The game development industry is highly demanding, with complex tasks, tight deadlines, and high standards. Whether talking about a large AAA studio or an independent developer, bringing your game to market on schedule can be a challenge. Outsourcing video game development is an effective solution for developers looking to meet deadlines without compromising quality. By leveraging the expertise of video game outsourcing studios, developers can accelerate their projects and stay ahead of the competition. Outsourcing simplifies the process of getting your game to market for several reasons:
Access to specialized talent
Outsourcing allows you to get in touch with professionals who specialize in areas like programming, character design, or animation. These experts bring years of experience and a high level of proficiency that ensures work is done efficiently and effectively. By hiring an external team instead of training in-house staff, tasks can be completed in up to 70% less time. Video game outsourcing studios have the resources to expedite complex tasks that would otherwise take longer to complete internally. In specific areas of development, this approach ensures high-quality outcomes while saving time.
Parallel development
Outsourcing makes it possible to work on multiple aspects of the game simultaneously. According to research from the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), over 40% of developers outsource tasks related to art and design. While your in-house team focuses on gameplay mechanics, outsourced teams can handle asset creation, sound design, or other components, accelerating the overall timeline. This parallel development approach enables different parts of the project to advance concurrently, significantly reducing the overall development time.
Faster scalability
As your project grows, you may need to quickly bring on additional workers to meet deadlines. Hiring and training new employees takes time, but outsourcing allows you to scale your team quickly. A survey of game development companies found that 60% use outsourcing to scale during peak production phases. Outsourcing game studios can provide the necessary manpower almost instantly, filling gaps and meeting increased production demands efficiently. This adaptability ensures that projects continue smoothly without delays, maintaining momentum and keeping your timeline on track.
Cost and time efficiency
Outsourcing not only speeds up production but can also be highly cost-effective. Deloitte reports that 59% of businesses outsource to reduce expenses. Using outside teams for specific tasks allows studios to focus on core development goals while avoiding the long-term costs of hiring full-time staff. Outsourcing game companies can handle high-quality work at competitive rates, providing both time and cost savings. This approach lets developers allocate their budget more efficiently, ensuring that financial resources are used where they are needed most. Outsourcing not only helps meet deadlines but also optimizes the overall production budget.
Successful projects that benefited from game outsourcing
Outsourcing has played a critical role in the timely development of many popular games. Here are a few case studies highlighting the impact of outsourcing video game development:
Cyberpunk 2077 — CD Projekt Red
The developers of Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red, faced immense challenges in creating a highly detailed and expansive open-world game. To meet their tight deadlines, they outsourced significant portions of character modeling, environment creation, and other key art and design elements. By collaborating with outsourcing game studios, the internal team could focus on optimizing gameplay mechanics and narrative depth. Despite the game’s initial hiccups, the outsourced teams’ contributions were crucial in bringing the intricate world of Night City to life, demonstrating the potential impact of effective outsourcing.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla — Ubisoft
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, developed by Ubisoft, required extensive world-building, character design, and animation to capture the Viking era’s essence. To handle the vast scope of the project, Ubisoft strategically partnered with multiple outsourcing game companies. These external teams helped in creating detailed environments, lifelike characters, and complex animations. The collaboration allowed Ubisoft’s internal team to focus on refining the core gameplay and narrative structure, ensuring a polished final product that was both expansive and immersive.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales — Insomniac Games
During the development of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Insomniac Games leveraged the expertise of outsourcing game studios to handle various aspects of the game’s production. Tasks such as character animations, environmental textures, and additional asset creation were outsourced to expedite the development process. This strategic use of external talent allowed the internal team to focus on enhancing the game’s core mechanics and storytelling elements. The result was a critically acclaimed title that delivered a compelling superhero experience within a shorter development cycle.
The bigger picture: outsourcing in gamedev
According to industry insights, 80% of video game companies have used some form of outsourcing during production. This trend is especially prominent in the AAA sector, where large-scale projects with short turnaround times necessitate additional staff. However, even independent developers benefit from outsourcing, gaining access to resources they might not otherwise have.
Outsourcing has advantages beyond speed. It allows developers to maintain project flexibility, reduce expenses, and incorporate fresh ideas. Regardless of your project’s size—whether it’s a small indie game or the next big AAA release—outsourcing can keep you competitive in a constantly evolving market. Outsourcing game studios can bring expertise and efficiency to your project, enabling you to adapt to market demands swiftly.
Wrapping up
Outsourcing has become an essential part of the game development process for both indie and AAA studios. It reduces costs, enables rapid scaling, allows for parallel development, and provides access to specialists. With many success stories as evidence, outsourcing can be a game-changer in meeting production deadlines without sacrificing quality.
Outsourcing video game development with N-iX Games
N-iX Games is a trusted game development outsourcing company with over a decade of experience and more than 240 skilled professionals. We offer expertise in Unreal Engine, Unity, C++, art production, MR and Cloud solutions, and full-cycle development. With partnerships including Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch, we deliver exceptional console development and porting services. Recognized by Forbes as a top employer, N-iX Games employs robust recruitment strategies to meet your project needs. Here are some of our personal success stories:
Our cooperation with Supermassive Games
Renowned for their hyper-realistic and narrative-driven video games, Supermassive Games is a prominent developer behind The Dark Pictures Anthology series. Since entering into a co-development partnership with Supermassive Games in 2021, N-iX Games has solidified its position as a crucial technological pillar for the company. Our skilled engineers have actively contributed to the creation of Supermassive Games’ recent titles, such as House of Ashes, The Devil In Me, and Switchback VR. Leveraging our profound understanding of the VR industry and extensive experience in Unreal Engine programming, art production, and game design, our team has played a major role in bringing these immersive and captivating games to life.
Our cooperation with Paradox Interactive
Paradox Development Studio, the vanguard of grand, intricate, and historically accurate strategy video games, has set the gold standard in the gaming industry. Our collaboration with Paradox Interactive began in 2017 with the creation of a 3D spaceship model, evolving into a profound and enduring partnership. Over the years, our team has become a significant contributor to art production, leaving its mark on a multitude of projects and DLCs, including Stellaris, Crusader Kings III, Imperator: Rome, Europa Universalis IV, Hearts of Iron IV, and the recent Victoria 3. This successful outsourcing cooperation highlights the impactful benefits of outsourcing game studios in elevating game quality and accelerating time to market.
