Buzz
As 2021 fades into memory, let's revisit the highlights of Vietnam's gaming landscape this year.
Another year has passed, yet Vietnam's gaming community continues to face significant changes. And if there's one buzzword that garnered widespread attention from Vietnamese gamers throughout 2021, it's undoubtedly 'NFT Gaming.'
Familiar Titles Remain Dominant
It's evident that in 2021, Vietnam's gaming scene didn't witness a blockbuster hit capable of sparking a new trend among gamers. This trend has persisted for several years since the success of PUBG. Back in 2016-2017, PUBG's explosion led to numerous internet cafes in Vietnam upgrading their hardware, alongside community growth and the rise of notable streamers like Độ Mixi.
However, since PUBG's success, Vietnam's gaming industry hasn't seen many innovations. Cổ Kiếm Kỳ Đàm Online received high expectations, but its pay-to-play model doesn't seem to align with Vietnamese gamers' culture at the moment, resulting in lower-than-expected popularity. On PC, League of Legends (LoL) likely still boasts the largest player base, especially with its TFT mode. Yet, in terms of popularity and being 'national favorites,' both Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Free Fire are formidable competitors. Despite being 'old' brands with a long history, they continue to dominate the Vietnamese gaming landscape.
Genshin Impact thrives despite all rumors, proving its resilience.
Released in late 2020, Genshin Impact has traversed a short but impactful journey, asserting its vitality and allure. Initially captivating, the game faced a strong wave of player dropouts in Vietnam within a few months due to reasons such as lack of content, absence of PvP, and slow updates.
Yet, Genshin Impact continues to maintain a significantly large community in Vietnam. It seems that a year has been sufficient for the game to 'curate' its most compatible and dedicated player base.
Axie Infinity - the onset of the NFT gaming storm
In early 2021, Axie Infinity abruptly seized the attention of the entire Vietnamese gaming community with its billion-dollar journey. It's fair to say that this game triggered the NFT gaming trend, capturing the spotlight and interest of Vietnamese gamers this year.
The success of Axie Infinity, along with examples of gamers earning millions in revenue, has somewhat sparked curiosity among the Vietnamese gaming community, leading them to explore and perceive NFT gaming differently. Consequently, the buzz in the cryptocurrency market has further intensified everything. At present, it's challenging to count the number of NFT gaming projects that have been or are being launched and perfected by Vietnamese developers. Towards the end of the year, the influx of new NFT games has surged, resembling nothing short of a 'storm' hitting Vietnamese gamers.
