2026.05.08
Annual downloads of Vietnam-made mobile games reached 6.7 billion, surpassing China to rank No.1 in the world — a figure officially confirmed by Google. "Vietnam GameVerse 2026," launched in January 2026, adopted the theme "Do local, go global," declaring Vietnam's international positioning as a "game-exporting nation."
According to data Google published at "Vietnam Game Connect 2025," global downloads of Vietnam-made mobile games reached 6.7 billion in 2024, exceeding China's by about 700 million downloads to become the highest in the world. In the three genres of simulation, puzzle, and arcade, downloads reached 3.3 billion (a 10.93% global share), surpassing China (8.48%), Hong Kong (8.28%), and the United States (7.20%).
66% of all Vietnamese mobile game downloads are concentrated in simulation, puzzle, and arcade. Among these, "next-generation puzzle games" recorded 83.04% growth and account for 38% of in-app purchase (IAP) revenue, making it the leading category.
| Country | Annual Downloads (2024) | Three-Genre Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | 6.7 billion | 10.93% |
| China | About 6.0 billion | 8.48% |
| Hong Kong | Not disclosed | 8.28% |
| United States | Not disclosed | 7.20% |
GameVerse 2026, launched on January 29, 2026, is co-hosted by the Authority of Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information, VnExpress, FPT Corporation, and the Vietnam Game Alliance. Four groups of activities will be rolled out from February through May.
A large-scale exhibition to be held in Ho Chi Minh City in May is expected to draw 60,000 visitors. The first-ever "Southeast Asia Esports Cup" will also be held alongside it.
AWS, Google, TikTok, and AppLovin are participating as international partners. Knowledge-sharing sessions with global studios such as King, Rollic, Ludus, and Supercent are also being organized.
| Metric | Value | Currency conversion |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam Game Industry Revenue (2025 Forecast) | 1.66 billion USD | About 257.3 billion yen |
| 2026 Forecast (Google Estimate) | 2.7 billion USD | About 418.5 billion yen |
| 2029 Forecast (Government Strategy Report) | 2.42 billion USD | About 375.1 billion yen |
| Revenue per DAU (Vietnam) | 0.06USD | About 9.3 yen |
| Revenue per DAU (Global Average) | 0.70USD | About 109 yen |
| Monetization Gap | About 10x | No.1 in Downloads, But Monetization Is a Challenge |
Vietnam ranks No.1 in the world in downloads, but revenue per DAU (daily active user) is only about one-tenth of the global average. The structural challenge of "downloads without earnings" is the biggest issue facing Vietnam's game industry.
73% of Vietnamese studios have adopted a hybrid model combining IAP (in-app purchases) and advertising. Titles released before 2025 accounted for 78% of new user acquisition, showing a strategic shift from "short-lived hyper-casual" to "long-lasting, retention-focused" games.
In November 2025, games were designated as one of 12 priority cultural industries under Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's "National Cultural Industry Strategy." The government has set a target of 1 billion dollars in game revenue and cultivating 5,000 developers by 2030.
Decree 147, which took effect on December 25, 2024, banned casino-style games, imposed play-time limits across all game categories, mandated phone number verification, and granted regulators the authority to remove unauthorized titles from app stores. It reflects a stance aimed at balancing growth with discipline.
stated clearly at the GameVerse 2026 launch ceremony that the policy is to "send Vietnam's game industry out into the international market."
iKame has built its own four-layer tech stack using Google Cloud, Looker, Python, and Airflow, operating a system that forecasts 30-day, 180-day, and 365-day return on ad spend (ROAS). However, this level of technical infrastructure is said to belong to only "the top 1% of studios," making raising the level of the industry as a whole a challenge.
Vietnam Game Connect 2025 drew more than 700 participants. Grab's AI Business— like this, Vietnam's tech talent is increasingly becoming a magnet drawing in global companies.
Vietnamese studios that rank No.1 globally in downloads are strong candidates for outsourced development of casual games targeting the Asian market. A setup in which Japanese IP is turned into mobile games by Vietnamese studios can work if the Japanese side supplements the monetization know-how.
Establishment of a VC Fund in Ho Chi Minh City— as this shows, Vietnam's digital ecosystem is expanding. Vietnam-made games with a reach of 6.7 billion downloads are worth considering as a placement for mobile advertising aimed at Southeast Asia.
Whether Vietnam can convert its lead in downloads into revenue will determine the future of its game industry. There is strong demand to learn the monetization methods of China and Japan, whose revenue per DAU is ten times the global average, presenting Japanese game companies with opportunities for consulting and publishing partnerships.
Vietnamese game developers combine English proficiency with technical skill, and labor costs are about one-third those of Japan. Vietnam's presence as a source of remote development teams is likely to grow further.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Vietnam GameVerse 2026 | February-May 2026, with a large-scale exhibition in Ho Chi Minh City in May (60,000 visitors expected) |
| Organizer | Authority of Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information / VnExpress / FPT / Vietnam Game Alliance |
| Vietnam-Made Mobile Game Downloads | 6.7 billion per year (2024, published by Google) |
| Industry Size | 1.66 billion USD (2025 forecast) → 2.7 billion USD (2026 Google estimate) |
| Government Target | 1 billion USD in game revenue and 5,000 developers cultivated by 2030 |
| Key Regulation | Decree 147 (casino-style game ban, play-time limits, phone number verification) |
The fact that Vietnam-made mobile games have overtaken China in downloads symbolizes the competitiveness of Vietnam's digital industry. The challenge is monetization — as the tenfold gap in revenue per DAU is closed, there is significant room for Japanese game companies to get involved through IP licensing, publishing, and ad operations. Vietnam is rewriting its self-image from a "cheap offshore development destination" to a "game-exporting powerhouse."
Sources: Mobidictum (2026) / VOV (2026) / VietnamNet (2026)
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