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In 2025, Vietnam Residents Spent $825 Million on Mobile Games: Key Market Trends and 2026 Outlook

yelzkizi In 2025, Vietnam Residents Spent $825 Million on Mobile Games: Key Market Trends and 2026 Outlook

Vietnam’s mobile gaming market continued to expand in 2025, reaching record-high revenues. A young, tech-savvy population and improved monetization channels have positioned Vietnam among the top mobile gaming markets.

Vietnam Mobile Games Market Size in 2025

The Vietnamese mobile gaming market reached a valuation of $825 million in 2025, representing a 9.16% year-over-year growth. Mobile gaming has officially become the dominant sector of the country’s gaming industry, surpassing both PC and console revenue.

  • Market Drivers: Growth is fueled by 99% 4G/5G coverage in populated areas and high smartphone penetration.
  • User Base: Approximately 54 million people (roughly 50% of the 102 million population) are active mobile gamers.
  • Global Standing: Vietnam ranks among the top seven markets globally for mobile game downloads, exceeding one billion annual installs.

Vietnam Mobile Game Revenue and Payer Metrics

Despite the massive audience, the market faces a “download trap” where high engagement does not always translate to high individual spending.

  • Payer Rate: Only 7% to 10% of players make in-app purchases; over 90% play entirely for free.
  • High Spenders: A small “whale” segment of 2% to 3% of players drives a disproportionate amount of the total revenue.
  • ARPU: The Average Revenue Per User stands at $15.27 per year.
  • Monetization Trends:
    • Hybrid Models: 89% of local publishers use in-game advertising (global average is 74%), often combined with in-app purchases.
    • Market Fragmentation: The top 50 games account for only 11% of total revenue, indicating a diverse “long tail” of successful titles rather than a few dominant mega-hits.
In 2025, vietnam residents spent $825 million on mobile games: key market trends and 2026 outlook
In 2025, vietnam residents spent $825 million on mobile games: key market trends and 2026 outlook

Top Mobile Game Genres in Vietnam

Vietnamese gaming preferences are deeply rooted in competition and social progression.

  • Dominant Genres: MMORPGs and 4X Strategy games lead in revenue due to mechanics that encourage spending for power and status.
  • Popularity Leaders: MOBAs (e.g., Arena of Valor) and Battle Royale titles (e.g., Free Fire) lead in active user counts and drive the local esports scene.
  • Casual Success: While hardcore games earn more per user, casual titles like Coin Master also rank among top-grossing games due to viral social mechanics.

Local Payment Methods

To bypass the 30% commission taken by global app stores and accommodate users without international credit cards, the market relies heavily on local infrastructure:

  • E-wallets: MoMo, ZaloPay, and Viettel Pay are primary payment channels.
  • Direct Carrier Billing: Purchases are charged directly to a user’s mobile phone bill or prepaid balance.
  • Game Cards: Prepaid scratch cards and codes sold in convenience stores remain a staple for cash-based transactions.
In 2025, vietnam residents spent $825 million on mobile games: key market trends and 2026 outlook
In 2025, vietnam residents spent $825 million on mobile games: key market trends and 2026 outlook

Decree 147 and Licensing Rules

Introduced in late 2024, Decree 147 significantly tightened government oversight of the industry in 2025.

Data servers for player information must be located within Vietnam.a possibility of new trends emerging that further shape the industry’s future.

  • Mandatory Licensing: All games must have a local license; app stores are required to remove unlicensed titles.
  • Game Classifications:
    • G1: Online games with player interaction and a central server (requires the most stringent “Decision to Publish” license).
    • G2: Online games with a server but no player-to-player interaction.
    • G3: Online games with player interaction but no central server.
    • G4: Offline games.
  • G1 License Requirements:
    • Must be a locally incorporated Vietnamese company.
    • User identity verification (real-name and phone number) is mandatory.
  • Playtime Limits for Minors: Restricted to 180 minutes per day total, with a maximum of 60 minutes per individual session.
In 2025, vietnam residents spent $825 million on mobile games: key market trends and 2026 outlook
In 2025, vietnam residents spent $825 million on mobile games: key market trends and 2026 outlook

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. How large was Vietnam’s mobile gaming market in 2025?
    In 2025, Vietnam’s mobile games market reached $825 million in annual revenue. This was a roughly 9.16% increase from the previous year, reflecting steady growth. Vietnam is now one of the biggest mobile gaming markets in Southeast Asia by revenue.
  2. How many mobile gamers are there in Vietnam?
    By the end of 2025, Vietnam had about 54 million mobile game players. That’s approximately half of the country’s population. This huge gamer base makes Vietnam a top country globally in terms of number of gamers.
  3. What is the average spending per mobile gamer in Vietnam?
    The average revenue per user (ARPU) was around $15.27 per gamer in 2025. This figure is an annual average; it’s relatively low because the majority of players don’t spend money, while a smaller segment spends a lot more.
  4. What percentage of Vietnamese mobile gamers spend money on games?
    Only about 7% to 10% of Vietnam’s mobile gamers are paying users. The flip side is 90%+ play for free. Within the paying group, an elite 2–3% of players are “whales” who spend very large amounts and contribute a big chunk of revenue.
  5. Which mobile game genres are most popular in Vietnam?
    The most popular (and highest-grossing) genres are MMORPGs (role-playing games) and 4X strategy games, which dominate revenue. Additionally, MOBA games (like Arena of Valor) and battle royale shooters (like Free Fire) are hugely popular in terms of player count. Casual games are widely downloaded too, though they earn less revenue per title.
  6. Why do MMORPG and strategy games make so much money in Vietnam?
    These genres encourage competitive play and progression, which Vietnamese gamers enjoy. Players spend money to strengthen their characters or armies and gain advantages. The social and competitive aspects (guild battles, PvP) drive whales to invest heavily, making MMORPGs and 4X strategy the top-earning genres.
  7. How does Vietnam rank globally in mobile gaming?
    Vietnam ranks among the top 7 countries worldwide for mobile game downloads. This means Vietnamese users download games at one of the highest rates in the world (over a billion downloads a year). In terms of revenue, Vietnam is a bit lower ranked globally (not top 10 yet), due to lower average spending, but it’s rapidly climbing.
  8. What is Decree 147 and how does it affect mobile games in Vietnam?
    Decree 147 is a regulation effective from late 2024 that requires all games in Vietnam to be officially licensed by the government. It imposes stricter rules on online games – for example, games must get approval and show their license number, and app stores must remove unlicensed games. It basically means foreign games need local partners and all games must comply with content and age restrictions or risk being banned.
  9. What is a G1 game license?
    A G1 license is the license needed for online games in Vietnam that have multiplayer interactions on a server (e.g. MMORPGs, big online games). To get a G1 license, a company must be based in Vietnam and meet various conditions (like moderating content, enforcing playtime limits for kids, and storing user data in Vietnam). Essentially, G1 is the approval to operate a major online game, and each G1 title also needs a release permission from the authorities.
  10. Can foreign game companies publish games in Vietnam?
    Yes, but they typically must partner with Vietnamese publishers. Foreign companies need a local entity with the proper licenses to release games in Vietnam. Many top games in Vietnam are foreign-developed but are published by local firms who handle licensing and localization. The market is open to foreign titles, but compliance with local laws and full Vietnamese translation and support are necessary for success.
In 2025, vietnam residents spent $825 million on mobile games: key market trends and 2026 outlook
Trend digital marketing 2026

Conclusion

In conclusion, Vietnam’s mobile gaming market in 2025 was a thriving and rapidly evolving space, marked by high user engagement and improving monetization. The country’s gamers spent $825 million on mobile games in 2025, propelled by a massive player base of 54 million, a love for competitive genres, and better access to local payment methods. Vietnam firmly established itself among the top countries globally for mobile game downloads, underlining its importance as an emerging gaming powerhouse. At the same time, low payer rates and modest ARPU highlighted the untapped potential that still exists, as the majority of players remain non-spenders.

The Vietnamese government’s active role through Decree 147 and the G1 licensing framework introduced new challenges and structure, pushing the market towards greater regulation and partnership models for foreign entrants. Games now must be licensed and tailored to local rules, which in the long run contributes to a more sustainable ecosystem for legitimate businesses and protects players from illicit content. Despite these regulatory hurdles, the outlook remains very optimistic.

Analysts predict that by 2026, Vietnam’s mobile game revenues will climb toward the $1 billion milestone, thanks to steady growth and deeper monetization of the huge user pool. We also expect the continued dominance of genres like RPG and strategy, but with opportunities for new innovative games (possibly homegrown) to capture Vietnamese hearts.

For stakeholders in the gaming industry – whether local developers, foreign publishers, or investors – Vietnam is a market that cannot be ignored. Its combination of scale, growth, and passionate gamers make it unique. Success in Vietnam requires understanding local gamer preferences (competitive play, social features), leveraging local payments and partners, and staying agile amid regulatory changes. Those who can navigate these factors are poised to ride the next wave of growth in Vietnam’s mobile gaming era. All signs indicate that Vietnam’s game market, having reached $825M in 2025, is set for even greater heights in 2026 and beyond, solidifying the country’s status as Southeast Asia’s next big gaming frontier.

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