Asia has long been the most favorite destination for western game studios to outsource their game production, mainly due to cheap labor costs and the vast talent pool. And while many people still think that only big countries such as China, India or the Philippines can be chosen as trusted partners for game production, Vietnam has shown great progress and potentials in recent years, and has position itself as one of the strongest contenders for video game production outsourcing with its young, highly-educated, and tech-savvy workforce.
Vietnam’s Video Game Development Education in the Past
In the past, video game development was a rather unfamiliar field and was not viewed by the mass public of Vietnam as a prospective job or career path for young people. This had resulted in a lack of interest from families and students, which consequently lead to a serious lack of programs concentrate on video game production offered by Vietnamese universities and institutions.
Some Vietnamese universities did offer video game production-related courses, but most of the times they prove to be rather useless as the lectures mainly deal with old technologies and focus more on the theoretical aspect. Plus, since modern tech used to be super expensive to import to Vietnam, there is a serious lack of equipment and devices for hands-on practices for students, which consequently leads to a lack of practical experience for graduates.
And So It Changed…
Everything’s changed when Vietnam’s tech industry started to experience booming growth. In order to keep the growth going, the country understands that it must cultivate an increasingly skilled workforce. This understanding has prompt Vietnamese educators and many private technology companies to work relentlessly and intensively to produce a better talent pool that would benefit the country’s tech-related industries.
The gaming industry of Vietnam is also included in this massive booming economic growth and has benefited a lot from it. The rise of technology has attracted more and more Vietnamese youth to tech-related industries, which includes video game production and development. The massive success of Flappy Bird has also breathe new life and reinvigorate the interest and desire to develop video games of the young Vietnamese population. This has consequently led to lots of changes in the education system of Vietnam, with many universities and private institutions offering courses focus on video game development, which will provide aspiring game developers or designers with necessary skills on programming, 2D and 3D design for games, mobile games development, etc. Some of the most notable universities and institutions that offer courses on video game production are NIIT, FPT Arena, Posts & Telecommunications Institute of Technology Vietnam, VTC Academy, Hoa Sen University, and Vietnam University of Science[i].
Aside from education, Vietnamese staffs working in tech-related industry also possess the ability to learn things and apply them correctly quickly[ii]. They also have the reputation for working ward, which has impresses foreign investors one too many times. Most of the people working in the gaming industry of Vietnam nowadays are deeply passionate about what they do, and always striving to become better, more creative and innovative.
Conclusion
It’s true that Vietnam still has a long way to go before they can proclaim themselves as one of the powerhouses for video game production. However, with the staffs working in the country’s gaming industry always trying to upgrade their skills and reaching for new heights, foreign video game studios can be sure that they will not be disappointed when outsourcing their game production to Vietnam.
[i] Nút Chuối 2014, “Điểm danh những cơ sở học làm game tại Việt Nam”, GameK.vn, viewed on 18 Jun 2015, <http://gamek.vn/game-online/diem-danh-nhung-co-so-hoc-lam-game-tai-viet-nam-20140908160034567.chn>