essential to becoming a notable player in local and international gaming scenes. He emphasises its value: “The entrepreneurial training at Création Africa goes beyond just the creative aspects. The programme also recognises the importance of equipping entrepreneurs with knowledge in managing finances and cultivating leadership skills, which are fundamental to growth.”
Find out more: https://iqoqo.org/network/pineapple-on-pizza-studios/