Recap of the Week

• Vietnamese studios generated 9.6B downloads in 2024 (~37% of global mobile game downloads), reinforcing the country’s growing role in global mobile game production.
• New game launches continue to break into revenue rankings despite strong live-service incumbents, with several titles released within the past six months entering Vietnam’s Top 50 grossing chart.
• Vietnamese esports teams continue gaining international visibility, highlighted by Team Secret Whales winning LCP 2026 Split 1 and Vietnam qualifying for the FIFAe World Cup 2026.
• Influencer-driven marketing remains a powerful discovery channel in Vietnam, reflecting the strong role of creator communities in shaping player behavior.
• Policy and infrastructure developments, including Xsolla’s Merchant of Record license and a national game developer training program, signal continued structural growth in the industry.

Market & Game Performance

Dynamic Rankings: Recent Releases Enter Vietnam’s Top 50 Grossing Chart

AppMagic data for the week of March 2–8 highlights a group of titles released within the past six months (after October 1, 2025) that have already entered Vietnam’s Top 50 mobile revenue rankings. Despite the dominance of long-running live-service titles, several recent launches suggest that well-positioned games can still achieve early monetization traction in Vietnam’s mobile market.

Titles such as MU: Vĩnh Hằng (#6), FC Mobile VN (#11), and Thợ Săn Quỷ: Đại Chiến Dị Giới (#13) ranked among the week’s top-grossing games. Other titles including Nghịch Thủy Hàn, Ta Làm Tông Sư Trong Tiên Môn, and Dragon Traveler VN also secured positions within the Top 50 revenue chart.

Most of the new entrants belong to the broader RPG ecosystem, including MMORPG, Idle RPG, and open-world RPG formats. These progression-driven systems remain a key monetization driver in Vietnam’s mobile market.

Idle RPG titles represent a notable share of these new entrants, including Ta Làm Tông Sư Trong Tiên Môn, Dragon Traveler VN, and Miêu Đế Tam Quốc. The genre’s accessible gameplay combined with long-term progression systems allows developers to reach broader audiences while maintaining monetization through character upgrades and collection mechanics.

New Mobile Game Launches Highlight Early March Activity

Several recent launches illustrate the diversity of genres competing for player attention in Vietnam’s mobile market, ranging from strategy card games and nostalgic MMORPG franchises to emerging cozy simulation experiences.

Samkok Tam Quốc

On March 4, 2026, the strategy card game Samkok Tam Quốc, published by VPlay, quickly climbed the Top Free Games charts on both Google Play and the App Store shortly after launch [1].

The game gained strong visibility through a marketing campaign featuring Japanese celebrity Eimi Fukada and Vietnamese creator Vinh Rau. The promotional TVC generated millions of views across Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. The launch reflects the continued popularity of Three Kingdoms-themed strategy games in the Vietnamese market.

Ragnarok Twilight – Gamota

The MMORPG officially launched in Vietnam earlier this year and continues to attract attention with its classic Ragnarok gameplay combined with modern features. 

The title recreates iconic elements from the original Ragnarok experience including familiar classes, music, and pet systems. It also introduces several new mechanics such as guaranteed equipment drops from MVP bosses, offline progression for up to 20 hours, and a transformable MVP hero system [2].

The launch campaign also collaborated with several Vietnamese gaming streamers, supporting early player acquisition and community visibility.

Hatch Dragons

Developed by New Zealand studio Runaway Play, the cozy simulation game launched on March 4 on iOS and Android following a successful pre registration campaign. The game invites players to restore a magical forest alongside an elf companion while raising and caring for hundreds of dragon species inspired by Nordic ecosystems [3].

Unlike traditional dragon games focused on combat, Hatch Dragons emphasizes exploration, creature collection, and environmental restoration. This design direction aligns with the growing popularity of relaxing cozy games in the global mobile market.

Vietnam’s Mobile Game Developers Continue to Dominate Global Download Rankings

Vietnam remains one of the most significant mobile game production hubs globally. According to a recent report by Tom Simpson (DIA – Digital in Asia) [4], games developed by Vietnamese studios generated 9.6 billion downloads in 2024, representing approximately 37.3% of global mobile game downloads.

At the same time, the market continues to reflect the characteristics of an emerging mobile economy. The average revenue per user (ARPU) in Vietnam remains lower than the global benchmark, estimated at around $0.06 per user per day.

For developers and publishers, this dynamic highlights opportunities to strengthen monetization strategies, particularly through LiveOps optimization, improved in-app purchase design, and advertising integration.

Esports & Community

Vietnam’s Esports Ecosystem Accelerates Towards Global Stages

Team Secret Whales Crowned Champions at LCP 2026 Split 1

The LCP 2026 Split 1 Playoffs concluded with Team Secret Whales (TSW) defeating Deep Cross Gaming (DCG) to claim their first LCP championship [5].

The series featured multiple momentum shifts before TSW ultimately secured the championship. In the decisive match, strong individual performances, particularly from support player Bie, helped the Vietnamese representative secure the win and advance to the grand finals. In the final series, TSW delivered a dominant 3–0 victory. Top laner Pun played a crucial role in the final game with his Sett pick.

With this win, TSW secured the league’s sole slot at the upcoming First Stand 2026 international tournament, which will be held in São Paulo, Brazil.

The victory may also signal a generational shift in Vietnamese League of Legends esports, as Team Secret Whales emerges as a new leading team following nearly a decade of dominance by GAM Esports .

PUBG Mobile Pro League Vietnam 2026 Spring Officially Kicks Off

The PUBG Mobile Pro League (PMPL) Vietnam 2026 Spring officially began on March 2, marking the return of Vietnam’s highest-tier PUBG Mobile competition. The tournament features 24 participating teams, including notable organizations such as:

• D’Xavier
• Team Secret
• Team Flash
• ROY Esports

With a total prize pool of approximately VND 1.1 billion (~$42,000), the event also serves as a qualification pathway to international competition. The top teams will advance to the PUBG Mobile Global Open SEA Finals [6].

Vietnam Secures Spot at FIFAe World Cup 2026

Vietnam’s national eFootball team has officially qualified for the FIFAe World Cup 2026, one of the most prestigious global esports competitions organized by FIFA.

The Vietnamese squad will compete in both console and mobile categories, following a series of regional qualifiers earlier this year. Vietnam previously reached the quarterfinals of the AFC eAsian Cup 2023, highlighting Vietnam’s continued presence in international football esports competitions.

This qualification represents another step forward for Vietnam’s esports ecosystem as the country continues to produce increasingly competitive teams on the international stage. Together, these results underline Vietnam’s growing competitiveness across multiple esports titles at both regional and global levels [7].

Vietnam Game Awards 2026 Surpasses 350 Nominations

The Vietnam Game Awards 2026 has already received more than 350 nominations, highlighting the growing scale and diversity of the Vietnamese gaming ecosystem.

The awards feature 21 categories spanning multiple sectors of the industry, including game development, publishing and operations, esports achievements, community contributions, and Vietnamese titles with global success.

The awards ceremony will take place during Vietnam GameVerse 2026, scheduled for May 8–9 in Ho Chi Minh City. With participation from developers, publishers, esports organizations, and content creators continuing to grow each year, the Vietnam Game Awards has become a major annual event for the country’s gaming industry.

Government-backed initiatives such as Vietnam GameVerse also signal ongoing institutional support for compliant operators in the Vietnamese market [8].

Policy & Infrastructure

Xsolla Enters Vietnam with First Merchant of Record License

Xsolla announced its entry into the Vietnamese market through the acquisition of Wetaps Corporation, enabling the company to operate as the first licensed Merchant of Record (MoR) for games in Vietnam.

By handling payments, tax compliance, and regulatory requirements on behalf of developers, the MoR model can significantly simplify market entry for international publishers. For global studios looking to expand in Southeast Asia, this move could lower operational barriers and make Vietnam a more accessible publishing destination [9].

Vietnam Government Announces Plan to Train 5,000 Game Developers

Vietnam’s government has introduced a national initiative to train approximately 5,000 game developers as part of a broader cultural development program. 

The initiative promotes games incorporating Vietnamese history and cultural themes, reflecting growing recognition of games as a strategic creative industry. The program could also expand the country’s talent pipeline and support future outsourcing and co development partnerships [10, 11, 12].

Industry & Business Developments

Influencers as Cultural Gateways for Game Discovery

Vietnam has one of the most engaged gaming audiences in Southeast Asia, with esports viewership also reaching significant scale. Esports awareness reaches 94% of the population, while 59% of users report watching esports regularly, significantly higher than the regional average. Research also indicates that around 65% of esports viewers purchased a product after seeing advertisements promoted by gaming creators or influencers within the past month [4].

While these figures are drawn from esports viewership data, they reflect a broader dynamic within Vietnam’s gaming community where influencers play a central role in shaping game discovery and product adoption. Gaming creators and streamers often act as trusted voices within their communities, and their recommendations can significantly influence audience behavior.

This influence is closely tied to Vietnam’s highly community-oriented gaming culture. Instead of relying only on traditional marketing messages, players frequently place trust in creators they follow. Influencers communicate using community-specific language, memes, and shared references, helping new games and products feel more familiar and culturally relevant to local audiences.

In this context, gaming influencers effectively function as cultural gateways between publishers and players, helping frame and introduce new games in ways that resonate with local audiences and community culture.

References

1. Dương Á. (2026, March 4). Samkok Tam Quốc chính thức ra mắt 4/3: Lập tức lọt TOP Google Play & App Store, TVC đạt hàng triệu view toàn nền tảng. gamek.vn. https://gamek.vn/samkok-tam-quoc-chinh-thuc-ra-mat-4-3-lap-tuc-lot-top-google-play-app-store-tvc-dat-hang-trieu-view-toan-nen-tang-178260304154733705.chn
2. Ragnarok Twilight: Chạng Vạng: Link tải, sự kiện, cộng đồng game tại Gamota. (n.d.). https://games.gamota.com/game/ragnarok-twilight-chang-vang
3. TieuManThau. (2026, February 23). Hatch Dragons – Sim nuôi rồng phép thuật sắp cập bến mobile. 2GAME.VN. https://2game.vn/hatch-dragons-sim-nuoi-rong-phep-thuat-sap-cap-ben-mobile-post459387.html
4. Simpson, T. (2026, March 22). Vietnam Gaming: Asia’s Most Underrated Powerhouse. Digital in Asia. https://digitalinasia.com/2026/03/02/why-vietnam-is-asias-most-underrated-gaming-powerhouse/#:~:text=Meanwhile%3A%2065,just%20hasn%E2%80%99t%20caught%20up%20yet
5. H.M. (2026, March 3). Team Secret Whales tạo bước ngoặt cho LMHT Việt Nam tại LCP 2026 Split 1. BAO DIEN TU VTV. https://thethao.vtv.vn/team-secret-whales-tao-buoc-ngoat-cho-lmht-viet-nam-tai-lcp-2026-split-1-101260304001005712.htm
6. Trang chủ. (n.d.). Giải Đấu PUBG Mobile. https://dangkygiaidaupubgm.vnggames.com/
7. Vietnam eFootball team to compete at FIFAe World Cup 2026. (2026, March 28). https://dtinews.dantri.com.vn/culture-and-sport/vietnam-efootball-team-to-compete-at-fifae-world-cup-2026-20260303125022877.htm
8. VnExpress. (2026, March 2). Hơn 350 lượt đề cử Vietnam Game Awards 2026. vnexpress.net. https://vnexpress.net/hon-350-luot-de-cu-vietnam-game-awards-2026-5045584.html
9. Wire, P. (2026, March 6). XSolla strengthens presence in emerging markets with Vietnam Acquisition and becomes the first licensed merchant of record solution in the country. Antara
10. News. https://en.antaranews.com/news/407219/xsolla-strengthens-presence-in-emerging-markets-with-vietnam-acquisition-and-becomes-the-first-licensed-merchant-of-record-solution-in-the-country
11. Anh, V. T. P. (2026, February 26). Vietnam wants 5,000 developers to turn its history into video games. VnExpress International – Latest News, Business, Travel and Analysis From Vietnam. https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-wants-5-000-developers-to-turn-its-history-into-video-games-5044431.html
12. 5,000 game developers and digital heritage: Key targets of Resolutions 79–80. (n.d.). vietnamnews.vn. https://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/1766688/5-000-game-developers-and-digital-heritage-key-targets-of-resolutions-79-80.html