Vietnam's game industry seeks stronger global presence as GameVerse expands internationally

At the entrance hall, flags of all 11 ASEAN countries welcomed 87 esports athletes competing in the 2026 SEA Esports Nations Cup (SNC). Organizers described the event as the first esports tournament to gather full national teams from all ASEAN member states, reflecting GameVerse's transition from a domestic festival to a regional industry event.

"For the past four years, we have had one ambition: to build GameVerse into an international destination for the global gaming industry. Today, that vision is gradually becoming reality," Do said during the opening ceremony attended by delegates from multiple countries.

Large crowds gathered before the venue officially opened on May 8, with attendees lining up early at exhibition booths operated by major publishers including VTC, VNGGames and Funtap. In the B2B area, representatives from game studios and investors held discussions throughout the event, while international cosplay communities from Taiwan, Malaysia and other markets participated in cultural activities.

Industry growth supported by policy momentum

Vietnam GameVerse 2026 took place amid increasing government support for the gaming sector. Vietnam has recently introduced policies recognizing gaming as one of six priority cultural industries for investment and development. Companies producing games based on Vietnamese history and culture are also eligible for tax incentives.

"The Vietnamese gaming industry currently benefits from favorable timing, market conditions and human resources," Do said, while encouraging both international investment and stronger cooperation among domestic studios.

At the Vietnam Game Forum held on May 8, industry representatives presented data highlighting Vietnam’s rapid market growth.

Vu Minh Hanh, CEO of GameGeek, said Vietnam ranked second globally for mobile game downloads in 2025, reaching 4.9 billion downloads. Around 27,000 games were launched during the year, reflecting the production capacity and international adaptability of local studios.

Giuseppe Stasolla, director of ecosystems for Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand at Google Play, said Vietnam recorded 8.5 billion game and app downloads in 2025, up 39% year-on-year, while publisher revenue increased 69%.

According to industry representatives, the market is increasingly shifting from growth driven by user numbers toward higher-value and more sustainable business models..

Vietnamese studios explore cultural identity

Alongside discussions on market growth, many participants highlighted the importance of developing distinctive intellectual property rooted in Vietnamese culture and history.

Mike Fischer from the University of Southern California said identity-driven storytelling could help Vietnamese games build stronger player communities and differentiate themselves internationally.

Over the past year, several locally developed titles inspired by Vietnamese mythology and history have attracted attention, including "Hao Khi Dong A", "Thu Thanh Su Viet" and "Tai Uong".

Speaker Ngoc Thuy Duong presents solutions for conveying Vietnamese historical themes through the game "Thu Thanh Su Viet".

At the Vietnam Game Awards on May 8, "Quan Pho Anh Hai" won both Best Vietnamese Indie Game and Vietnam Game of the Year. The game drew on everyday Vietnamese imagery and local cultural elements.

At the GameHub finals, five projects inspired by Vietnamese folklore, history and daily life also received recognition and investment commitments from judges.

Nguyen The Minh, representative of the mythology-inspired project "Tram Yeu Diet Ma: Loan The Quy Linh", said Vietnamese cultural themes remain largely unexplored globally.

"The world is still lacking action IPs featuring fresh cultural and mythological elements. Vietnamese culture remains a rich source of inspiration," he said.

Top 5 outstanding projects honored at GameHub 2026.

Industry representatives said talent development remains one of the sector’s key challenges.

Many universities in Vietnam have expanded training programs in game design and related disciplines, but Dr. Cao Minh Thang, director of the Institute of Information and Communication Technology (CDIT) under the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, said the industry still faces shortages of highly skilled professionals.

He noted that Vietnam particularly lacks specialists in digital technology, cinematic production and advanced graphics development for large-scale projects.

A female gamer in cosplay at the event.

Community as the launchpad

Beyond industry discussions, esports tournaments, cosplay activities and concerts attracted large audiences throughout the two-day event.

As a regional competition involving national teams, the SEA Esports Nations Cup drew strong support from Vietnamese fans. Vietnam finished second overall with 390 points, behind Indonesia.

Athletes competing in PUBG Mobile at SNC 2026.

Vietnam also hosted several additional tournaments, including Game Arena: SROM, VMC Spring 2026 Grand Finals and FC Mobile Invitation Cup 2026.

At the Fan Meeting Esports All-Stars event, well-known players including Hide, Jiro, Levi and Hoai Triet shared their experiences pursuing professional esports careers and overcoming social stigma associated with gaming.

Cosplay activities also remained a major attraction, with around 200 participants joining parades and performances throughout the festival.

The cosplay community is closely linked to the gaming industry, helping promote games and expand fan engagement. Organizers invited regional cosplay figures including Mikki (Malaysia), Taotan (Thailand) and Hattie (South Korea) to participate in this year’s event.

Vietnam GameVerse 2026 concluded on May 9 with a music program featuring artists including 24k.Right, Wxrdie, Khang Ki, IndieK and DJ Huy OEG..

Organizers said the event aims not only to serve as a gaming and entertainment festival but also as a platform connecting publishers, developers, investors and technology companies.

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together," Do said in his closing remarks, reiterating the event’s theme: "Do local – Go global together."