Vietnam Game Localization: Unlocking the Vietnamese Market for Your Game

When considering investing in Vietnamese game localization, it is important to understand the gaming industry landscape there. Vietnam has become an increasingly popular hub in the world of video games, with an enthusiastic young population and high demand for cutting-edge technology.

This country also offers a great opportunity to develop innovative gaming experiences, push boundaries, and attract interest from both players and investors. However, to be successful in the Vietnamese game market, collaboration of developers, localization agencies, and marketers is required to promote your game's potential and unique features. Therefore, this post will discuss the Vietnamese gaming market and what must be done to succeed in it.

Highlights of Game Industry Performance in Vietnam

Vietnam is now highly placed among the giants in the gaming industry. According to Statista, the latest report indicates that the video game market in Vietnam will increase to US$1.3 billion in 2024.

According to We Are Social, which publicized the latest statistics on January 1, out of the total population of 2024 million, 78.44 million are internet users in Vietnam. Of this number, 99.19% of internet users in Vietnam reported that they access the internet mainly to play games. In addition, games are one of the websites or applications most frequently visited by internet users in Vietnam, with 37.9% of them regularly accessing game content.

A report from Decision Lab shows that the majority of mobile gamers in Vietnam are young, with 74% aged under 24 years. This generation is very familiar with technology and very active, spending an average of 2-3 hours every day playing games on their phones. Of these, 54% are men, while 59% of the entire mobile gamer population are women.

Apart from gaming, smartphone users in Vietnam spend more than 5 hours a day with their devices, making user acquisition more effective. At the global level, Vietnam is ranked third in terms of new smartphone users, right after Indonesia.

With a large young population and intensive use of technology, Vietnam offers great opportunities for game developers and publishers looking to expand their reach and add a new user base through the Vietnam game localization.

Vietnam’s Tax Impact on Gaming Industry

If you are a foreign gaming company planning to penetrate Vietnam's booming entertainment market, it is important to understand the tax system first.

Le Quang Tu Do, Director of the Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information (ABEI), emphasized that the success of Vietnam GameVerse 2023 has encouraged the government to not impose a specific consumption tax on the gaming sector. The government recognizes the huge potential of this industry and the importance of support and investment for its development.

Le Quang Tu Do stated that the government supports this decision and has instructed the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) to explore and propose suitable tax incentives for the gaming industry.

This means that gaming companies, both local and foreign, will not be burdened with additional taxes that could increase operational costs and game-selling prices. To compete, you will need to offer a more relevant and engaging gaming experience to Vietnamese players, which can only be achieved through effective Vietnam game localization.

Shifting Trends in the Gaming Industry

The Vietnamese gaming industry is in a huge shift, with many studios moving from developing hyper-casual games to hybrid games. Indeed, the popularity of the type of hyper-casual games like Flappy Bird, known for their simple gameplay and short lifespan, is likely to be replaced by hybrid games that offer more complex content and features, including in-app purchases.

This will be a shift while gamers in Vietnam are looking for deeper and richer gaming experiences, increasing not only user engagement but also their lifetime value. Moreover, this gives diversity to the revenue streams of developers through multiple ways of monetization, including advertisement and in-app purchases, hence making the gaming industry more viable and resilient.

In the end, what this trend really shows is a mature market where developers would like to deliver games that are powerful in both attraction and the ability to hold onto players in the long term.

Why Is Vietnam Game Localization a Good Breakthrough?

It's no secret that localizing your game to Vietnamese can be quite expensive, but the benefits are often worth the investment. Below are some of the benefits you can get from this localization process:

1. Reach a Wider Audience

With nearly 86 million users logging onto the internet daily in Vietnam, this is a big potential market. Localization into Vietnamese for your mobile game could attract large numbers of new players who aren't interested if the game is offered in a foreign language only.

2. Increase User Satisfaction

When games are available in a language they understand, players can immerse themselves in the gaming experience. They feel closer and more involved with the game.

Moreover, the headache of understanding the text on the screen is gone; now they can enjoy their favorite games without language barriers. This will provide players with a better, more satisfactory game experience, which in turn might increase their loyalty and prolong their time playing your game.

3. Attracting and Retaining Audiences in Vietnam

Without Vietnamese translation, many players will find it difficult and uncomfortable when playing games in a foreign language, which can turn them off. Vietnamese localization of games allows players to better understand and enjoy the game, making it more likely they will keep playing.

4. Expand and Increase Your Market in Vietnam

The number of game players in Vietnam increased significantly, from 1.3 million in 2017 to 2 million in 2018, indicating high demand for games in Vietnamese on platforms such as Facebook and Facebook Messenger. If you translate your games into Vietnamese, it can help capture the fast-growing market and increase the value and potential of your games in the country.

What You Need to Successfully Unlock the Vietnam Gaming Market?

The Vietnamese market is not only unique for its culture but also for its specific player behavior and strong local preferences. Therefore, you must make some strategic adjustments in Vietnamese game localization:

1. Prioritize UI

Gamers in Vietnam really appreciate visually appealing interfaces. For example, Free Fire, one of the best mobile battle royale games in Vietnam, has a modern UI with a futuristic feel or a metaverse world that gives the impression of extraordinary animation.

2. Establishing Partnerships with Locals

Given the Vietnamese government's strict regulations on the gaming industry, building local partnerships can help you, as a foreign developer, navigate regulations and strengthen your presence in the market.

Partnerships with third-party app stores like Apkviet and SohaGame, as well as mobile advertisers like Clevernet and GoldSun Focus Media, provide broader access and better visibility for your games. In addition, collaborating with mobile gaming communities such as GSM and Genk can help build reputation and increase engagement with players.

3. Comprehensive Vietnam Game Localization

Vietnam is ranked 58th out of 113 countries and regions in the 2023 EF English Proficiency Index, with a score of 505 out of 800. Although this score places Vietnam in the "moderate" proficiency group, you need to know that the majority of Vietnamese people learn English for purposes other than daily communication, as they generally prefer speaking in their native language. Therefore, to compete effectively, you should consider localizing games into Vietnamese.

4. Adding Local Cultural Elements

Apart from the latest geopolitical conflict between Vietnam and China, Vietnamese culture is synonymous with China. Even though there are many similarities between Chinese and Vietnamese culture, this is actually a strength, including in the gaming industry.

Vietnamese users are very familiar with games that have a strong Chinese influence, such as the Three Kingdoms theme, Kung Fu, and the works of Jin Yong. This is because many players in Vietnam share the same interests as players in China, and games that combine these cultural elements often appeal more to them.

Game studios from China have developed various massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) and games involving player-to-player combat (PK), which are very popular in Vietnam. To capitalize on this interest, consider incorporating Chinese-inspired characters, items, or features into your game, especially if it's an RPG.

Those who develop the casual 3D MMORPG game genre, try to include elements such as open-world maps, various quests, and complex combat systems, which tend to suit the preferences of the Vietnamese market.

Final Thoughts

Vietnam's gaming industry offers great opportunities for investors interested in entering this rapidly growing market. However, to succeed in this dynamic and competitive market, you need a deep understanding of local characteristics, which often requires thorough Vietnam game localization.

To ensure your investment is successful, you need to work with a trusted and experienced localization partner. Digital-Trans Asia is the right choice for this need. We offer a comprehensive localization process, which includes translating the game into Vietnamese and other local languages.

Additionally, we also perform user interface (UI) checks and bug testing to ensure that your game runs smoothly and is free of issues before it is released to the general market. With support from Digital-Trans Asia, you can be more confident that your game will be well received in Vietnam and provide optimal investment returns.