This article delves into the realm of in-house game development versus outsourcing, examining their respective merits and drawbacks, exploring the advantages of outsourcing, delving into outsourcing possibilities, elucidating the process of game development outsourcing, and delving into the financial implications of this approach.
Mobile gaming has attained unparalleled popularity, with Gross consumer expenditure surging to $112 billion in the mobile sector during 2021. A notable $81 billion of this staggering sum emanated from the gaming sphere, underscoring its prominence.
Enterprises and firms are displaying escalating enthusiasm for conceiving their mobile games, seeking to capitalize on them for financial gain or wield them as potent marketing instruments.
When plotting the course for mobile game creation, the options encompass internal development or enlisting a proficient game development entity to undertake the project. Let’s undertake an exploration to discern the optimal choice.
1. Familiarize Yourself with Your Needs
Optimal outcomes materialize when they align with our envisioned goals. Achieving this necessitates an initial enumeration of all the prerequisites.
When a clear vision exists, the process becomes notably smoother, facilitating the coherent transmission of your specifications to the developers.
These prerequisites may encompass desired functionalities, the game’s scale (exploring the possibility of an AR/VR gaming realm), the visual and experiential design of the game, the persona of the in-game character and its aesthetic, the immersive landscape, and the user encounter the game bestows, among other aspects.
Enhancing the granularity of your prerequisites, yields heightened outcomes. Below lies an array of inquiries to facilitate the elucidation of your specifications:
- Who constitutes the intended demographic?
- Define the objective of your game.
- What degree of visual fidelity do you seek?
- Identify the platform for game distribution.
- Enumerate the primary attributes your game will possess.
- Highlight the distinctive facets setting your game apart.
- Will your game be offered for free or entail a fee?
- Outline your revenue-generation approach.
- Contemplate whether you desire sophisticated AR/VR gameplay or opt for the simplicity of 2D or 3D realms.
Even without a definitive formulation of your prerequisites, there’s no need for concern. A mere conceptualization will suffice. The Mobile Gaming Development entity or a Freelancer will adeptly aid you in delineating all the necessary elements, thereby molding your concept into a game destined for a resounding success.
2. Select your Outsourcing Approach
After comprehensively outlining your prerequisites, you are now equipped to determine the fitting mode of outsourcing. Two primary avenues exist within the realm of outsourcing for mobile game development:
Domestic Offshore Engagement — Opting for a nearby mobile game development entity or freelance specialist constitutes domestic offshore engagement. This involves the possibility of physical interaction, enabling face-to-face deliberation regarding specifics and prerequisites at their premises.
Offshore/Proximity-Based External Resourcing — Engaging a game development enterprise or freelance practitioner from neighboring nations corresponds to proximity-based external resourcing. Opting for a provider situated significantly distant from your own borders falls under the umbrella of offshore external resourcing.
Nearshore outsourcing enjoys the absence of linguistic or temporal obstacles. Nevertheless, you might uncover reduced mobile game development expenditures in certain nations.
3. Discover the Appropriate Game Development Entity/Freelancer
Once you’ve settled on the outsourcing model that suits your needs, it’s now time to identify the ideal mobile game development entity or freelance professional for your venture. A straightforward approach involves utilizing an online search engine like Google.
IT directories and platforms like LinkedIn teem with options in the mobile game development domain. Another avenue is posting your specifications on LinkedIn, allowing interested firms or freelancers to initiate contact.
4. Evaluate the Entity’s/Freelancer’s Expertise and Compilation
Upon locating a fitting entity or freelance professional, your initial step entails scrutinizing your skill set, past projects, and accomplishments. This preliminary assessment will give you enhanced insight into this selection’s suitability.
Peruse the compilation of their previous endeavors to ascertain their capabilities and ascertain if they’ve engaged in analogous ventures to yours.
In instances where the chosen company/freelancer lacks a track record within your industry or genre, it would be prudent to explore alternate options that boast experience with projects of a comparable nature.
5. Engage with Former Patrons
Navigating this process can sometimes present challenges. A more straightforward approach involves examining client testimonials. Nonetheless, these commendations are frequently composed by the company/freelancer, albeit with the client’s input. The verbiage employed in such testimonials may not consistently mirror the client’s precise sentiments.
Familiar with the adage “Benefit from others’ missteps”? This phase enables you to do just that. Initiate correspondence with several mobile game development entity/freelancer clients to obtain their candid appraisals.
6. Settle on the Cost Structure
Upon attaining contentment from clients’ feedback, the stage is set to extend an opportunity to this entity/freelancer. Initiate contact and furnish comprehensive insights about the game, coupled with your specifications.
Next, determine the financial arrangement for the outsourcing endeavor. The subsequent options present themselves for your consideration:
Fixed Price Approach — If your stipulations stand lucid, you have the choice to embrace this financial framework. The static cost approach proves apt for mobile game development ventures devoid of exigent modifications. Nevertheless, the possibility remains to solicit alterations from the mobile game development entity/freelancer, albeit at the expense of extended development timelines and augmented costs.
Flexible Structure — This framework relies upon the duration invested in development and the allocation of resources. If requisites elude a conclusive form and if recurrent modifications and augmentations are anticipated, this constitutes a more fitting financial tactic. Within this strategy, an utmost degree of adaptability is extended.
7. Seek a Proposal for the Undertaking
The project proposal shall serve as the definitive chronology for your mobile game creation, encompassing a comprehensive expense dissection.
This measure guarantees synchrony between yourself and the mobile game development entity/freelancer. Agile stands as the prominent project approach in the realm of adaptable cost strategy, while Waterfall is associated with the fixed cost strategy.
It proves prudent to devise the project proposal ahead of commencement, establishing well-defined anticipations and timelines.
Taylor is a freelance SEO copywriter and blogger. His areas of expertise include technology, pop culture, and marketing.
