For gamers of the 80s and 90s generations, crowded internet cafes, always reeking of sweat and cigarette smoke, were the source of endless passions of their youth. However, with the trend of "vertical screens," these small internet cafes are gradually fading into the past…
Going back in time to the 2000s, when online games and internet cafes were just emerging, internet cafes were always packed with people, even before fiber optic internet existed. One player and three or four people watching or waiting to use a computer is probably a memorable moment for young people back then. At a time when personal computers and smartphones weren't widespread, accessing the internet to connect with the vast virtual world mostly came from these small, informal internet cafes.
In the early days of internet cafes, it wasn't uncommon to see teenagers; boys were engrossed in games like Võ Lâm Truyền Kỳ, Thiên Long Bát Bộ, Đế Chế, Half-Life, Kiếm Thế, and later Dota and League of Legends; while girls were absorbed in Yahoo, Zing, Blog 360, Audition, and Gunny… Back then, computers were a significant asset, and owning a personal machine wasn't easy. At internet cafes, owners even set aside computers with lower specifications for customers browsing the web or playing light-graphics games; the higher-spec gaming computers were in a separate area for "gamers."
To relive the feeling of playing online games, we chose a shop on Tuệ Tĩnh Street ( Lao Cai City) to experience it. Unlike in the past, modern internet cafes are designed with chairs, headphones, keyboards, and mice specifically for gamers. However, even on weekends, the 60 computers only had about 15 customers. Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, who was once nicknamed "the big spender" by regulars because he used to earn tens of millions of dong a day just from the small change he collected from his internet cafe business, was still struggling.
Mr. Cuong recalled a time when, during peak days, especially on weekends, after 7 PM, the arcade machines at the shop were always packed. Those who were late could only stand and watch to satisfy their craving. But now, looking at the deserted and desolate scene, he could only shake his head in disappointment.
“Since 2019, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of customers has decreased significantly, and now it's only about a quarter of what it was before. Income has also decreased as a result, with some days only earning a few hundred thousand dong, including food and drinks. Most of the customers are regulars, coming to the quán (restaurant/cafe) to hang out with friends,” Mr. Cuong said.
According to Mr. Cuong, there are many reasons why internet cafes are no longer as attractive as before, with changes in customer habits and needs being the main cause. Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, playing games at home has become a habit for many people. In addition, mobile games are increasingly developing and attracting more players than PC games. Going to internet cafes is no longer a priority for young people seeking entertainment.
Having 15 customers sitting at a computer is still considered "quite good" given that many internet cafes have closed down. Regular customers have changed their habits, and potential customers, belonging to Generation Z, tend to use "vertical screens," meaning accessing the internet and connecting with the world via smartphones.
In Ban Lau commune (Muong Khuong district), Ms. Tran Thi Oanh's internet cafe is the only one still operating. It is known that before 2016, when internet cafes were a popular entertainment choice for young people, Ms. Oanh's family opened two establishments. Due to regulations restricting contact during the complex Covid-19 pandemic, Ms. Oanh closed the cafe. In 2022, when the pandemic was under control, her family reopened one establishment, but the old customers were gone, and only a few new customers occasionally visited.
Ms. Oanh said sadly: "Before, the place was always crowded, especially in the evenings and on weekends when all 44 computers were occupied. Besides the internet service fees, customers often ordered drinks and food, so the income was quite good. Now, there are hardly any customers, only a few people come to play on weekends. Meanwhile, the internet cafe still has to maintain monthly payments for game and internet services from service providers. I plan to close the shop, but I haven't been able to liquidate the assets yet…"
This is understandable, considering that in the past, if you wanted to play team-based games or hang out with friends, internet cafes were almost the only option. Nowadays, with the launch of many apps and social networks, and many games featuring in-game voice chat, online communication between gamers has improved significantly, eliminating the need to play face-to-face as before. As a result, the number of people playing at internet cafes has decreased sharply, and going to internet cafes is gradually becoming a thing of the past.
If you ask some young gamers about the popular games in Vietnam right now, it's easy to see that they all share a common genre: mobile games. Therefore, instead of internet cafes, coffee shops, and sometimes even sidewalk tea stalls, are often the preferred gathering places for many gamers.
The changing entertainment trends have pushed the old-fashioned internet cafes – places where young people indulged their passions – into the distant past. The image of internet cafes fully booked is now just a memory for those young people who are transforming alongside digital technology .
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