With billions of downloads and global attention, Vietnam's gaming industry must now dream big - and dare to turn creativity into cultural exports.

Vietnam must treat games as a form of cultural legacy, said VTC’s CEO, calling for a national strategy to promote history and folklore through digital play.

Vietnam has emerged as one of the world’s leading countries in mobile game publishing. In 2024, three out of the ten most downloaded mobile games globally were developed in Vietnam.

A programmer with no prior game development experience used AI to create a game that now earns $50,000 per month. As artificial intelligence reshapes the gaming industry, is making money from AI-generated games becoming a reality?

GameVerse, Vietnam’s game festival, is expected to become an international event comparable to China Joy (China) and G-Star (South Korea), which are among the top gaming industry events globally.

Vietnam’s gaming industry is leveraging esports tournaments, AI-driven development, and increased investment to cement its place in the global gaming market.

Despite the challenges of a highly competitive global gaming environment, the industry’s revenue is projected to reach approximately 12.5 trillion VND (492.65 million USD) in 2024.

Many illegal and unlicensed games provided across the border into Vietnam have been removed from Apple and Google app stores.

Vietnam’s gaming market is surging in popularity with 4.2 billion downloads in recent years. Yet, as the global gaming industry aims for $2.2 trillion by 2030, Vietnamese developers must overcome significant barriers to capture more market share.

Vietnam has introduced stringent measures under Decree 147 to regulate online gaming, including banning casino-style and card-based games to protect players and curb negative social impacts.

Vietnam’s new regulation compels Google and Apple to enforce game licensing rules, addressing years of unfair competition in the gaming industry.

The government has issued Decree 147/2024 on the management, supply and use of the internet and information on the internet under which games with images of playing cards won’t be licensed.

Local publishers estimate gaming revenue at $4.5 billion, but cross-border companies claim the lion’s share, highlighting the need for clearer policy and domestic support.

Vietnam's game development sector is growing rapidly but still struggles to tap into the global market, which is forecast to be worth $2.2 trillion by 2030.

With a young population and ability to access to new technologies, Vietnam is emerging to become an important destination for the world’s leading game companies from Japan, the Republic of Korea, China and North American countries.

The game industry in Vietnam has recorded strong progress recently, and authorities are moving to tap into its substantial potential.

The government did not include gaming in the list of business fields subject to luxury tax, but considered it as an industry with great potential. Training is the key to develop the gaming industry.

Revenues from games and applications in Vietnam are expected to reach US$2.7 billion by 2026.

“Last year, we dreamed of having $1 billion worth of revenue from the game industry. This year, we need to join hands to turn the dream into reality,” said director of the Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information Le Quang Tu Do.