Báo Hải Phòng•17/10/2026
Confirming the potential of esports .
On October 10th and 11th, at the City Theater Square and the Central Flower Garden Strip, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with VNGGames Co., Ltd., organized the Games ON Hai Phong 2026 esports festival.
This is the first time Hai Phong has hosted a national-scale outdoor esports event, bringing professional tournaments to the public and creating a new experience for locals and tourists.
The highlight of the event is the finals of three national-level tournaments, including: the Women’s Solo Teamfight Tactics tournament, the Teamfight Tactics Student Esports Championship, and the 2026 League of Legends National Championship.
Alongside the finals, more than 20 games published by VNGGames in Vietnam were showcased through community experience, interaction, and competition zones. Technology booths, interactive activities with content creators, art programs, and local food stalls created a comprehensive entertainment space. The free admission also helped the event extend beyond the gaming community, attracting young people, families, and tourists visiting the pedestrian street.
Games ON not only brought a new event, but also demonstrated the potential for esports development in Hai Phong, from the pool of athletes to the young gaming community. Pham Truong An, a Hai Phong esports player who won the runner-up title at the Esports World Cup 2025, shared: “Competing on home turf, where I was born, made me a little nervous. Competing live allowed me to feel the cheers of the crowd, which was more exciting than just playing alone.”
Pham Duc Anh, a student at Ngo Quyen High School, said: “I often play Teamfight Tactics after school because the game helps develop my thinking skills, improve my hand-eye coordination, and speed up problem-solving. I’m also very excited that Hai Phong is organizing such a big event and hope the city will have more similar programs.”
The experience of the players participating in Games ON this time shows that esports can become a bridge between technology, individual skills, and community activities. To ensure the sustainable development of this potential, in addition to large-scale events, Hai Phong needs to focus on creating a healthy environment for young people to interact, discover and nurture talent, and raise awareness of professionalism, discipline, and sportsmanship in esports competitions.
Connecting the cultural industry with the night-time economy .
Games ON Hai Phong 2026 takes place in the context of developing the cultural industry as a crucial direction. The strategy for developing Vietnam’s cultural industries until 2030, with a vision to 2045, identifies software and entertainment games, and cultural tourism as key sectors. Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture further emphasizes the need to exploit creative potential and develop cultural industries with a focus on key areas.
In this trend, video games are not only a form of digital entertainment but can also connect with sports, music, performing arts, and tourism. Bringing these products to public spaces creates more direct experiences, attracts the public, and expands business opportunities for related services.
From the end of August 2026, the pedestrian street and night food program will be piloted in the central flower garden area and the City Theater Square every Friday and Saturday evening. On the opening night, this space attracted more than 16,000 residents and tourists. Besides food, street music, and traditional art, Games ON adds digital entertainment aimed at young people, contributing to enriching activities in the central area.
Mr. La Xuan Thang, Senior Executive Director of VNGGames, a Vietnamese online game publisher, stated that Hai Phong possesses a distinctive cultural identity and a strong sense of community. Bringing Games ON to an open urban space will help make esports more widely accessible. The company expects the event to contribute new cultural and entertainment experiences, diversify tourism activities, and boost the city’s night-time economy.
Comrade Le Trung Kien, Member of the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee, emphasized that Hai Phong has the infrastructure, landscape, and experience to become a destination for large-scale sports and tourism events. Organizing outdoor esports events contributes to the development of a professional competition system and promotes the movement in the locality. The city is determined to strengthen investment in sports infrastructure, accommodation, transportation, tourism, and media to be ready to host national and international events.
To make this approach effective, Hai Phong needs to connect entertainment events with the urban service ecosystem, from cuisine and attractions to cultural and artistic programs; and at the same time, build a regular activity schedule, ensuring safety and harmony between modern entertainment and local identity.
From Games ON Hai Phong 2026, digital entertainment technology has demonstrated its ability to revitalize public spaces and creatively connect with tourism and services. This development direction contributes to diversifying pedestrian street products, boosting the night-time economy, and building an image of Hai Phong as a dynamic and modern city.
HAI HAU
Original article
https://baohaiphong.vn/ket-noi-cong-nghe-giai-tri-so-voi-pho-di-bo-am-thuc-dem-556020.html
Tag:Cultural industryGames ONArena of TruthEsportsDigital Entertainmentnight economypedestrian street
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