Speaking at yesterday afternoon's press briefing announcing activities under the Vietnam GameVerse 2026 framework, Director Le Quang Tu Do of the Department of Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the global gaming industry has now surpassed the film industry and many other major entertainment sectors in scale and influence.
Director Le Quang Tu Do noted that for many years, gaming in Vietnam suffered from deep-rooted prejudice, often viewed as a time-wasting or addictive pastime rather than a legitimate economic sector. This perception, he said, prevented a highly profitable industry from being properly developed and even led to restrictive approaches.
“Looking at the world, games are not simply about playing,” he emphasized. “They are a true industry, generating nearly US$200 billion in revenue annually and exerting the strongest influence on modern entertainment. Meanwhile, Vietnam has possessed great potential in this field but failed to exploit it for a long time, and in some cases even tried to limit it.”
According to the director, perceptions have begun to change significantly in recent years. A major turning point came in November 2025, when the Prime Minister issued a strategy for the development of cultural industries, identifying gaming as one of six key sectors. More recently, the Politburo released a resolution on Vietnamese cultural development, affirming gaming as an industry requiring focused investment and long-term growth. He said that with these two important strategic policies from the Party and Government, he believes the the gaming industry is seeing a major opportunity to move to a new level.
Vietnam’s gaming industry currently generates around $650 million in annual revenue, with a target of reaching $1 billion by 2030, or even sooner. To achieve this, Mr. Le Quang Tu Do stressed the importance of attracting Vietnamese game developers currently operating in markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong (China), and Dubai to return home. This would require tax incentives and management policies that are competitive with, or more favorable than those offered abroad.
He reaffirmed that this is the most favorable period to develop Vietnamese games not only for economic growth, but also to promote the national image and convey cultural and historical values.
At the press conference, Director Le Quang Tu Do also introduced Vietnam GameVerse 2026, the Vietnam Game Festival, as a practical platform to realize the vision of a professional and globally integrated gaming industry. Now in its fourth year, the event carries the theme “Together Reaching the Big Sea – Do Local, Go Global” and will run from February to May, culminating in a major festival in Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnam GameVerse 2026 will bring together hundreds of businesses, studios, publishers, esports teams, and domestic and international experts. Key activities include the Vietnam Game Awards 2026, the Vietnam Game Forum & Game Talks, investment networking sessions, and a wide range of exhibitions, experiential activities, esports competitions, and cosplay events. The program aims to strengthen ecosystem connections, nurture creativity, and serve as a launchpad for Vietnamese games to expand into regional and global markets.
