The gaming industry is booming and the demand for new games and features is enormous. Game developers need to bring new games to the market in the shortest possible time, and often lack the resources to do so. This is the point where game developing outsourcing comes into play to realize original, high-quality projects. But is game development outsourcing really such a good idea, and does it solve the problem? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of outsourcing game development.
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Outsourcing in game development companies
Game development can be divided into parts and segments, each with different goals. Then, in the end, it all comes together into a fully functional whole. Some “smaller parts” could then actually be outsourced to external specialists so that internal designers and programmers can focus on the main elements, right? The internal team should always prioritize the core game design and implementation functions, and repetitive tasks of lesser importance can be delegated to a trusted external team. Many large companies prefer flexible business models based on project-based recruitment. So, when more people are needed on a project to meet the schedule, external people are simply brought in.
Smaller game development studios might need a hundred people to develop a game, and when the job is done, two or three dozen might be enough for maintenance routines. So, the most logical thing to do would be to outsource most of the work.
Some companies are even not afraid to outsource almost every single component of their games. For this approach, you need many suitable contractors and an excessive amount of money to hire them.
Advantages of Outsourcing Game Development
Game development needs a lot of planning and strategy. Therefore, it is important to know the benefits of game development outsourcing for the development process. The decision to outsource parts or even the whole project is not an easy one and should not be made hastily. Let’s take a closer look at the key advantages of game development outsourcing.
1: release on time
Staying on schedule is not always easy in game development. If there are problems during development or promised features can’t be implemented that quickly, the release date must suffer and is pushed back. To counteract this, the team must work more in the given time frame, which can lead to dissatisfaction, poorer work quality and burnout. Outsourcing certain tasks and sub-areas to an external team can be the salvation. This way, missing features can still be programmed in the time frame and bugs can be fixed. This results in additional costs, but the release date can be met.
2: minimizing risks
Game development comes with a number of risks. Forcing the internal team to keep up with the project development strategy or switching programmers or artists in the middle of development can have a negative impact on the process. Outsourcing can solve such problems effortlessly. So, the internal team is not stressed too much and does not lose the “fun factor” that motivates them during development.
3: specific ability and more flexibility
Game developers must have two important skills: Expertise and creativity. Hiring external specialists with very specific skills and a lot of experience for a limited period of time to realize a specific project is usually more cost-efficient than recruiting an internal team. Project-based contracts therefore usually make more sense. When the job is done, you don’t pay a cent more.
4: more creativity and innovative ideas
If game development is always done by the same game designers, writers, and artists, this can lead to content from different games becoming very similar and creativity suffering over time. Outsourcing game development can help with this and give the next game more uniqueness without putting too much pressure on the internal creative department. External developers can bring in a variety of innovative ideas. The more talent you have on board, the more original content you’ll end up with.
5: reducing costs
Outsourcing game development not only expands your internal team, but also reduces overhead costs. Overhead costs can sometimes be costly – your game developers’ salary, hardware and software, office rent and benefits, various consumables and so on. With outsourced employees, such financial burdens can be saved, and you only pay for the developers’ time.
Risks if Outsourcing Game Development
Besides all the advantages, there are of course some risks and disadvantages of game development outsourcing.
1: low quality
In gaming development outsourcing, this is the most common problem. To achieve the desired results, the right contractors must be selected, and realistic goals set. Working with a variety of freelancers can lead to each of them adhering to different standards and delivering results that are inconsistent with each other.
2: unreliability
External employees who work on a project basis have limited obligations to the company. Thus, through an internal team, one has more control and can better assess and control the work. So external employees can be unreliable during the process, drop out after certain milestones, or do only what is necessary. Therefore, game development outsourcing can also be a headache and create extra work if a new external employee must be found for every single task or the work is simply not done well.
3: Data protection
Internal company data and information are sacred and ensure the survival of the company. If concepts or solutions are disclosed to a third party, the secrecy of the project may be compromised, with serious consequences. Therefore, a contract for the confidentiality of the company’s internal data should always be drawn up, and great care should be taken when choosing external employees to ensure that they are trustworthy.
Final thoughts
Outsourcing can be a great help for your project and offers some advantages. However, it is also not without risk. However, the final result will depend not only on the external team, but also on the management ability and leadership of the company. Before deciding for or against game development outsourcing, a clear strategy for the whole project should be put in place. With a well-structured and detailed plan, the decision will be self-evident.
