Vietnamese Internet service firms rush to make games The “game community” has become more crowded when more and more information and communication technology firms jump on the bandwagon. Internet service firms (digital content, e-commerce, social networks, online ads) now tend to jump into the online game sector which is believed to bring big profit to them. VC Corp, Vat Gia and VNPay are among them. Making games is the quickest money making way   The Internet service market began showing big difficulties in late 2012 following the economic downturn. The software industry only got the turnover of $1.21 billion, a modest growth rate of 3 percent, much lower than that in previous years. The e-commerce, which made considerable progress in the years before, became stagnant in the economic recession. The turnover of digital content firms reached $1.24 billion in 2012, up by 6 percent. However, the growth was attributed mainly to the steady growth rate of the online game sector. Therefore, the online game industry has caught the special attention from ICT firms. A recent report showed that Vietnam has become the fastest growing online game market in South East Asia. In 2012, the industry brought the turnover of VND5 trillion, an increase of 20 percent over 2011. In the eyes of ICT firms, making games is the quickest way for anyone to make money. However, making games had never been the focus of ICT firms until recently. It was just considered the way of making money for short term, because the games’ “life expectancy” is not long, while ICT firms strive to sustainable and long term value. Especially, some ICT firms even thought that making games may spoil the firms’ images. However, they have changed their mind, when technology investors have become more cautious with their investments and start ups find it more difficult to receive investments. Some firms have got exhausted in capital after a long period of operation. In such conditions, making games is the first thing Internet firms think of, because the job can bring money to help them survive the current difficulties. Internet firms have great advantages to join the games market. Their advanced infrastructure systems are ready for making games. Soha Game, a subsidiary of VC Corp, for example, has become one of the leading game distributors thanks to the application of high technologies in the games distribution. Analysts have noted that in the context of the great potentials of the Vietnamese games market, it is now easier than ever to buy games from partners or join forces with others to develop games. Internet firms can also use their staff who have basic knowledge on the system administration, online marketing and game operation for the new business field. What’s the 2014 games market like? Vuong Quoc Than Thoai (mythological kingdom) is a game of Vat Gia, a company which once stated that it would never join the game industry. Huyen Thoai Anh Hung (the legend of a hero) has been made by VNPay, an electronic payment portal. VNPay’s General Director stated on a local newspaper in an interview that the firm has jumped into the online game industry. More games are expected to be launched into the PC-based online game market, thus making the market more crowded. Thanh Mai, VietNamNet Bridge