Once upon a time, the year was 2000-n-voetsek or so, and I’d fired up the latest Tom Clancy’s: Rainbow Six on my beige beast. Much to my surprise, one of the early missions took place right around the area where I used to catch one of my buses home from school, in the South African capital city of Pretoria.
South Africa is a country with a host of problems and a shady past, but it’s also known for its warm weather, warm people, and immense diversity of cultures, races, and places. Sure, we might appear in film and TV now and then. But it’s kind of rare for us to make an appearance in video games. So when we do, it feels pretty special.
To celebrate this, I’ve put together a list of times South Africa featured in video games. Whether it’s been a location, a language, a character, or most importantly, the accent. Which, if you didn’t know, was somehow rated the number #2 sexiest accent in the world.
Watch the video or keep reading below:
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel!
1. Rainbow Six: Lockdown
An early mission in Rainbow Six: Lockdown takes place in the CBD of my home city of Pretoria. Well, what Pretoria would look like if you ordered it from Wish. Just look at this attempt at our beautiful Jacaranda trees.
This burning car stuck in a hole is pretty accurate though. That’s just what normal streets look like here sometimes.
2. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
The Uncharted series may revolve around Nathan Drake and his daring adventures, but Uncharted 4 (read our review here) introduces us to Nadine Ross, a South African private military contractor and all-round kicker of asses.
Nadine’s uncanny resemblance to South African-born actress Kandyse McClure is apparently unofficial. She isn’t voiced by a South African either. And while industry veteran Laura Bailey and the mercenary voice actors do an okay job, we still get treated to a heavy dose of the accent.
3. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
In 2010, South Africa hosted the FIFA World Cup. This included a variety of stadiums from around the country, including Durban, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, and Pretoria.
We got a whole FIFA game set right here, and yes, but unlike the real world cup, you can actually hear yourself think without having your brain scrambled by a stadium full of vuvuzelas.
4. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
MGS V isn’t just a great game for skyhooking enemies directly to heaven (read our MGS V review here). It also graces us with khaki-clad cowboys who speak die taal and look like they’re auditioning as the newest members of Jan Direction.
Not only that, we also get another serving of the accent. This dude actually sounds a bit like one of my uncles. Thick, unmistakable, and strangely familiar.
5. Beautiful Desolation
From Capetonian brothers Chris and Nick Bischoff at The Brotherhood Games, Beautiful Desolation (read our review here) takes you from 1980s Cape Town to a post-apocalyptic far-future South Africa. Cities have long crumbled and the world is now inhabited by tribes, robots, and tribal robots.
It’s weird and mysterious, with old-school Fallout vibes. Bonus points for featuring the accent. Extra points again for having music composed by Mick Gordon. You know, the DOOM music guy (watch our review of Doom: The Dark Ages).
6. Tom Clancy’s HAWX 2
One of the first surprise South African settings I experienced in gaming was in Tom Clancy’s HAWX 2. I found myself flying a fighter jet around Cape Town on a mission to destroy satellite dishes on Table Mountain and stop terrorists from detonating a nuclear bomb.
That’s how you know this game isn’t set in 2025. I mean, a nuclear bomb in South Africa? In this economy?
7. Titanfall
South Africans are apparently the go-to for hardened mercenaries. And to be fair, we do live up to the reputation. I mean, remember that guy who went viral a while ago? That happened five minutes from my house.
In the Titanfall series (read our Titanfall 2 review here), there’s yet another South African mercenary. Kuben Blisk is the leader of a private military group, born in South Africa and voiced by… a Canadian. You know what that means. The accent makes another appearance.
8. Kyalami Racetrack
From the day I attended the Formula One Grand Prix as a kid in 1993 to driving the track myself as an adult, I’ve been in love with Kyalami.
Situated roughly halfway between Pretoria and Johannesburg, this track has featured in tons of racing games. The original layout showed up in Grand Prix Legends, and the pre-overhaul version popped up in games like TOCA Race Driver 2 and SBK 2000.
These days, the latest version is in Assetto Corsa Competizione, Forza Motorsport (check out our playlist of Forza Motorport videos), and Ride 4.
The track has just been approved for a Grade 1 upgrade, which could mean Formula One’s return. If that happens, we’ll almost definitely see an updated version in the next set of F1 games.
9. Far Cry 2
Far Cry 2 is the granddaddy of the modern Far Cry series. While it’s set in a fictional African country, it feels a lot like a trip to Kruger National Park. Except with more guns, deadly malaria, and far angrier park rangers.
Some of the Afrikaans in this game is absolutely wild. Either way too literal or just plain hilarious to hear in context.
10. Far Cry 3
Skipping ahead to Far Cry 3, we meet Hoyt Volker, a pretty kak oke. Born in Johannesburg and… voiced by another Canadian. Of course, that means we get another delicious dose of the accent.
11. Dirt 5
A more modern depiction of Cape Town appears in Dirt 5.
The game features routes and tracks that show off Lion’s Head and include a run through the Green Point Sports Stadium.
12. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
This one feels like cheating, but Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 features the whole of South Africa, seeing as it’s part of planet Earth.
From the Kruger National Park to Knysna, the Drakensberg mountains and, most importantly, my house..