The forum was held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) as the opening event of Vietnam GameVerse 2026, which runs from May 8 to 9, gathering publishers, game studios, technology experts, and gaming communities from Vietnam and abroad.

Under the theme "Do Local – Go Global," this year’s forum highlighted the industry’s ambition to move beyond being primarily a consumer market and become a regional hub for game production and publishing.

A key topic of discussion was how Vietnamese gaming companies can capitalize on local talent and creativity while integrating more effectively into the global market.

Experts said Vietnam’s young workforce and increasing support from international technology ecosystems are creating favorable conditions for local developers to expand internationally.

Adam Seldow, Director of Education Policy at Roblox, speaks at Vietnam Game Forum 2026 in HCMC on May 8. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

Adam Seldow, director of education policy at Roblox, said Vietnam benefits from a young and adaptable creative workforce that is open to experimenting with new technologies and trends.

According to him, games today are no longer limited to entertainment but have evolved into platforms for creativity, community engagement, and digital content development.

Developers who understand younger audiences well are better positioned to create products with global appeal, even when starting from domestic markets, he said.

Seldow added that open platforms such as Roblox allow local creators to develop games with distinct identities while reaching large international user bases without relying on traditional publishing models.

Mike Fischer, assistant professor of interactive media and games at the University of Southern California, speaks at Vietnam Game Forum in HCMC on May 8. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

Mike Fischer, assistant professor of interactive media and games at the University of Southern California, said video games now sit at the intersection of technology, art, and media rather than being purely entertainment products.

To compete globally, Vietnam should invest more in developing high-quality talent, particularly in areas such as player experience design, storytelling, creative thinking, and long-term product development, he said.

"A strong studio needs not only talented engineers, but also people who understand player behavior and know how to build experiences that can truly reach the global market," Fischer said.

Giuseppe Stasolla, director of ecosystem for Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand at Google Play, said Vietnamese studios need to adopt a global mindset from the earliest stages of product development, especially in mobile gaming.

Giuseppe Stasolla, director of Google Play's ecosystem for Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, speals at Vietnam Game Forum 2026 in HCMC on May 8. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran