Gaming has all the buzz in recent times, with the pandemic and the introduction of engaging games like PUBG being a catalyst in the escalated growth of gamers around the world.
Along with gamers, the entrepreneurs seized the opportunity which contributed to further sustainable growth of the gaming industry. As a result of this, with an anticipated total revenue annual growth rate (CAGR 2022-2027) of 8.74%, the market volume of the gaming industry is expected to reach US$467.10bn by 2027.
The only hurdle that startup founders and entrepreneurs face is finding the right game developer who can ideate their gaming concepts and bring them to life. This is when they face the conventional dilemma of how to hire the right developer for their game development project.
Though hiring remote resources is an excellent way and the outsourcing game development companies provide top-notch resources, not each of them would suit your development requirements. Making the right choice requires careful consideration and a clear understanding of what to look for.
To assist you with the process of finding the right developer for your game development project, this blog will provide you valuable insight into some of the considerations you should make. Let us explore these considerations.
How to hire a game developer
Regardless of the complexity or genre of the game, making the right choice when hiring a game developer is essential. Finding the perfect fit for your team can significantly impact your game’s success.
From a passion for gaming and a creative mindset to technical skills and attention to detail, this blog will guide you through the essential criteria and considerations to help you make the right choice.
Determine your needs
Begin with outlining the specific requirements as it will help you to easily filter out the aspects that you are not looking for in a game developer.
This includes your project game’s genre (e.g., action, puzzle, RPG), platform (e.g., mobile, PC, console), required skills/expertise (e.g., 3D modeling, coding, AI/Ml development), preferred years of experience, and more. Upon knowing your specific needs, it would be better to shortlist the game developers for hire.
Passion for gaming
Gaming development is beyond just technical skills. Hire game developers who love to play games as they would go above and beyond to develop a game that is enjoyable. With a passion for gaming comes the knowledge (characters, weapons, gameplay mechanics, gaming trends, and more) that can’t be gained just by reading about it at some online source.
It is the developer who has felt the thrill while playing the game can develop a gaming reality that is capable of giving the same thrill and enjoyment to the target users. Hiring such remote developers would have an enhanced impact on the final outcomes of the game development then choosing one who is just doing the job for the sake of doing it.
Creative mindset
It is the creativity that makes the normal game character transform into captivating ones, makes the gaming realities visually stunning, and gaming mechanics engaging. A game without creative inputs would only make your target users yawn.
Apart from game developer’s coding skills, hire game developers with a creative mindset. It is the only aspect that would enable the developer to bring fresh and innovative ideas to the table which eventually would make your game stand out amongst your competitors.
Knowledge of different game genres
From action to role-playing games(RPG), platformers, sports, casual, racing, shooter, action-adventure, multiplayer online battle arena, tactical role-playing games, and more. There is a wide range of game genres that are enjoyed by gamers around the world. If you have a specific choice of game genre for your project, ensure to hire remote game developers who have a strong understanding of it.
To illustrate, when creating a game of the Action RPG genre, a developer with knowledge of RPG elements, combat systems, and character progression will be valuable.
Technical skills
Passion and creativity without technical skills would result in glitchy game development.
Unlike the usual mobile or website development when the developer’s proficiency in programming language or preference is enough. Game development involves a plethora of development elements from game engines, to programming languages, and more.
When going through the CVs of dedicated game developers provided by outsourcing game development companies, look for an understanding of 2D and 3D animation software. Apart from that, familiarity with the game production pipeline process is essential, as it ensures smoother development.
Critical and analytical thinking skills help in problem-solving and proficiency in at least two game engines(Unity and Unreal Engine), would add to their versatility. Along with it, coding expertise in programming languages like C++, Java, Python, C#, JavaScript, and more is indispensable.
Additionally, if you have a gaming concept involving virtual reality or artificial intelligence, be sure to look for VR and AI familiarity and respectability in your CVs.
Team player
Game development is a collective effort, where game artists, designers, developers, animators, sound engineers, art directors, and more collaborate to bring the game concept to reality. With the collaboration comes various work styles, perspectives, and skills which can be a challenge when the developer has little to no experience when working in a team.
This makes communication an essential skill to look for in a game developer especially when the developer would be working from remote locations. From providing work updates to collaborating with the team, client communication, presentation, and more can be done effectively by hiring a developer with good communication skills along with the other above skills.
Portfolio
One of the best ways to get a sneak peek into a game developer’s hands-on experience is by viewing their previous work. The portfolio would provide you insight into the game genre they have previously worked, game type, experience, expertise, and more. The portfolio would also provide insight into the coding quality and complexity of their previous projects.
Attention to detail
It’s the details that make a game more engaging and more realistic, not just the visuals but also when bug testing the code. Game development often involves complex coding and a developer’s attention to detail can make the difference between a polished, bug-free game and a frustrating experience for players.
A developer with strong attention to detail ensures that every aspect of your game is polished and functions seamlessly, leading to a more enjoyable player experience and fewer issues down the road.
Now that you know what to look for when hiring a game developer, let us understand what difference it makes when you hire a game developer instead of building an in-house team.
Why Hire A Dedicated Game Developer?
The world of gaming knows no geographical boundaries, and in this digital age, remote game developers bring a wealth of talent and creativity to your project, irrespective of their physical location. Hiring a dedicated game developer is a strategic move for anyone serious about creating engaging, immersive, and successful games.
Whether you’re seeking technical prowess, artistic flair, or a combination of both, a dedicated game developer can be your key to cost-effective game development. Here are some benefits you will avail yourself of by hiring a dedicated developer from an outsourcing game development company.
Diverse perspectives
Unlike the in-house developers, the remote developers come from varied cultural backgrounds and regions, allowing them to bring a unique perspective to the table. From fresh ideas to distinctive insights, dedicated game developers come with the added benefit of enhancing games such that it is appealing to global audiences rather than just your region.
Better scalability
One of the major concerns of game business runners is optimal utilization of the cost. In the case of hiring remote game developers, you have the freedom to scale the team up or down based on the project requirement and dodge the extra overhead.
So whether you are developing a small indie project or a AAA game, you can scale the remote development team to match the dynamic project requirements accordingly.
Access to a global pool of talents
Instead of making the most out of the talents that are available in your city or country, you can hire the best from your preferred country, for example, hiring an expert game coder from Silicon Valley or any part of the world without worrying about the geographical barrier.
It allows you to have the specialists without being confined to a specific location which eventually would reflect in overall gameplay and engagement.
Higher productivity
According to most developers, especially in the segment like game development which often requires creative inputs, they can have better productivity in their preferred environment and time. They even can plan their day accordingly to make use of all the productive hours of the day or even night which may not be possible in the case of a 9 to 5 work timings.
Boosts the in-house team strength
It’s the team’s collaborative synergy that results in a better end product(not just in-game development). Every in-house team has certain capabilities(technical skills) and may lack some which would have enhanced the overall gameplay. This is when the specialized remote game developers can be of best use.
In case your in-house team aces game mechanics, consider hiring a game developer with 3D modeling expertise would add to the overall visual aesthetics and appeal of the game.
Decrease overheads
There is a significant cost involved in providing the physical office to the in-house team which involves rent, electricity bills, even the coffee machine, payroll, and other utilities apart from the technical infrastructure.
When having a restricted budget and good game ideas to execute, startup owners or entrepreneurs can not only save this high cost but reinvest the money saved by not having an in-house team into either marketing or improving various aspects of the game.
Round-the-clock development
With your remote developers working from different time zones, comes the benefits of nonstop development. When some team members(in-house or remote) are on rest, the others would be working and facilitating the development. Major perks of it are reduced time to market, continuous uninterrupted progress, faster production, and more which eventually would help you to meet your launch deadlines.
Increased retention
Recruiting in-house game developers is a cost exhaustive process. The in-house HR team has to spend a significant amount of time, and money to find the talent, hire them, train and provide them with the necessary infrastructure. But upon this, if the company fails to meet the employee’s needs and the resource leaves the company, finding a replacement is even more time and cost-exhaustive. In a nutshell, employee turnover is expensive.
In the case of remote game developers, as they are working in their favorable environment and time, they are comparatively more motivated and engaged resulting in a comparatively higher level of job satisfaction than a 9 to 5 employee. This eventually results in the remote game developer working with the company for a longer period.
The only crucial question remains, how much would it cost to hire game developers? Read the blog further to get a better understanding of it.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Game Developer?
The cost to hire game developers can vary significantly depending on several key factors. From the developer’s experience and expertise to the project’s complexity and timeline, each element plays a crucial role in determining the overall cost.
These factors not only shape the budget but also influence the success of your game development project. Explore each of the following factors to get an approximate idea of how much it would cost to hire a game developer.
Experience and expertise
The game developers’ strong record of working on similar projects would charge more, similarly a junior game developer’s hourly rates are less than a senior one. For example, the hourly rate of hiring a remote junior Unity 3D developer starts at $25 whereas a developer with intermediate experience would charge no less than $35.
Specialization
Unlike expertise, with specialization comes a unique skill set that can contribute to the game’s betterment and overall cost. So game developers for hire with a specialization in developing games for PC consoles or RPGs would cost more than puzzle games.
Project complexity
It is a no-brainer that less time and effort into developing a basic 2D game would cost less than a complex 3D multiplayer game. The same goes for game types you want the developer to work with, like games, metaverse games, or AAA games. This is why the hourly rates of game developers working on game development projects with lower complexity would be less compared to the ones working on high-complexity projects.
Project timeline
Unlike simple mobile games, large games like the ones with open worlds could even take years to complete. Accelerating the development process to meet the timeline would require more effort and even additional remote developers, eventually increasing the cost of hiring the game developers.
Location of the developer
When considering hiring game developers, it is recommended to compare the hourly rates of various regions/countries as they vary a lot. For example, the average hourly rate of a Unity developer in the UK is $35 while in the USA is $45.
Engagement model
However, the availability of engagement models itself makes hiring remote game developers cost-effective. However, the choice of engagement model would affect the overall cost of development.
For example, a fixed cost may be more cost-efficient for smaller indie games with well-defined scopes. For larger, ongoing projects, hiring developers on an hourly or monthly basis can provide better control over costs while allowing for adjustments as the game evolves.
Also Read: Tips to Help You Reduce Your Mobile Game Development Cost
Hire Dedicated Game Developers from 300Mind
Turn your creative game concepts into jaw-dropping, immersive realities! Hire game developers from 300Mind.
We are a top-notch game development company with design work that has been recognized many times in top designers’ portfolio platforms like Dribbble, Behance, and Blender, reflecting our game artists’ commitment to quality and command over creativity.
Whether you’re into casual games, racing, AR/VR, crypto gaming, or more, our highly experienced game developer for hire has a decade of industry experience. With a knack for state-of-the-art game design, trending development tools, and technologies, including Unity, Unreal, Roblox, and more, our game developers are apt to deliver the best-in-class gaming solutions.
Among others, by hiring game developers from 300Mind, you can avail benefits like on-time delivery, a flexible engagement model, effective communication, and more. Don’t let that amazing game idea stuck in your mind, our experts will guide you to navigate your idea from content to reality.
FAQs About Hiring Game Developers
There are various reasons why business runners prefer to hire dedicated developers instead of in-house developers, from flexible engagement model, scalability, cost-effectiveness, and especially when you want to access a pool of global talent. These developers are a valuable addition to the in-house team when it comes to increasing the team’s efficiency apart from meeting the deadlines.
Any AAA game like PUBG’s development cost would be approximately 100k to 1000k USD. The variation in accuracy would depend on a variety of factors like type of gameplay, design, innovative features, characters, weapons, location of game developer for hire, and more. If you have an awesome gaming concept in mind and want to get an accurate estimate of development cost, drop us your project specific and our team will get back to you soon.
Currently, gaming is one of the rapidly growing sectors from which entrepreneurs and startup owners can benefit. Utilizing the trending technology would enable them to have a significant impact on ROI. The most popular gaming technologies to consider for your ongoing or next game development project are blockchain NFT games, Virtual/Augmented/mixed realities gaming, cloud gaming, AI-based games, metaverse, and more.
The game development process comprises the following stages: Planning, Pre-production, and Production, Testing/Quality Assurance, Pre-launch, Launch, and Post-production maintenance.
The dedicated game developer for hire from outsourcing game development companies offers more accountability, scalability, and reliability. Amongst others, they are experts at proper planning and management and offer surety to meet deadlines which freelancers often fail to do.
Unlike the daunting and resource-intensive task of putting together an in-house team, hiring a dedicated game development team would not only offer you the ease of having an experienced remote game developer but also complete control over the game development process, cost-effectiveness, quick turnaround time, reliable 24/7 support, scalability, flexibility and more.
To avoid the common pitfalls when hiring a remote game developer, consider avoiding mistakes like not aligning on expectations, neglecting communication skills, ignoring cultural fit, skipping the portfolio check, not taking time zone differences into consideration, and more. These mistakes can lead to misunderstandings, project delays, inefficient collaboration, misaligned values, and conflicts.
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