It's time for Vietnam's game industry to tell its own story

The Vietnamese game industry is no longer a destination for international outsourcing projects. With its enormous revenue potential and growing interest from global companies, Vietnam is transforming into a hub for original content creation in the Asia-Pacific region. However, achieving this status requires more than technical skills. Creative thinking, storytelling ability, and teamwork are essential.

Dr Renusha Athugala, Program Manager for Game Design at RMIT Vietnam sheds light on why Vietnam's game industry needs ground-breaking game designers and how RMIT Vietnam is leading this transformation.

From outsourcing to original creation: Vietnam can do more

Vietnam is currently among the top five countries in the world for game downloads, with over 4.2 billion downloads. According to Dr Renusha Athugala, the core weakness of the industry lies in the lack of original content.

“In addition to outsourcing projects for international companies, we should also focus on developing original content with a distinctive Vietnamese mark. Vietnam has many untold cultural and historical stories. If we develop storytelling skills in game design, Vietnam could make an impact on the international market," Dr Athugala said.

Although outsourcing brings in stable revenue, it doesn’t help Vietnam establish an international reputation for "Made in Vietnam" games. Many small and medium-sized studios take on programming and design projects for industry, but they have yet to produce standout original games.

This is why RMIT Vietnam is determined to change the status quo. The Bachelor of Design (Games) was established to help students learn how to create unique stories, compelling characters, and engaging user experiences.

Technical skills alone aren't enough

When it comes to game development, people often think of programming, coding, and 3D graphics. However, creating a successful game requires designers with the skills of design thinking, problem solving, logical reasoning, research, narratives, system design, balancing, and team work.

RMIT Vietnam recognises this and has integrated these essential skills into its curriculum. Instead of focusing solely on programming and graphic production, RMIT students are trained in design thinking, user experience development, visual aesthetics, logical reasoning, narratives and many more.

Dr Athugala explained one of RMIT's most unique teaching methods – ‘rapid prototyping’.

“Instead of waiting to develop a finished product, students are encouraged to quickly develop game concepts, test them with users, and adjust and improve them, Dr Athugala said.

"Fail fast, learn fast, and try again. Students need to experience failure to discover new solutions, instead of sticking to a rigid model."

Another important focus of the game design program is storytelling. Students are encouraged to draw inspiration from their own lives or from Vietnamese culture. Dr Athugala believes that storytelling produces unique products and helps students build stronger connections with global audiences.

Connecting art and science in game design education

"Interactivity is the heart of game design," said Dr Athugala. Unlike movies or videos, the defining feature of a game is its interactivity. Players don't just watch. They control and influence the world within the game.

Following this philosophy, RMIT's game design program focuses on the fusion of art and science. Rather than just teaching students specific technical skills, the program provides them with a holistic view of the game production process — from character development, story design, and sound design to user experience development.

One of the clearest examples of this fusion of art and science is the SenseScapes project, an interactive sound art installation developed by Dr Athugala and RMIT Associate Lecturer in Design Studies Thierry Bernard. The SenseScapes installation features an interactive sound system powered by motion-tracking technology. Two cameras and four speakers work together to detect users' movements, activating a symphony of nature sounds. These sounds, recorded from Vietnam's rural landscapes — including forests, beaches, and small lakes — create an immersive, sensory experience where users can trigger the sounds simply by moving their bodies.

In addition, Dr Athugala is planning to implement a new interactive digital display screen at RMIT. This display will serve as an interactive art installation. The screen will recognise both voice and movement, allowing students to showcase and interact with their creative works. This project promises to create a public digital art exhibition space where students can showcase their creativity in a new and modern way.

The time for Vietnam's game industry has come

Vietnam's game industry is shifting from being an outsourcing centre to becoming a hub for original content creation. To achieve this, Vietnam needs to develop its own original games that showcase the unique identity of Vietnamese culture.

"A movie can tell a story, but a game allows players to live that story," said Dr Athugala. This is the spirit of RMIT Vietnam’s game design program where students don’t only learn to make games but become holistic game designers who have the potential to put Vietnam on the map of the global game industry. 

Story: Quan Dinh H.

Masthead image: Chaosamran_Studio – stock.adobe.com | Thumbnail image: DC Studio – stock.adobe.com

Contact Dr Renusha Athugala for deeper insights into:

• Interactive art

• Interactive media

• Game Design – serious games, entertainment, problem solving

• Integration of Science and Arts

Please send your media enquiries to communications@rmit.edu.vn