Riot Games’ game projects for 2020 have become one of the hottest topics recently among the Vietnamese gaming community. After continuously teasing the blockbuster Teamfight Tactics and launching the card game Legends of Runeterra in several regions, Riot Games has recently made a new move that is likely to excite Vietnamese gamers. Specifically, Riot Games and VNG have officially announced their strategic partnership for the publishing of top gaming products in the Vietnamese market.
The latest evidence is that the card game Legends of Runeterra will be localized and published by VNG under the name Huyền Thoại Xứ Sở Runeterra in 2020. This is likely good news for Vietnamese gamers. However, it also raises questions, as Riot Games seems to be having “issues” with Garena. Remember, Riot Games’ most famous title, League of Legends, is published in Vietnam by Garena, and the two have had a relatively smooth partnership for a long time. Therefore, the announcement of VNG as Riot Games’ strategic partner is raising many questions.
Thus, it is almost certain that blockbuster titles from Riot Games in 2020 like Project A, Project L, and especially Teamfight Tactics will likely be released in Vietnam through VNG. This could be seen as a “painful blow” to Garena, but many have probably anticipated this, as Teamfight Tactics is set to become a “fierce competitor” to Arena of Valor – a mobile MOBA game also published by Garena, making it very unlikely that Garena will publish both titles simultaneously.
However, a more important issue being discussed among Vietnamese gamers is the future of League of Legends. Remember, League of Legends is still the game with the largest player base and the most attention in Vietnam. But since last year, there have been many reports suggesting that in the future, Riot Games will gradually reclaim the publishing rights of this game in the Vietnam region from Garena to transfer to another partner or publish it themselves, as well as organize tournaments. If this becomes a reality, there will be many significant changes ahead for Vietnamese gamers, but Garena will certainly find it hard to be pleased.
Of course, until there are official statements, these questions will remain as mere rumors. Nevertheless, VNG becoming the publisher of the card game Legends of Runeterra in Vietnam can also be seen as the first signal of a significant change in the Vietnamese gaming scene. Let’s keep an eye on the upcoming developments in the story between the publishers.