1. 2011 Vietnamese Game Market: Year in Review
Brian, Hanoi 3, 2012
While the Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) hasn't permitted
companies to publish new online games, a chance has arisen for browser-based games and social
games. Publishing web games is simple and easy, since the MIC hasn't designated them as online
games, instead treating them as Internet resources -- just the same as a website.
So through this loophole, operators have freely published anything they want, without needing
permission from the MIC, as long as it can be called a web game. Operators can actually
stillpublish client-based online games without authorization, too. They just need to place their
servers overseas, register a .com domain, and launch the game.
As the result, there were around 60 online games published in 2011, almost are webgames,
including a few famous games such as Chinese Heroes Online, Loong Online, Dragonica,
andLeague of Legends. In contrast, there's no lack of popular online games shutting down, such
as Atlantica Online, Rune of Magic, Band Master, and HotStep.
That's fewer shutdowns than last year, when twenty-two MMOs were closed due to various
reasons, but unfortunely, a lot of companies were penalized. In August, the HCM City DIC arm
of MIC fined many operators, included Minh Chau Entertainment JSC- MCC, EPI Technology,
VTC Mobile-owned VTC Corp., VC Corp., Tinh Van Communication, Vinaphone, FGame, xGo,
Speed E-Commerce, Gamevang.com's owner, Digital Solution, Blue Sea Joint-Stock, and FPT
Online, according to a report from Vietnamese IT site ICTNews.
With the MIC's temporary ban, the operators were no longer permitted to publish new online
games. This gave birth to a new trend--the operators now co-publish online games, which is
called 'channeling'. That makes easy to publish 'new' MMOs legally without permission from the
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2. MIC. Then gamers can see Business Tycoon Online on SGame's site, VNG's social network Zing
Me, and FPT Online's online gaming portal Gate.
Fortunately, 2011's was not limited simply to piles of web games. Hanoi-based indie developer
Emobi Games put forth a miraculous effort to publish its first major video game, 7554, in the
Vietnamese market. This low-budget campaign-only game shipped 16 Dec in the Vietnamese
market and is scheduled for an international release on Steam in Q1 2012. The developer teases
that it'll provide a multiplayer mode and free DLC for the English/French version, but now it has
many problems to resolve. Gamers who preordered got angry because the express courier
doesn't work at weekends; the Limited Edition was poor quality prompting Emobi to discount
7554's price; and an Vietnamese traitor begs 7554's illegal version on Chinese site.
In another effort, VNG has exported successfully a social game overseas. On 24 Nov, the
Vietnamese leading operator announced that Pig Farm will be service in Japan by DeNA and
Sky Garden's also available soon. This follows up VTC Intercom, when the giant operator
launched its MMOs-licensed Journey to the West, Audition, and Websam, at many regions in
last year.
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3. On the other hand, with the MIC's current regulations and upcoming long-awaited Decree, it's a
chance for overseas operators to invade the Vietnamese market. German developer Travian
Games has already been servicing in Vietnam; Malaysian publisher River Walk Multimedia has
published MIU in Vietnam before it stopped operating; Chinese giant Tencent, Shanda Games,
and Changyou announced its intention to extend to SEA, including Vietnam.
2011 now ends up with the waiting for Decree, 7554's disappointed sales, online games-
unauthorized spreading, and threats from Chinese operators. What will happen in next year?
Please put your comment below.
Appearing first half of 2011, Minh Chau is massively multiplayer online role-players on mobile
(GMO) with Vietnamese interface for “hot demand” on the market at that time. Coming to GMO
Minh Chau, gamers will be transformed into the hero role of the Three Kingdoms history, their
own experiences in martial aggressively among millions of soldiers to create a new history by
himself.
Thus, MCgame was immediately attracted the attention of gamers communities across the
country with 1.7 million downloads of the game. And a walk around the forums, not hard to see
numerous exciting topic discussed, invite each other to establish alliances, corps exchange how
to play, how to do tasks, in Minh Chau GMO.
According to many gamers opinion, MCGame has been closely keep in touch with the player
during their playtime when equipped with a lot of items in thecash shop as "superpower", the
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4. form of simplified loading Xu (MC virtual cash) in any form charging such as prepaid phone
cards, game scratch card or via a short code message system. Besides organizing regular events
in game are also strong point of the game, helping the gaming community as well as additional
attachment is the chance to win valuable prizes from the MC operator.
With the nature of mobile game, an further advantages of GMO Minh Chau is mobile gaming
capabilities, wherever and whenever you are, you could be play game. Just owning a phone in
hand with GPRS, WiFi or 3G on the matter at hand, anywhere, at any time, gamers can unleash
maneuver in the world of "feeling the mix of your virtual and real world ".
Mr Linh – The chief of game operator at Minh Chau said: "In Vietnam there are many game
mobile but most primarily using interface in English, Chinese difficulties for users. While Minh
Chau is themed MMO- Three Kingdoms with Vietnamese language, so the first part has attracted
a large of youth Vietnamese since launched moment. The Minh Chau GMO was "covering" the
entire mobile phone platform are available - from the low end to the series S40 for more
advanced, more modern operating system as Android, iOS. So that the MC publisher is trying
our best to open more server, improving service quality to better for players. "
Today, the mmorpg mobile gaming has quickly become a global trend "fever" in the youth
community. And with its advantages, Minh Chau game will definitely win the sympathy of many
game players have been and are about to know and play more this game!
www.mc-corp.vn
(Source:http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/PhuongNguyenHuu/20111226/9119/2011_Vietnamese
_Game_Market_Year_in_Review.php)
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