The Vietnamese gaming industry is accelerating its expansion into the global market.

VTV.vn - More than just an entertainment event, Vietnam GameVerse 2026 is seen as a milestone in Vietnam's ambition to bring its gaming industry to the international market.

A once-in-a-century opportunity: From the domestic arena to the international stage.

Vietnam GameVerse 2026 concluded on the largest scale ever, attracting approximately 35,000 visitors, over 100 businesses from 25 countries and territories, and the participation of many top Esports players from Southeast Asia.

Over the two days of May 8-9 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), a festive atmosphere enveloped the entire event as thousands of young people lined up from early morning to participate in exhibitions, esports competitions, cosplay, and community interaction. In particular, the Southeast Asia Esports Cup (SNC) 2026, for the first time, brought together teams from all 11 ASEAN countries, demonstrating that the Vietnam GameVerse is gradually becoming a regional-level competition.

Mr. Le Quang Tu Do - Director of the Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information Department.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of the Department of Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information Le Quang Tu Do affirmed that the goal of building GameVerse into "the destination of the global gaming industry" is gradually becoming a reality. According to him, the Vietnamese gaming industry is facing great opportunities thanks to the synergy of policies, social resources and the potential of young human resources.

2026 is also considered a crucial turning point for the gaming industry, as it is identified for the first time as one of the key cultural industries requiring priority development. Policies supporting and tax incentives for projects exploiting Vietnamese history and culture are expected to provide further impetus for domestic businesses.

At the Vietnam Gaming Forum, many international experts presented positive market figures. According to a Google Play representative, Vietnam is expected to record 8.5 billion game and application downloads in 2025, a significant increase compared to the previous year; publishers' revenue is also projected to increase by nearly 70%. Meanwhile, Vietnam ranks second globally in mobile game downloads with approximately 4.9 billion downloads. These figures demonstrate that the domestic gaming industry is no longer just expanding in size but is moving towards creating sustainable value.

Vietnamese identity and the challenge of conquering global players.

A notable highlight at this year's GameVerse was the trend of incorporating Vietnamese cultural elements into game development. Many products, such as Hào khí Đông A, Thủ Thành Sử Việt, and Tai Ương, gained popularity by integrating national history and legends into modern gameplay. The indie game Quán phở anh Hai even won a double award for "Vietnamese Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Indie Game," demonstrating that smaller studios can still win over international players with their unique identities.

Beyond just the product, the community is also considered a crucial "launching pad" for the Vietnamese gaming industry. Esports tournaments, player meet-and-greets, cosplay activities, and music concerts created a vibrant atmosphere throughout the event. The Vietnamese team also impressed by securing second place overall at SNC 2026, further solidifying Vietnam's position in the region for Esports.

The players competing in PUBG Mobile at SNC 2026.

Besides the professional activities, the cosplay festival continued to be one of the biggest attractions at Vietnam GameVerse 2026. Over 200 cosplayers participated in parades and costume shows on May 9th, recreating the images of many famous characters from games, anime, and comics. Many young people invested tens of millions of VND in costumes, props, and makeup to deliver impressive performances.

An impressive cosplay performance at the event.

Many cosplayers said they spent months preparing their costumes and practicing their performances. The appearance of international guests such as Mikki (Malaysia), Taotan (Thailand), and Hattie (Korea) also gave the Vietnamese cosplay community more opportunities to interact and learn. According to the organizers, cosplay is not only an entertainment activity but also contributes to promoting the image of games, connecting the gaming community, and creating a unique cultural color for GameVerse.

Beyond just the product, the community is also considered a crucial "launching pad" for the Vietnamese gaming industry. Esports tournaments, player meet-and-greets, cosplay activities, and music concerts created a vibrant atmosphere throughout the event. The Vietnamese team also impressed by securing second place overall at SNC 2026, further solidifying Vietnam's position in the region for Esports.

However, alongside the opportunities, many experts believe that the Vietnamese gaming industry still faces the challenge of a shortage of high-quality human resources, especially in technical, graphic, and cinematic fields for large-scale projects. Nevertheless, with the support of businesses, regulatory agencies, and the young creative community, Vietnam GameVerse 2026 shows that the Vietnamese gaming industry possesses a favorable foundation to accelerate in this new phase.

Concluding the event, the message "Do Local - Go Global" was further emphasized as the long-term development direction of Vietnam's gaming industry: building products with a local identity but strong enough to compete in the global market.

Source: https://thethao.vtv.vn/nganh-game-viet-tang-toc-ra-bien-lon-101260526103143286.htm