Tabarak Paracha
July 11, 2024
Vietnam’s mobile gaming industry has experienced a remarkable boom in the last 4-5 years, emerging as a powerhouse in the global gaming landscape.
We interviewed Jennifer, the Chief of Staff at VGDA (Vietnam Game Developer Association), to uncover the driving forces behind this remarkable boom and explore the opportunities and obstacles that lie ahead.
The Booming Mobile Gaming Landscape in Vietnam
According to the data shared by Jennifer, the Vietnamese mobile gaming industry has experienced a remarkable boom in recent years.
Some of the key highlights from 2023 in the industry include:
- 4 billion app downloads, a testament to the growing demand for mobile games in the country
- Over 90 Vietnamese companies have appeared in the top charts
- With 400 game companies and more than 1,500 indie game developers, Vietnam boasts a vibrant and diverse ecosystem of game creators
Trends in the Vietnamese Mobile Gaming Industry
A Shift from Hyper Casual towards Hybrid Casual and Puzzle Games
The market has undergone significant changes over the past two years, with the Vietnamese mobile gaming industry being particularly responsive to these trends. During this period, there has been a noticeable decline in eCPM and a rise in CPI in the market, among other shifts. Consequently, the focus has shifted from hyper-casual games to hybrid-casual games in an attempt to increase LTV. Additionally, there has been an increase in the popularity of more complex puzzle games, which have the potential to yield higher LTV as well.
To learn more about the trends and benchmarks to cope with this shift from hyper casual to hybrid casual games, check out our “From hyper to hybrid in 2024” report.
Increased Focus on Content within Hyper-Casual Games
Hyper-casual games are also still present. However, now the mobile game developers that are publishing hyper-casual titles are adding much more, and much longer content into their games in order to increase the lifetime.
Challenges Faced by the Vietnamese Mobile Gaming Industry
While the Vietnamese mobile gaming industry has experienced remarkable growth, it also faces several challenges that must be addressed to ensure continued success.
Below are some of the long and short term challenges Jennifer identifies.
Long term:
The mobile gaming industry in Vietnam is young and has been growing rapidly for the last 4 to 5 years. However, it faces a shortage of skilled workers, especially game designers and experienced product managers. The formal education system for game developers only began 2-3 years ago. And only this year, Vietnam’s first university offering game design and development courses was established.
Short term:
In the short term, a major challenge is creating high-quality games that can compete globally, while having limited resources and talent. Additionally, with the shift from hyper-casual to hybrid casual games, there is also a need to reorganize the workforce. Many people who previously worked on hyper-casual games lack the skills needed for hybrid casual or midcore games.
Future Predictions for the Vietnamese Mobile Gaming Industry
Looking ahead, Jennifer shares her insights on the key trends and developments that are likely to shape the Vietnamese mobile gaming industry in the coming years:
- Increased Adoption of AI in Game Production & Marketing
- Shift towards Hybrid Casual Games
- Restructuring of the human resources in Vietnamese gaming companies
- Increasing number of game developers working with big game publishers
Watch the video above for a deeper dive into the conversation.
