Team Silver led by Collins “Skarra” Manyame wins the Red Bull Locked In in Cape Town, South Africa on March 7, 2026. // Pregan Pillay / Red Bull
The atmosphere at Cape Town’s Bellville Velodrome was electric on a warm Saturday evening. Sounds of enthusiastic cheers filled the venue, accompanied by the glow of monitors illuminating the space. Gamers were deeply engaged, their expressions reflecting intense concentration, for this was Red Bull Locked In, a continuous 48-hour gaming event.
The Red Bull Locked In tournament showcased four teams and 120 players competing to determine the top Apex Legends team in a LAN (Local Area Network) setup. This arrangement connected all consoles and computers locally, ensuring the fastest gameplay possible.
Four well-known South African gaming figures served as team captains for the competition. Bish (Julia Robson), the only female captain, led Team Red, while Skarra (Collins Manyame) captained Team Silver. Team Blue was headed by HenricoM (Henrico Morton) and Team Yellow by Binkz (Tyler August).
Choosing teammates was a critical task. Captains meticulously reviewed online applications, seeking players with competitive skills essential for enduring a 48-hour LAN event.
“I did look at skill. Of course, I am naturally competitive,” said Skarra. “I love to win. But also at the same time, it’s also about having fun and making sure that you bring a good vibe to the team.
“It was also kind of looking into that and making sure that the people that are on my team kind of have a good vibe to them. They also know that it’s not always about winning and even if you’re losing, you can still have fun.”
Binkz mentioned that many participants were familiar to the organizers through their streaming connections.
“When the signups opened we told everyone to register, so a lot of people we knew joined,” he noted. Team selections emphasized both chemistry and allowing players to build new connections. “That’s the point of the LAN.”
Beds were arranged along the side of the stage, providing players a spot to rest during the marathon. This setup harked back to the early days of gaming’s “LAN party” culture, when players would spend entire weekends gaming, sleeping, and competing in a shared environment.
“The ‘bed’ aspect for people that don’t know is that when it comes to LAN, you always want to make sure that you at least have a place to sleep and you know you have some place to rest,” Skarra explained.
“It’s not always just about straight gaming. Some people enjoy gaming through the night but with an event like this, where we know there’s going to be an intense schedule coming through, I try to advise the players that: ‘Hey, you know, we want to have fun but there has to be a cut-off time. Try to get some rest, get yourself refreshed for the morning.’”
For Bish, the captain of Team Red, the journey into professional gaming took her by surprise.
“I did not know I was going to do this competitively but I used to come to the Bellville Velodrome for a 1000 man OC lands and that kind of ignited it,” she shared. “At the age of 16, I really found my groove in this space. I knew I wanted to pursue Twitch streaming and see where it took me but I had no idea where we’re going to be today.”
As the only female captain, Bish expressed her desire to inspire more women to engage with gaming.
“I’m happy to represent. I grew up in this space and it’s nice to see more girls here as well. There’s girls in every team. If anything, this might just motivate more girls to play Apex and video games. Though we are few, we are mighty!”
Competition intensified among the captains as teams were provided with specific competitive elements, including friendly “sabotage” tactics to gain an advantage.
“Red Bull sort of initiated and allowed us to have little perks that can kind of give us a competitive advantage,” noted Skarra. “One of the players or one of the team captains actually played a card that had to force one of the team captains to switch what inputs they played with.
“One of the team captains plays with a mouse and keyboard. They had to switch to play with a controller. It’s little things like that where you’re put into a sort of unfamiliar water and territory that sometimes can affect how your game goes,” he continued.
No ill will was intended. “You know, we love each other, [we’re] all great friends at the end of the day but we know once it’s time to lock into the server, we have got to do what we can to win. And that’s been the beauty of it. We can still have fun outside the lobby but inside, you know, we go all out and see who has the best gamers.”
Bragging rights were at stake for Team Yellow’s captain Binkz.
“Just for some context, we had another interview. And then in that interview, we were asked: ‘Do you have anything to say to your captains’. I told him: ‘It’s going to suck if you guys lose to me. It’s going to suck,’” Binkz chuckled. “We are in the lead at the moment and there’s one more game to play. They are never going to hear the end of it.”
Several strategies gained importance in a LAN setting compared to regular online matches. For Bish and Skarra, communication stood out as a priority.
“Get to know your teammates, make friends, communication is unfortunately key, so you’re gonna have to be screaming into your mic if you can’t hear each other but that is definitely the best way to go,” Bish advised.
Skarra emphasized the importance of communication and map control for victory. Proper positioning enabled teams to predict enemy movements and respond accordingly, while clear communication made it clear when to attack, pull back, or retreat.
In the LAN environment, where surprises can arise, these skills became crucial as all teams started under equal conditions.
As the final two games approached, the atmosphere thickened with anticipation. Team Yellow held a significant lead, trailed by Team Blue. Team Silver occupied third place, while Team Red was in the last position.
“At the moment, we’re currently third out of four, which you’d think is bad but we’re actually one point behind second and 20 points behind first,” Skarra noted. “And with the point system that is very close.
“We also have an advantage going into the last game where we get double points for whatever we earn, meaning there is a good chance that we can also pull ahead both in this next game and in the last. I’m still feeling very confident.”
In an astonishing twist, Team Silver launched a remarkable comeback, moving from third to clinch the Red Bull Locked In title in the concluding moments of the event.
Skarra expressed his exhilaration. “It’s very hard to describe what I feel right now because in our celebrations, I literally almost passed out on the stage but it is just genuinely a surreal feeling and something that I’m so blessed to be able to experience.”
Reflecting on Team Silver’s journey from third place to victory, the captain credited their success to strategic planning.
“I stayed up till 3am the previous day just trying to strategise how we’re going to approach every single game mode and then on top of that, I just made sure that throughout, encouraging the guys that: Listen, it’s okay we might be in third place but at the end of the day, I’m still proud of you.’”
After the win, Skarra emphasized the importance of passionate gaming for younger players, encouraging them to be proud of their interest and dismiss any negative stereotypes associated with gaming.
“To the upcoming young gamers, one thing I have to say to you is: ‘Don’t feel ashamed that you’re a gamer. There was a point where if you were told you’re a gamer, you were always seen as a nerd. You couldn’t really have fun. Gaming is cool now so, you can be a gamer, you can have fun. But also, you can experience moments like this. The most important thing is just realising that whenever you’re gaming, it doesn’t just have to be in front of your screen.
“‘You can be in person and you can live and love that moment. You meet new people and right now I’ve met 30 different new people and it’s just going to be something that I’m going to hold for the rest of my life.’”
The journalist’s trip to Cape Town was sponsored by Red Bull South Africa.
