GAMING INDUSTRY EYES OVER $430 MILLION REVENUE THIS YEAR

Việt Nam’s gaming revenue is projected to exceed US$430 million this year, representing a 36.4 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

Young people play games at Vietnam GameVerse in 2023. — VNS Photo Thu Hằng

HÀ NỘI — Games published by Vietnamese studios generated around US$315 million in revenue in 2024, according to GameGeek, a platform connecting Việt Nam’s gaming ecosystem.

In just the first half of 2025, this figure has reached at least $214.85 million.

If the current growth trend continues, total revenue for 2025 is projected to exceed $430 million, representing a 36.4 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

GameGeek also reports that games developed by Vietnamese teams recorded 9.6 billion downloads in 2024. In the first six months of 2025, this number already hit 5.2 billion downloads. Downloads for all of 2025 are expected to surpass 10.3 billion, a year-on-year growth of over 7.7 per cent.

Games from Vietnamese studios now account for 37.3 per cent of global game app downloads, according to GameGeek. This means that around three to four out of every 10 games downloaded worldwide are developed by Vietnamese creators.

The remarkable result reflects a comprehensive upgrade in development, operations and global distribution capabilities among Việt Nam’s game production teams.

Names like Falcon with Goods Sort and ABI Game Studio with Nuts and Bolts have consistently appeared on major rankings. They also become icons of the ‘casual’ gaming wave led by Việt Nam.

GameGeek shared that Vietnamese developers are constantly exploring new directions. However, the current ecosystem still faces a major reality: a lack of sustainable connectivity.

Việt Nam is home to more than 3,000 game studios, ranking among the highest in the region, yet it still lacks a strong ‘central connector’ to foster collaboration.

The gaming industry remains fragmented, with gaps in skills and capacity among local game developers and publishers.

While many larger studios are making significant progress, a number of smaller teams are still struggling, from figuring out how to market their games to lacking expert connections and having limited access to new technology or advanced operational resources.

Opportunities to meet with experts, access in-depth knowledge and build partnerships remain scarce.

The upcoming Vietnam Game Connect 2025 forum, scheduled for July 16, is expected to become a vital platform to connect Vietnamese game developers with investors and global industry leaders.

The event will welcome over 500 participants, including executives from large and small studios across the country, as well as 25 sponsors represented in an exhibition area. — BIZHUB/VNS

Source: VNS