With an estimated 80% of users not using data, Rorotika Mobile identified the mass market of feature phone users were undeserved in the mobile games market.

Rorotika Mobiles idea was to create games using unstructured supplementary data (USSD), the menu system on mobile phones that people typically use to check their airtime balance or to top up. Unlike SMS, USSD has a real time connection with messages up to 182 characters long. More importantly it is zero rated in South Africa, making it a very cost effective channel for those without the luxury of data.

This is a niche Rorotika is capitalising on using its gaming platform with Vodacom to provide “gamification” solutions to one of South Africa’s banking institutions and corporate customers. Appsafrica.com caught up with Andrew McHenry from Rorotika mobile who explains how USSD gaming is driving interaction, engagement and revenues.