Durban's 'Fantastic Four' triumph at national game jam
Team Fantastic Four, back, Giselle Khan and Akhona Magubane, front, Danielle Poulton and Ivan Williams.
Image: Supplied
Four Durban students have won the 2025 YellowDot Africa-IIE-Vega School Game Jam with their prototype Haibo! Too Much Traffic. Their winning game had to be created in 48 hours, with an aim to build an engaging and culturally authentic African game concept.
Called Team Fantastic Four, they are all second-year students pursuing a Bachelor of Computer and Information Sciences in Game Design at Vega School in Durban. They are, Akhona Magubane, Danielle Poulton, Giselle Khan and Ivan Williams.
Screenshots from Team Fantastic Four's winning game Haibo! Too much Traffic. The game captured the essence of South African life with humor and relatability.
Image: Vega School
This year’s theme was Games for Africa highlighting stories, cultures and connections:
- Reflected authentic African cultures, environments, traditions or futures.
- Fostered player engagement and community building.
- Integrated reward systems which motivated continued play and explored in game economies, challenges or social features relevant to African contexts.
Head of Experience and Game Design at Vega School Kylie Smith applauded the winners.
“This win is a testament to the quality of our students and the dedication of our lectures. It reflects the vigour of our teaching approach and the creativity and professionalism our students bring to the table.
"Working on a real client gives our students a genuine sense of what industry expects. The pace, the pressure and the possibilities. Having Team Fantastic Four’s concept selected by the YellowDot reinforces our commitment to producing graduates who are ready to contribute meaningfully to the creative technology space,” said Smith.
Poulton said. “We decided to make an idle runner game surrounded with traffic with fun visuals and jokes."
Chief Technology of YellowDot Africa, Ransome Madziwe commended Team Fantastic Four’s prototype claiming that it was the one that stood out from all other teams. “It captured the essence of South African life with humour and relatability, turning everyday frustrations like taxis, pot holes and road chaos into a fun, light-hearted experience. The simplicity of the gameplay combined with its cultural authenticity and strong market fit made it ideal for mobile audiences.
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