Just four days after its release on YouTube, the trailer for Banh Mi Bach Khoa (Bach Khoa Sandwich Cart), developed by T.T.D., born in 2003 and currently studying at the School of Information and Communication Technology under Hanoi University of Science and Technology, attracted more than 130,000 views.

The student previously gained nationwide attention with Pho Anh Hai, a game that surpassed 650,000 downloads in less than two weeks.

The title also recently won both “Best Vietnamese Indie Game” and “Vietnamese Game of the Year” at the Vietnam Game Awards.

According to T.T.D., Banh Mi Bach Khoa continues the spirit of Pho Anh Hai while drawing heavily from the atmosphere and culture of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, where he currently studies.

The game features familiar campus landmarks including the university’s iconic parabolic gate, the “Students and Teachers Joining the Defense of the Nation” monument, Ta Quang Buu Library and even roadside tea stalls near the campus.

Instead of selling pho like in the previous game, players this time must “survive university life” by starting a banh mi business.

Players take on the role of a real Bach Khoa student, dressed in the university uniform while managing a banh mi cart alongside a companion named “Cau Vang,” a character who previously appeared in Pho Anh Hai.

The game is expected to launch in the near future.

T.T.D. is a former specialized IT student from Hanoi National University of Education High School for Gifted Students.

He first became passionate about game programming in 10th grade.

The student said he taught himself game development primarily through free online resources on YouTube, developer forums and by studying existing game projects to better understand programming structures and design methods.

So far, he has worked on around 200 projects, although most attracted little attention and were eventually deleted.

Pho Anh Hai became his first project to reach hundreds of thousands of downloads.

Despite the sudden popularity, T.T.D. said he does not want to become a public figure.

Instead, he hopes to focus on completing his studies at Hanoi University of Science and Technology while continuing to develop new games without the pressure that comes with fame.

Thuy Nga