Looking for Vietnam’s next big gaming hit

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Hello readers,

I was still a student when Flappy Bird became a worldwide phenomenon in 2014, and I remember playing the game with friends during recess breaks and getting extremely frustrated every time we collided with a pipe or hit the ground and had to start over.

For me, Flappy Bird is a nostalgic memory of my school days. But for Vietnamese game developers, the title is an inspiration, spurring them on in their pursuit to produce global hits.

Today we look at,

• How Vietnam’s game developers could create the next Flappy Bird
• GGV Capital’s role in leading Grab down the payments path
• Other newsy highlights such as the plans of PUBG’s creator to go public and Tencent’s latest investment into a parking startup

PREMIUM SUMMARY

Get your game face on

Flappy Bird was developed by Vietnamese indie game developer Nguyen Ha Dong, and it took the world by storm in 2014. Since then, developers in Vietnam have been trying hard to replicate this past glory, but in a more sustainable way.

• Fertile ground? Vietnam’s mobile-first market has gained an edge in the region. Four publishers from Vietnam (VNG, Amanotes, OneSoft, and BACHA Soft) were listed in App Annie’s latest ranking of the top mobile publishers from Southeast Asia. However, Vietnamese gamers tend to prefer hardcore, foreign titles often published by VNG or Sea, which means indie studios need to look for their audience outside of the country.
• Going beyond the game: It’s not enough for a game to become a massive hit – companies need to find ways to monetize and sustain that growth. According to an industry expert, some Vietnamese mobile game studios lack clear marketing and publishing strategies, forgetting that if revenues can’t cover operations and marketing, it’s technically “game over.”
• Getting the experts in: Gaming startups often struggle to get funding because the region already has two unicorns with roots in the industry: VNG and Sea. However, a solution to this could be seeking funding from major game companies or publishers that can provide not just money but also the expertise in operations that could keep a game in the air once it gets off the ground.

Read more: The hunt is still on for Vietnam’s next Flappy Bird

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Grab’s path to payments

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