- May 20, 2026 | 01:26 am PT
Crowds fill Vietnam GameVerse 2026 at SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, on May 8-9, 2026.At the entrance hall, flags of all 11 ASEAN countries welcomed 87 esports athletes competing in the 2026 SEA Esports Nations Cup (SNC). Organizers described the event as the first esports tournament to gather full national teams from all ASEAN member states, reflecting GameVerse's transition from a domestic festival to a regional industry event."For the past four years, we have had one ambition: to build GameVerse into an international destination for the global gaming industry. Today, that vision is gradually becoming reality," Do said during the opening ceremony attended by delegates from multiple countries.Large crowds gathered before the venue officially opened on May 8, with attendees lining up early at exhibition booths operated by major publishers including VTC, VNGGames and Funtap. In the B2B area, representatives from game studios and investors held discussions throughout the event, while international cosplay communities from Taiwan, Malaysia and other markets participated in cultural activities.
Le Quang Tu Do, Head of the Department of Radio, Television, and Electronic Information, speaks at Vietnam GameVerse 2026.Industry growth supported by policy momentumVietnam GameVerse 2026 took place amid increasing government support for the gaming sector. Vietnam has recently introduced policies recognizing gaming as one of six priority cultural industries for investment and development. Companies producing games based on Vietnamese history and culture are also eligible for tax incentives."The Vietnamese gaming industry currently benefits from favorable timing, market conditions and human resources," Do said, while encouraging both international investment and stronger cooperation among domestic studios.At the Vietnam Game Forum held on May 8, industry representatives presented data highlighting Vietnam’s rapid market growth.Vu Minh Hanh, CEO of GameGeek, said Vietnam ranked second globally for mobile game downloads in 2025, reaching 4.9 billion downloads. Around 27,000 games were launched during the year, reflecting the production capacity and international adaptability of local studios.Giuseppe Stasolla, director of ecosystems for Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand at Google Play, said Vietnam recorded 8.5 billion game and app downloads in 2025, up 39% year-on-year, while publisher revenue increased 69%.According to industry representatives, the market is increasingly shifting from growth driven by user numbers toward higher-value and more sustainable business models..
