Opportunities for developing the Vietnamese game market and export opportunities.

Resources for developing the Vietnamese gaming industry

Currently, Vietnam is among the top 5 gaming markets in Southeast Asia. This shows very rapid growth and great domestic potential, although in terms of total revenue we still lag behind larger markets in the region such as Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Compared to the rest of the world , Vietnam is still relatively small compared to gaming powerhouses like China, the US, Japan, or South Korea. However, Vietnam is being recognized as a promising market thanks to its abundant IT workforce and a young, tech-savvy gaming community.

To expand globally, Vietnamese game businesses need to possess four core groups of resources.

High-level personnel: Game designers, system designers, backend engineers, live-ops specialists, and data analysts with a global mindset, capable of producing internationally quality products.

Long-term capital: investing in major IPs, systematic R&D, a 5-10 year development strategy, not just buying games to operate.

Strong technical infrastructure: cloud, payments, global distribution, and advanced algorithms to optimize UX/UI, live-ops, and player experience.

A well-structured product and marketing strategy: from long-term IP development and soft-launching in individual markets to international marketing, aiming to elevate phenomena into sustainable global products (Flappy Bird and Brother Hai's Pho Restaurant are examples, but they lacked a long-term strategy to become blockbusters).

The Audition team participated in the 33rd SEA Games.

The direction of development for Vietnamese mobile games in the digital age.

In the current context, the development direction of Vietnamese mobile games is considered a crucial step, requiring a shift from quantity to quality, increasing content depth and expanding across multiple platforms, with a priority on developing content related to Vietnamese culture.

- Invest in original content - Vietnamese identity. For example, studios should focus on creating games with depth, exploring Vietnamese culture, history, and heritage by collaborating with cultural/historical experts to ensure authenticity and artistic quality.

- Develop cross-platform games, not just for mobile, but expanding to PC and consoles to increase player base and product value by choosing Unity/Unreal from the outset to support cross-platform publishing.

- Enhance Live-Ops and Data Analytics - The success of a game in the international market largely depends on continuous operation and a thorough understanding of player behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to build a data analytics team and optimize events and features based on global player behavior.

Opportunities for the development of the Vietnamese game market and export opportunities - 2

Challenges related to software copyright

Regarding software copyright, especially in the gaming sector, according to Mr. Nguyen Hung Cuong - Deputy Director of VTC Intecom - the industry is currently facing three major challenges.

Firstly, copyright infringement and unauthorized copying remain prevalent. Many game products are cracked, have their assets leaked, or have their gameplay, art, and code copied just weeks after release. This reduces the incentive to invest, especially for smaller studios.

Secondly, the legal framework and protection mechanisms have not kept pace with the industry's development. Current regulations are not specific enough for the digital environment, making it difficult to handle infringement cases on international platforms.

Thirdly, the costs and procedures for international copyright registration are complex. Businesses lack the information and resources to register IP in various markets such as the US, EU, or Japan – which have very strict protection laws.

Mr. Cuong suggested that, to prevent widespread copyright infringement, a specialized intellectual property registration portal for games, managed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, should be established. This would enable businesses to register copyrights quickly and facilitate internationalization.

Strengthen international cooperation on intellectual property protection through bilateral or multilateral agreements with key markets.

Strengthen legal support for small and medium-sized studios, providing advice on international intellectual property rights so they can proactively protect their digital assets.

Mr. Nguyen Hung Cuong - Deputy Director of VTC Intecom company.

The role of businesses in producing wholesome entertainment games.

Game companies have a responsibility to create safe, valuable entertainment products that contribute to shaping player behavior, especially among young people.

Building a healthy ecosystem and guiding young people involves measures such as age restrictions, time limits, and transparency in payment mechanisms and benefits. Simultaneously, it's necessary to protect children from inappropriate content and prevent game addiction. Alongside this, we will build a civilized community, addressing toxicity, cheating, and harmful behavior.

Collaborating with schools and cultural organizations to create educational and historical games, combined with organizing eSports and healthy community events, spreading Vietnamese values and investing in young talent through scholarships, training, and game creation competitions.

An An