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Players of a popular new fantasy game designed by German-based gaming developer, Keen Games, can collect rooibos to help them survive in a lost kingdom.
In Enshrouded, which was released on distribution platforms Steam and GeForce on 24 January, players are born as the last hope of an ancient civilisation.
They must collect resources and train up to navigate a perilous world, and along with the never-ending hunt for better armour and weapons, they can brew tea. This will provide a helpful boost to their endurance and stamina.
In a release shared about the game, Adele du Toit, a spokesperson for the Rooibos Council, said that she hopes that the inclusion of rooibos in the game will help increase demand for the popular beverage, which has its roots in the Cederberg.
"The inclusion of Rooibos into Enshrouded has come as a complete surprise and is sure to drive rooibos' visibility and reach new demographics," she said.
"We hope that players worldwide will associate positive experiences with rooibos in the game, which could potentially lead to increased awareness and a greater demand for our locally grown tisane," said Du Toit, using an archaic term for a drink or infusion with medicinal properties.
Rooibos tea is growing in popularity worldwide. Europe's largest economy is one of the largest export markets and a German poll from 2000 pointed to "heavy demand" for the drink.
READ MORE | China has agreed to cut rooibos tariffs by more than half, says Patel
Meanwhile, Enshrouded, which is still in the development phase, attracted over 1 million players in just four days.
It's not the first time a South African product has been represented in a video game.
Last year, Nedbank created a game in Roblox, where players open a restaurant and sell South African food staples, including boerewors rolls.
The Roblox world, called Chow Town, has been visited nearly 200 000 times since being launched in February last year.
