Operating and localising online games in Vietnam: the industry’s perspective

Abstract

This paper examines the experience of Vietnamese game companies in operating and localising online games in Vietnam. The findings were retrieved by analysing the interview results with leaders and experts of notable game companies in Vietnam who know profoundly and broadly about the industry. The main themes include the operational flow of the industry and the localisation process. The analysis reveals that another factor that can be added to the value chain in the current intra-Asian market is Vietnam since this country has deeply engaged with the process of producing and distributing online games. Their operational procedure and localising process also display some distinctive patterns that are analysed in depth.

Keywords:

• Entrepreneur
• localisation
• operation
• online game
• Vietnam

Acknowledgement

The author thanks Vu Thi Binh Minh (USSH, VNU-Hanoi) for her expertise and assistance in proofreading the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National University of Singapore (NUS) under the Graduate Research Support Scheme, and by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS) under the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship.

Notes on contributors

Quang Anh Phan

Quang Anh Phan is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Zurich. He obtained his PhD in Communications and New Media from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and his Master in Cultural and Critical Studies from the University of Westminster, United Kingdom. His research interests include Media Studies, Game Studies, and Southeast Asian Studies, with a particular focus on Vietnam. His publications could be found in Creative Industries Journal, International Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies, Asia Pacific Social Science Review, among others.