The number of enterprises specializing in developing games played on computers and mobile phones in Vietnam is expected to increase to 83 in 2010 from current 10, a local official said on Thursday.

"We hope that each of the 83 companies has at least one game widely circulated in the domestic market. If this is achieved, they can make combined game revenues of 83 million U.S. dollars in 2010," said Truong Hoai Trang, vice chairman of the Vietnam Software Association (Vinasa).

Now, most of computer games, mainly massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG), in the Vietnamese market are imported from South Korea and China, he said, noting that Vietnam currently has some 1 million users of MU (developed by South Korea's Webzen), 900,000 users of Vo Lam Truyen Ky (Vietnamese edition of Swordsman Online by China's Kingsoft,) and 500,000 users of PTV (localized version of Prison Tale by South Korea's Yedang Entertainment).

To develop the Vietnamese game industry, the Vinasa has put forth four major orientations, namely the establishment of game development groups, cooperation with foreign information technology (IT) giants, construction of game research and development centers, and launch of game-programming contests.

"Early this month, we launched a contest named VietGames 2006 to promote the game production, development, distribution and playing. Participants can produce games played online or offline on computers, mobile devices, and other electronic equipment," Trang said.

The country's leading IT company, FPT, plans to launch its first MMORPG named "Son Tinh - Thuy Tinh" with a plot similar to a well-known Vietnamese legend, in mid-2006.

Vietnam, with current population of over 83.1 million, had 11.8 million Internet users, or 14.2 percent of the total population, by the end of March.

Under the country's strategy on developing information technology and telecommunications, every 100 residents will have 32-42 phones, over 10 personal computers, and 8-12 Internet subscribers by 2010.

Source: Xinhua