Vietnam, once seen as a place where games were a social risk, has surged into a gaming powerhouse and ranks second in the world for downloads

At Vietnam GameVerse 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City, officials said Vietnam's 2025 mobile game downloads hit 4.9 billion, second only to China.

Total game and app downloads reached 8.5 billion, while publisher revenue rose sharply, signaling rapid expansion in the market.

The event drew 35,000 attendees from 25 countries and featured a regional e-sports tournament, highlighting Vietnam's growing industry profile.

Leaders also stressed government support for domestic game development, even as the market still depends heavily on imported titles and some firms move headquarters abroad.