The next generation of gamers is here
P
icture this: a virtual world where you reign supreme. That is the dream of Namibia’s first allfemale esport team, V-Fortis Fe.
Gaming is no longer just a pastime, it is a competitive sport with some of the world’s best athletes. It takes commitment and focus to get to the top. V-Fortis, one the first local esport teams, have been making waves at some of the biggest tournaments in the world. In 2021 they sent their first female player to take part in an international competition, and earlier this year the first allfemale team was launched. V-Fortis had the vision to enhance esports presence in Namibia, and they have been successful. The V-Fortis Fe team consists of Maja CyberGhost Carstens, Nicole Znix Cameron, Elzaan BestCoffeeTable van Loggerenberg, Elzanne DeadSmiley van Loggerenber and Bruce Lampie Lee. The players hail from Namibia and South Africa. The team is primarily focused on taking part in Counter Strike tournaments. According to Maja they chose CS because of its massive popularity and because it stands out among other big esport titles. The team took part in the Girl Gamer Esports Festival earlier this year, even though the team was formed only a week before the start of the tournament. Unfortunately, they didn’t advance to the finals. “Our spirit remains unbroken. We are gearing up for an even stronger performance next year”, Maja said. The team is ready to take on some of the world’s best. They are practicing and getting ready for a few important tournaments later this year and next year. “We are eagerly preparing for the ESA games this year, especially now that it will be played on the highly anticipated
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Counter Strike 2. Next year we are set on ramping up our efforts. The team has decided to adopt a stricter training regimen and possibly get an onboard coach for enhanced guidance”, Maja explained. The team believes that their positive energy sets them apart from others. They might be a young team but they already have the chemistry that will carry them through challenging tournaments. Maja says that because of their connection they sometimes break into song during intense moments, especially during their webcam sessions. One of their biggest challenges is balancing esports with their full-time jobs and home lives. They try to accommodate team members’ schedules for tournaments and practices. They know they have to put in the hours because their goal is to be recognised as one of the best esport teams in Namibia and South Africa. Maja has been part of Namibia’s national team and says that one of her most cherished memories is when she and her other female team members finished in fourth place at the International Esports Federation tournament in Bali last year. The V-Fortis Fe team wants to encourage more women to take part in esports. Organisations like the Namibian Electronic Sports Association and Oryx Esports Namibia support players who want to go professional. Their games are streamed on the Ghostbusters channel on Twitch and on their individual streams. They also encourage everyone to check out their X page (formerly known as Twitter) for information on their upcoming matches. Barry de Klerk
