There’s been a lot of buzz lately about the Davido x PlayStation ad campaign. A campaign which a lot of his fans are celebrating as a win for the man and for Africa. I do not believe it is a win for us in anyway or at least that’s how I see it. You might feel differently, but hear me out.
So what’s the fuss? Sony recently teamed up with Davido to create an ad promoting the PlayStation 5 and his latest album, 5ive. And while many news outlets, influencers, and fans have hailed this as a major win for Davido—and even for the continent—I honestly don’t get the hype. In fact, I think it’s kind of insulting.
Let’s break this down.
Sony Has Never Taken Africa Seriously
Look, I’ve been a PlayStation fan for a long time. In fact, I could go back as far as 1999/2000 when you could only find them either in the homes of the rich or in barbing salons that doubled as arcades back in Warri. I go way back with Sony. But the truth is, the company doesn’t care about African gamers—at least not those of us actually living in Africa.
- If you’re in Nigeria or Ghana or Kenya, you can’t create a PSN account with your country listed.
- There’s no proper regional representation for African countries (outside South Africa).
- We can’t access online services legally without lying about our location.
- Sony recently blocked African players from accessing online multiplayer in Hell Divers 2.
So for years now, Africans have been gaming on PlayStations we bought with our hard-earned money, without ever getting the full PlayStation experience. And when we complain, it’s radio silence from Sony. That’s why the whole Davido x PlayStation thing feels hollow to me. It’s performative at best.
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Davido’s Role in All This
Now let’s talk about Davido. The man is a talented artist, no doubt. But he’s also a very privileged one. Born into wealth, raised partly in Atlanta, educated in top-tier schools—he didn’t exactly start from the trenches, no matter how many lyrics say otherwise.
So when someone like that partners with a company like Sony, there’s a responsibility to ask the right questions. Questions like:
- Does this brand actually support my people?
- Is this partnership going to help the average Nigerian gamer?
It seems like no one in his team did that. The ad came out, and it was business as usual for Sony. No mention of PSN finally coming to Nigeria. No talk about better access for African gamers. Just glitz, glam, and Davido holding a controller.
Davido x PlayStation: We Need to Be Honest About What This Really Was
When I first saw the ad, I got excited. I thought maybe—just maybe—this meant Sony was finally acknowledging us. That maybe the Davido x PlayStation collaboration would flip and become a win for us all.
But no. It was just another tone-deaf campaign. No substance. No change. Just a fat paycheck for Davido and another reminder that African gamers are still locked out of the PSN ecosystem unless they pretend to be American or British.
Let’s call this what it is: a win for Davido’s bank account, not for the millions of African gamers who’ve supported Sony through thick and thin. It’s time we stop celebrating scraps and start asking for real inclusion.
If you agree, share this. If you don’t, let’s talk. Either way, the conversation needs to happen.
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