"Grass net" - the old days

For the “gamers” of the 8x and 9x generations, crowded internet cafes, always smelling of sweat and cigarette smoke, are the source of endless passions of youth. However, in the trend of “vertical screens”, 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 though there was no fiber optic internet at that time. One player and 3-4 people watching or waiting to use the machine were probably memories of the youth of that time. At a time when personal computers and smartphones were not yet popular, accessing the internet to connect to the vast virtual world almost came from "grassroots internet cafes".

Going to the “early” internet cafes, it was not difficult to see young people, the boys were passionate about games like Vo Lam Truyen Ky, Thien Long Bat Bo, De Che, Half-Life, Kiem The, later Dota, Lien Minh Huyen Thoai; and the girls were engrossed in Yahoo, Zing, Blog 360, Audition, Gunny… At that time, computers were a big asset, it was not easy to own a personal computer. At internet cafes, the shop owners even divided computers with low configurations for customers to surf the web or play light graphic games; the gaming computers with higher configurations would be in a separate area for “gamers”.

To find the feeling of sitting at the internet cafe, we chose a cafe on Tue Tinh Street ( Lao Cai City) to experience. Unlike the past, the internet cafe today is designed in a modern style with chairs, headphones, keyboards, and mice all specifically for game lovers. However, even on the weekend, the 60-computer system only had about 15 customers. Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, who was once compared by regular customers to a "small change tycoon" because in the past he could earn up to tens of millions of VND per day just from the "small change" collected from the internet cafe service.

Mr. Cuong remembers the past, on peak days, especially on weekends, after 7pm, the machines at the shop were always full. Those who were late could only stand and watch to satisfy their "cravings". But now, looking at the desolate, deserted scene, he can only shake his head in disappointment.

“Since 2019, due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, the number of customers has decreased significantly, up to now it is only about 1/4 compared to before. Income has also decreased because of that, there are even days when I only earn a few hundred thousand, including food and beverage services. Customers coming to the restaurant are mainly regulars, going to the restaurant to have fun with friends,” said Mr. Cuong.

According to Mr. Cuong, there are many reasons why internet cafes are no longer as attractive as before, in which the habits and needs of customers have changed is the main reason. Due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, sitting at home playing games has become a habit for many people. In addition, mobile games are increasingly developing and attracting more players than computer games. Going to internet cafes is no longer a priority for young people who need entertainment.

Having 15 customers sitting at a computer is still considered "quite good" in the condition that many internet cafes have closed. Regular customers have changed their habits, potential customers, belonging to the "gen Z" generation, tend to use "vertical screens", meaning accessing the internet, connecting to the world by smartphone.

In Ban Lau commune (Muong Khuong), Ms. Tran Thi Oanh's internet cafe is the only one still operating. It is known that before 2016, when internet cafes were chosen by many young people for entertainment, Ms. Oanh's family opened 2 establishments. Due to regulations on limiting contact when the Covid-19 pandemic was complicated, Ms. Oanh closed the shop. By 2022, the epidemic was under control, her family reopened 1 establishment but the old customers no longer came, only a few new customers stopped by.

Ms. Oanh sadly said: Before, there were many customers, especially in the evening, on holidays, all 44 computers were full. In addition to the internet service fee, customers often ordered drinks and food, so the income was quite good. Now there are almost no customers, on holidays, a few people come to play. Meanwhile, the internet shop still has to maintain buying game and internet services from service providers every month. I plan to close the shop, but have not been able to liquidate it yet...

This is also understandable when looking back to the past, almost if you want to play games with a team or gather with friends, the "internet cafe" is the only option. Nowadays, many applications and social networks have been launched, many games have the feature of direct conversation while playing, helping the ability to communicate online between gamers much better, instead of having to play next to each other like before. The number of people playing "internet cafe" has therefore also decreased sharply, going to internet cafes has gradually become a thing of the past.

If you ask some young “gamers” about the popular games in Vietnam at the moment, it will not be difficult to see that they all belong to the mobile game genre. Therefore, instead of internet cafes, coffee shops, sometimes sidewalk tea shops are often chosen as gathering places by many gamers.

The change in entertainment trends has made the "grassroots internet cafes" - the places to satisfy the passion of the young generation - fade into obscurity. The image of internet cafes "full" of computers, now only memories of young people of the past, is changing with digital technology .

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