According to Marc Woo, Country Director of Google Vietnam, the nation is now asserting its place as a global app powerhouse, boasting the highest revenue growth in Southeast Asia.
On November 11-12, Google Apps Summit 2025 - a landmark regional tech event - was hosted in Vietnam. For the first time, Google merged three of its signature Asia-Pacific events: Playtime, Think Apps, and Apps Summit, into a unified experience that drew over 700 app developers and industry leaders from across the region.
Speaking with VietNamNet, Marc Woo highlighted Vietnam's rising influence in the global app economy and shared advice for local developers aiming to build world-class digital products.
Marc Woo: The decision to hold the 2025 Google Apps Summit in Vietnam marks our recognition of the country as a strategic market for Google. This is underscored by Vietnam's emergence as a global app development hub.
Vietnam is no longer just an "emerging market." It recorded a 65% year-on-year growth in app and game revenue - the highest in the Asia-Pacific. In 2024 alone, apps and games developed by Vietnamese creators surpassed 6 billion downloads, placing Vietnam in the global Top 4.
This success validated our decision to anchor the event here, uniting regional leaders and developers. It also affirms Google's commitment to supporting Vietnam's booming $82 million digital export economy.
What's the biggest strength and opportunity for Vietnamese developers on the global stage?
Vietnam's developer community is brimming with talent. They combine strong technical foundations with an entrepreneurial spirit, consistently delivering high-quality utility and entertainment products.
Their greatest opportunity lies in shifting from short-term monetization to long-term user engagement. Winning apps aren't just downloaded once - they build loyal communities with recurring user interaction.
To sustain success, developers must build compelling growth journeys, with engaging storylines and evolving goals. Just as important are live updates and in-app events to keep users coming back and drive stable revenue for months - not just days.
What does the rise of Brother Hai's Pho Restaurant tell us about Vietnam's creative potential?
This is a standout success story. Built by university students who deeply understand local culture, Brother Hai's Pho Restaurant shows that authenticity and local flavor can achieve international appeal.
Much like Flappy Bird a decade ago, this game proves that Vietnamese developers possess natural creativity and adaptability.
They're able to turn culturally specific elements - like a pho shop, folklore horror, or local settings - into emotional, globally resonant experiences. This also highlights their ability to create original IPs that are hard to replicate - one of Google's top 10 development principles.
Google introduced a new award category this year. Can you tell us more?
For the first time, Google's "Best of 2025" Awards featured a new category: Best Game Made in Vietnam - a testament to the growth in both scale and quality of Vietnam's gaming industry.
The inaugural winner was Thetan Immortal - PvP Archer, developed by Wolffun Game Studio.
You've spoken of three major shifts reshaping the mobile app landscape: geographic, generational, and monetization. Can you explain?
For years, developers focused on Tier-1 markets - traditionally high-value. But this is changing.
These markets are now saturated, with a 3% revenue decline year-over-year. Emerging markets like Vietnam, however, are thriving - with explosive growth both in total revenue and ARPU (average revenue per user).
There's also a generational shift. Gen Z, in particular, loves gaming but also values productivity and wellness apps. They average 6.5 hours per day on games, plus 4.5 hours on other apps. To Gen Z, mobile is more than a tool - it's their central hub for entertainment, learning, and work.
Finally, for the first time ever, non-gaming apps surpassed games in in-app purchase revenue (IAP). New content models like Short Dramas and AI are fueling this. Developers should adopt hybrid monetization strategies - combining ads and IAP - to ensure long-term sustainability.
What are the top 3 tips from Google's "Top 10 advice" for Vietnamese developers?
Innovate with AI at the core: Use AI for supporting tasks. Generative AI can assist with code review, asset ideation, and resource testing - saving time for complex work.
Build future-proof revenue streams: Hybrid monetization (IAP/IAA) drives design thinking and user choice. Use AI-driven bidding solutions to reach high-value users globally.
Prioritize quality and retention: Vietnam's 7-day retention rate has fallen from 15% to 10% since 2019. Quality is now the key differentiator. Integrate ads without disrupting experience, and host live ops to boost long-term engagement.
What's next? Any long-term Google commitments to Vietnam?
Google is investing deeply in Vietnam across three pillars: safe ecosystems, developer upskilling, and celebrating local talent.
Upskilling & innovation: Programs like Google Play Apps Accelerator offer 12-week mentorships for high-potential startups. Workshops like App Design with AI foster technical excellence and AI fluency.
Building trust & safety: Google strengthens trust through tools like Play Protect, anti-fraud systems, and Play Integrity API - essential to safeguard both users and developers.
Celebrating Vietnamese talent: Google's initiatives such as the "Made in Vietnam" collection and the new award category aim to elevate local studios and support world-class app creation rooted in Vietnamese culture.