Vietnam reinforces position in global mobile gaming landscape

Photo: Le Toan

According to Sensor Tower, Vietnam ranked first in Southeast Asia and second globally in mobile game downloads, underscoring the country’s growing presence in the global gaming ecosystem. Industry forecasts also project the global gaming market to reach $350 billion by 2030, with 149 billion game downloads generating $167 billion in in-app purchase revenue.

As Vietnam’s gaming industry continues to grow, more local studios and publishers are setting their sights on international markets. Global expansion is opening new opportunities for Vietnamese developers, while also increasing the importance of partners that can support sustainable international growth, from technology and publishing to financial infrastructure.

On July 16, Vietnam Game Connect 2026, one of the country’s key gatherings for the gaming industry, brought together hundreds of participants from game studios, publishers, developers, technology platforms, investors, and ecosystem partners to discuss the future of Vietnam’s gaming sector and its global growth potential.

Speaking at the event, Hoang Thi Thao Anh, CMO of GameGeek, said that Vietnam’s game ecosystem had reached a stage where global expansion was no longer optional but the natural next phase of growth.

“Vietnam Game Connect is designed to connect the ecosystem needed to support that journey – from technology platforms and financial infrastructure to global partners. As studios scale beyond borders, the challenge goes beyond building great games to operating globally, and connecting with relevant partners helps provide the infrastructure needed to grow internationally with greater confidence,” Anh said.

As market opportunities continue to grow, scaling internationally also requires studios to build stronger operational foundations. Financial infrastructure is becoming an increasingly important part of that journey, helping businesses manage revenue, payments, and cash flow across multiple markets.

Joining the event as a key partner, Payoneer highlighted the role of financial infrastructure in helping Vietnamese game studios collect, manage, and deploy global revenue more efficiently as they expand into international markets.

Nagesh Devata, senior vice president of Asia-Pacific at Payoneer, said that Vietnam’s game studios were increasingly building for global audiences, and that ambition requires financial infrastructure that can keep pace with their growth.

“Efficient financial infrastructure will become an increasingly important competitive advantage as Vietnam’s gaming industry continues expanding its global footprint,” Devata said.

Game startup Panthera raises $1.5 million in seed funding On January 28, Vietnamese game studio Panthera completed a $1.5 million seed round, led by T-Accelerate Capital, with participation from CyberAgent Capital.

Vietnam ranks second globally in mobile game downloads Vietnam’s mobile gaming industry recorded 4.9 billion downloads in 2025, ranking second globally behind China’s 5.3 billion.

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Vietnam’s gaming industry levels up for global expansion Vietnam's gaming industry is entering a new growth phase as local developers expand beyond the domestic market, supported by rising digital capabilities, stronger investment, and growing international demand for online entertainment.