INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS
1. Student's full name:Luong Thi Van Ha.2. Religious beliefsh: Female
3. Date of birth: 27/10/1994
4. Place of birth:Thai Nguyen
5. Decision to recognize student number: 7353/ QD-XHNVDay 31month 12 year2024 by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
6. Changes in the training process: Are not
7. Thesis Title: ChappySocial context of digital artists and their labor relations in the gaming industry in Hanoi.
8.Ncliff:Sociology
9.Code: 8310301
10Scientific advisor:Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tuan Anh,SchoolUniversity of ScienceXsociety andNhumanities, UniversityQHanoi
11Summary of thesis results:
The thesis shows that digital artists in the video game industry in Hanoi are a developing group of creative and technical workers. Their ability to practice the profession depends not only on qualifications but also on artistic ability and technological skills.product portfolioand professional networks. Professional networks create opportunities for apprenticeships and employment, but also increase the disparity between those who are connected and those who are not. The novel result of this thesis is to show the nature ofJob instability for digital artists in the video game industry.It stems not only from contracts or income, but also fromUncertainty in career progressionandpressuremaintain the lakepreliminary productThe research also shows that AI-powered image creation tools haven't replaced painters yet, but are shifting skills towards selection, review, and error correction; increasing output expectations, narrowing apprenticeship opportunities for newcomers, and increasing the responsibility for quality control for experienced professionals.
12Practical applications:
The research findings can serve as a reference for training institutions, game companies, and digital artists in skills training, labor organization, and adaptation to artificial intelligence image creation tools.
13Further research directions:
Expand the sample size and research area, and conduct a long-term survey of the impact of artificial intelligence-based image creation on the employment, skills, income, and creative freedom of digital artists.
14Published works related to the thesis:
2025. “Local Souls in Global Games: Vietnamese Developers and the Quest for Cultural Identity.”MagazineStudent Culturae,number 65,page131 – 151. ISSN: 2310-1245.
2025. “Surviving the proliferate of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology and Fast-moving Consumer goods: A Study on the precarious work of Digital Artists in Mobile game enterprises in Hanoi.”In: PR Jandhyala et al. (eds.), Kyinternational conference: the 7th International Conference on Language, Society, and Culture in Asian Contexts (LSCAC 2024)(Pages 470-475). PublisherInformation and Communication. HHanoiISBN: 978-604-4997-48-3
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Student's full name: Luong Thi Van Ha
2. Gender: Female
3. Date of birthOctober 27, 1994
4. Place of birthThai Nguyen
5. Decide on recognition as a graduate student: Decision No. 7353/QD-XHNV dated December 31, 2024, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
6. Changes during the course of studyNone
7. Title of the thesis: The Social Profile of Digital Artists and Their Labor Relations in the Game Industry in Hanoi
8. Major: Sociology;
9. Code: 8310301
10. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
11. Summary of the findings of the thesis:
The thesis demonstrates that digital artists in Hanoi's video game industry constitute an emerging group of creative–technical workers. Their professional competence depends not only on formal educational qualifications but also on artistic ability, technological skills, the quality of their portfolio, and professional networks. These networks simultaneously provide opportunities for learning, employment, and career advancement while also reinforcing inequalities between those with strong professional connections and those with limited access to such networks.
A key contribution of the thesis is its finding that the precariousness of digital artists' work in the video game industry stems not only from contractual arrangements or income instability, but also from uncertainty surrounding career progression and the continuous pressure to maintain and update a competitive portfolio. The study further shows that AI-powered image generation tools have not replaced digital artists; Instead, they are reshaping the skill requirements of the profession by shifting emphasis toward image selection, quality assessment, and post-generation editing. At the same time, these tools raise productivity expectations, reduce opportunities for newcomers to learn through practice, and increase the responsibility of experienced artists for quality control.
12. Practical applicability:
The findings of this study may serve as a valuable reference for educational institutions, game companies, and digital artists in developing professional training programs, organizing creative labor, and adapting to AI-powered image generation technologies.
13. Further research directions:
Future studies should broaden both the sample and the geographical coverage of the research and undertake longitudinal analyzes of the effects of generative AI image technologies on the employment, skill requirements, income, and creative autonomy of digital artists.
14. Thesis-related publications
2025. “Local Souls in Global Games: Vietnamese Developers and the Quest for Cultural Identity.” Studio Culturae, No. 65, pp. 131–151. ISSN: 2310-1245.
2025. “Surviving the proliferate of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology and Fast-moving Consumer goods: A Study on the precarious work of Digital Artists in Mobile game enterprises in Hanoi.” In : PR Jandhyala et al. (eds.), The 7th International Conference on Language, Society, and Culture in Asian Contexts (LSCAC 2024) (pages 470 – 475). Information and Communications Publisher. Hanoi. ISBN: 978-604-4997-48-3
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