Vietnam’s gaming industry is astonishing the world with its rapid development. To elevate Vietnamese games to the global stage, industry leaders say what’s needed now are bold, even “crazy” dreams - and the courage to pursue them.

Despite facing delays, Vietnam Gameverse 2025 still proved red-hot. By the morning of May 26, over 10,000 participants had registered to attend the country’s biggest gaming event, held in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnamese games are growing at “lightning speed,” currently holding the number one global spot for downloads on Google Play, with 6.1 billion downloads in 2024 - equivalent to more than 11,600 downloads every minute.

To become a true gaming powerhouse, Vietnam needs more than structured investment. It needs a grand vision - one that dares to dream big and go global.

Global surprise at Vietnam’s gaming ascent

Nguyen Manh Quyet, CEO of iKame Global and Chairman of the Vietnam Game Development Association, noted that major domestic players like VTC and VNGGames have led the local scene, while other Vietnamese studios are thriving internationally.

Vietnamese companies have amassed 6.1 billion downloads globally, surpassing even China and the U.S. Notably, two Vietnamese firms - iKame and ABI - ranked in the global top 10 by downloads. Games made in Vietnam span various genres, including casual and RPG, and many have found solid footing in global markets.

"Many Vietnamese games perform even better than the global average," Quyet said.

As a result, countries like those in Europe and India are taking interest in Vietnam’s game development ecosystem. Several foreign delegations have even visited Vietnam to learn from its fast-growing industry - and left impressed.

But Quyet emphasized that success didn’t come overnight. It took the Vietnamese gaming industry a decade of struggle, with developers having to find their own paths, often without sufficient manpower or experience. Today, Vietnam has the capabilities to produce high-quality games like Black Myth: Wukong and to share its culture and identity with the world.

In 2024, global game revenue hit USD 188 billion, half of which came from mobile. Projections show the industry could reach USD 300-400 billion by 2030. Despite high download numbers, Vietnam's revenue contribution remains modest, indicating vast untapped potential.

Quyet stressed that by leveraging cultural heritage and pursuing the right development strategies, Vietnamese games can claim a much larger slice of this multi-billion-dollar industry.

Vietnam can become a global gaming power

Bui Thanh Trung, Technology Manager at Amanotes, echoed the belief that Vietnam has what it takes to become a gaming superpower. He cited Vietnamese contributions to global blockbuster games, not just in outsourcing but also original creations like Flappy Bird, Axie Infinity, and Magic Tiles 3.

Magic Tiles 3, an Amanotes product, has ranked No.1 among global music games for years and has surpassed 1 billion downloads.

Trung pointed out that Vietnamese talent is highly competitive. In 2024 alone, Vietnamese students won 16 international prizes in math and computer science. According to HackerRank, Vietnam ranks 23rd globally in programming. More importantly, Vietnamese developers have both creativity and passion.

With the government increasingly recognizing games as cultural products, exemplified by the annual Vietnam Gameverse, Trung called on game creators to dream boldly: “Let’s dream great, crazy dreams,” he said. “With passion, mastery, and continuous learning, anything is possible.”

Global recognition is within reach - if quality comes first

Giuseppe Stasolla, Director of the Southeast Asia Ecosystem for Google Play, believes Vietnam’s global gaming ambitions are entirely achievable - but success hinges on product quality.

“Rather than focusing on sheer quantity, developers should prioritize quality and create standout games that leave a mark on the global gaming map,” he said.

Like music or film, games must be widely promoted to reach audiences and win support. But only quality will retain users, he stressed.

Cultural context will set Vietnamese games apart

Phuc Nguyen, Business Director at Meta Vietnam, added that breakthroughs in Vietnam’s gaming industry will depend on three factors: talent development, technology integration, and cultural context.

First, talent must be nurtured and connected with career opportunities. Second, technology - especially AI - should be integrated into gameplay for unique user experiences. And third, Vietnamese culture should be embedded into games to create distinct, non-replicable value.

Phuc Nguyen revealed that Meta is developing an open-source AI project to help learn and reflect Vietnamese culture, as a way to support the local gaming industry.

Le My