Author: Miguel

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05.02.2026

2026’s Top 7 Video Game Companies Dominating the Market

1 week

The global games market has changed fast over the past few years. After the funding slowdown in 2023 and 2024, the industry entered 2025 with a cautious recovery and a stronger push toward profitable portfolios, smarter live service models, and more cross platform ecosystems.

Heading into 2026, a handful of companies are positioned to dominate the market. Some have scale. Others have massive IP. A few have redefined the business entirely.

Keep scrolling to take a look at the data backed list of the top video game companies expected to lead 2026, plus what actually makes them powerful!

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Sony continues to be one of the highest revenue generators globally, powered by the PlayStation ecosystem, strong PC expansion, and award winning first party titles. The company consistently appears near the top of gaming revenue rankings and performs extremely well in critical reception.

What Makes Sony Hard to Beat

A growing library of top tier exclusives
Strong live service ambitions
PC ports expanding total audience
PlayStation Plus shaping long term engagement
A mature global platform ecosystem

Sony continues to be one of the dominant competitors of the industry as it enters 2026 with strength from both hardware and content.

Tencent Games

Tencent has rebounded strongly after a slower period during China’s regulatory tightening. By 2025, both domestic and global game revenues were growing again, especially with major mobile hits and its broad portfolio of stakes in Western studios.

What Keeps Tencent at the Top of the Gaming Industry

Ownership of Riot Games and Supercell
Stakes in Ubisoft, Epic, Remedy, Fatshark and others
A mobile business still unmatched in scale
Heavy investment in high end real time and multiplayer projects

Tencent remains a core pillar of global gaming, influencing trends far beyond China.

Microsoft Gaming

Microsoft now operates one of the largest content portfolios in entertainment after acquiring Bethesda and Activision Blizzard. Game Pass continues to be a strategic driver for platform engagement across Xbox, PC, and cloud.

How Microsoft Stays Ahead Going Into 2026

A massive first party and third party content pipeline
Cross platform strategy across console, PC, and cloud
Game Pass shaping player expectations for access
Long term investment in AI and cloud tools for developers

Microsoft plays a central role in how games are distributed, consumed, and monetised in 2026.

Nintendo

Nintendo continues to print industry defining hits. Its evergreen franchises (Mario, Zelda, Pokémon) deliver long tail sales that outperform most modern releases.

With the arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2, the company is positioned for another major hardware cycle. Early industry reporting suggests stronger third party interest, more support for high fidelity engines, and a smoother pipeline for cross platform titles compared to the first Switch generation.

Why Nintendo Remains a Global Gaming Leader

Iconic global IP
Family friendly content with near universal reach
A tightly integrated hardware software model
High attach rates per console
Insulation from industry trends like live service volatility

Switch 2 is expected to energise both Nintendo’s revenue and developer demand throughout 2026, keeping the company near the top of the global market.

Electronic Arts

EA’s big titles continue to lead recurring revenue trends. Sports franchises like FIFA FC and Madden remain among the top earners. Apex Legends is still a major live service force.

A large private equity buyout has reshaped EA’s long term trajectory, making 2026 a defining year for its strategic direction.Electronic Arts’ $55 billion take-private by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, alongside Silver Lake and Affinity Partners signals a major repricing of gaming assets and a change toward long term, performance driven strategy.

How EA Stays Relevant and Respected in 2026

Reliable live service backbone
Sports franchises with global annual demand
New ownership pushing for higher efficiency and profitability
Large multiplatform footprint

EA remains too big and too consistent to ignore.

Epic Games

Epic Games sits in a uniquely powerful position in 2026 because no other company controls both a top grossing live service title and the industry’s most influential game engine.

Fortnite alone is on track to generate around 6 billion dollars in revenue in 2025, solidifying it as a 40 billion dollar plus lifetime phenomenon. The game remains one of the most consistently played and monetised live service games in the world, while Unreal Engine continues to be the backbone of AAA development, indie production, virtual production, and real time film pipelines.

Why Epic’s Influence Keeps Growing

Unreal Engine powering AAA, indie, VR, and film
Fortnite evolving into a platform of its own
Strong creator economy tools
Cross media integrations across games, films, and brands

Epic is hugely influencing gaming and interactive entertainment in 2026 and beyond thanks to Fortnite’s growing economy and Unreal Engine’s dominance across industries.

Roblox Corporation

Roblox isn’t operating as a traditional game studio anymore. At RDC 2025, Roblox doubled down on their vision: capturing 10% of all global gaming content revenue. By 2026, it functions as a full scale platform (part game, part social network, part creation suite, and part digital marketplace). Its strength comes from scale and the ability to turn players into creators, creators into entrepreneurs, and brands into interactive participants.

Roblox’s ecosystem continues to grow because it doesn’t depend on a single hit title. Instead, millions of worlds, experiences, and user made games power the entire platform. The company sits at the intersection of entertainment, education, social interaction, and virtual commerce, giving it a unique position in the global games industry.

Why Roblox Matters in 2026

Massive DAU numbers (112 million daily active users)
Strong user generated content economy
A young audience that grows up inside the platform
Educational and enterprise expansion

Roblox dominates 2026 because it blends gaming, social networks, creation tools, and digital entrepreneurship into a single ecosystem. Its scale, creator economy, and ability to grow with its audience ensure it stays one of the most influential companies in the industry.

Where Devoted Studios Fits Into a 2026 Market Led by Giants

As the biggest publishers expand their expectations for quality, scale, and production speed, studios working with them need stronger partners.

Devoted Studios helps teams ship on the platforms these giants dominate, supporting art, engineering, porting, and full co-development across Unreal and Unity. Our team integrates directly into your production pipeline so you can scale without adding permanent headcount.

From indie teams building ambitious new IP to mid sized studios working alongside major publishers, Devoted makes it possible to deliver at big studio quality levels.

All content

02.02.2026

How to Get a Game Developer Job – Tips and Insights from Amir Satvat

1 week

A cold application to a job basically has no chance in 2025, and that has not changed much in 2026.

Back in October 2025, we talked with Amir about what it really takes to get hired in game development. Now it is 2026, and many developers are seeing the same challenges. If you are applying to game jobs and hearing nothing back, you are not alone. The industry has changed. Studios hire differently. Competition is global. And much of the old advice no longer works.

Here, we have summarized what actually helps you get hired today as a game developer, based on insights from our Devoted SpeakEasy Ep39 with Amir Satvat.

Who Is Amir Satvat?

Amir Satvat is a Business Development Director at Tencent Games and the founder of the Amir Satvat Community, one of the largest game industry communities online. He tracks hiring trends, layoffs, and job openings across the industry and has helped thousands of developers through mentorship, job listings, and career resources.

He is also a recipient of The Game Awards’ first-ever Game Changer Award in 2024 for his work supporting game developers worldwide. His community has helped thousands of professionals and has partnered with major industry events like GDC and Gamescom.

The State of Game Development Hiring

The game industry is not dead. It is just different.

There were big layoffs in recent years. Studios are still hiring, but in different places and in different ways. Around 70 to 75% of game industry job cuts happened in North America, which is why the impact felt so harsh there.

Many teams are now global. A studio in the US might work with artists in Brazil, engineers in Europe, and designers in Asia. This creates more opportunities worldwide, but also more competition.

At the same time, fully remote job roles are fewer than before. Many studios prefer hybrid teams, regional hubs, or external co-development partners instead of fully remote hires.

So what does this mean? Jobs are still available, but teams are now spread across many regions. That also means you are competing globally, not just locally.

What Game Studios Are Actually Hiring For

Studios are not hiring many juniors right now. They want people who can start fast and contribute right away.

Amir Satvat explains that companies are asking for more experience than before, “What I’ve observed is the average seniority level of an open job in games from the last 3 years has increased about 3 years.”

Entry-level roles are harder to find because studios can often hire someone with more experience for the same budget. Amir explains, “If someone’s hiring an entry-level role that calls for one to two years experience, they’re finding that they can hire someone with three to four years experience for the same money.”

This affects who gets hired across the industry. “The two ends of the spectrum that are having the hardest time are those who are the youngest and those who are the oldest, with a sweet spot in the middle,” he says.

Why Cold Applications Do Not Work Anymore

As Amir said earlier. Cold applications do not work anymore.

Recruiters get hundreds or thousands of applications. They cannot read them all. So they rely on people they already know, referrals, and trusted communities.

Applying to 500 jobs without talking to anyone is usually a waste of time.

Instead of sending more applications, focus on being known before you apply. Talk to people in the industry. Share your work publicly. Join communities, game jams, and Discord servers. Comment on posts, attend events, and have conversations that are not about asking for a job.

What to Do Instead of Cold Applying

Make yourself visible before you apply	Share your projects, lessons learned, or small dev updates on LinkedIn or other platforms.
Talk to people without asking for a job	Build a real connection first. Opportunities often follow naturally.
Join communities and stay active	Discord servers, game jams, meetups, and conferences are where relationships start. Comment, help others, and share opportunities.
Work on production projects when you can	can start with small contracts, indie teams, or community projects.
Apply with warm introductions	After building relationships, ask for advice or referrals. A familiar name or recommendation is far more likely to get your CV opened than a cold submission.

Remember! People tend to hire developers they recognize, not just resumes they receive.

Recognizability Is the New Resume

“Our data suggests you may be 20 times or more likely to get hired if the hiring manager or recruiter has any recognizability of who you are.”

Recognizability means people know your name, your work, or your posts before you apply.

You can build this by:

Posting about your projects on LinkedIn
Commenting on industry posts
Joining Discords and communities
Going to meetups or conferences
Sharing small dev logs or insights

You do not need to be famous. You just need to be visible.

Again, being seen is more important than having a perfect CV.

How to Build a Portfolio That Gets Interviews

Portfolios still matter, but screenshots are not enough.

Studios want to know:

What you worked on
What problems you solved
How you collaborated with others
What you learned

Explain your thinking. Show process. Share prototypes and game jams. A simple project with a clear story beats a polished asset with no context.

Who Gets Hired (And Who Struggles)

Hiring is not equal at every career stage.

Amir explains that the easiest time to get hired is usually in the middle of your career, while the hardest times are at the very beginning and the very end.

“Those who are the youngest and those who are the oldest with kind of a sweet spot in the middle.”

Early career (0–3 years): Hard to get hired because studios can hire someone with more experience for the same salary.

Mid-level (5–15 years): Easiest time to get hired because you can work independently and are not as expensive as very senior staff.

Very senior (15–20+ years): Can be harder again because of higher salaries and bias that you might be less hands-on or less familiar with newer trends.

So where should you be?

🎓 If you are in your early career, focus on building experience fast through indie projects, internships, game jams, and small contracts.

🧓 If you are senior, highlight hands-on skills, recent tools, and leadership impact, not just years in the industry.

Important! The middle of your career is usually the easiest time to get hired. If you are early or very senior, you need to be more intentional about how you present your experience.

Common Mistakes That Hold Developers Back

Spending weeks polishing a CV and never talking to anyone
Applying to hundreds of jobs without networking
Hiding your work and waiting to be discovered
Posting nothing and expecting recognition
Avoiding communities because of shyness

Passive job searching rarely works.

Watch the full Devoted SpeakEasy episode to hear Amir’s insights on hiring, networking, and career survival in games.

Gamedev

02.02.2026

Investor Deals for Game Studios: How to Protect Your Game and Your Wallet

1 week

If you’ve ever stared at a term sheet and thought, “This looks fine… right?” you’re not alone. Money is (finally) creeping back into games, but the fine print can still kneecap a studio for years.

We wanted a clear, founder-friendly guide to the stuff that actually matters, so we brought in someone who reads this language for a living on our Devoted Speakeasy Ep. 37

Who’s Brandon?

Brandon Huffman, Managing Attorney at Odin Law & Media, one of the leading firms advising game studios on publishing and investor deals. He has negotiated across the table from names like Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Tencent, and Netflix, so he knows how quickly one sentence in a term sheet can change a studio’s future.

In short: he sees where deals go right, where they go sideways, and which sentences quietly eat your equity.

Publisher vs. Investor: Which Door to Open?

If you’ve got a single title that needs funding, marketing, or platform support, a publisher is usually the right choice.

Meanwhile, investors are best when you’re building a scalable business:

A franchise (multiple titles in the same IP)
A live-ops game with ongoing content and monetization
Tools/technology other studios will buy (engines, pipelines, AI)

Why the difference? Investors chase scale and repeatable revenue, not one-off hits. That’s why AI and dev tools currently attract more venture capital (VC) interest than single titles. Tools can sell to many customers. A single game is binary.

Shortcut: Publishers fund a game. Investors fund a business.

Valuation & Dilution: Don’t Let Big Numbers Fool You

A sky-high seed valuation looks exciting… until your next round.

If you need more money later and the valuation drops, you’ve hit a down round.

Earlier investors then use anti-dilution protections to increase their share. You get diluted twice, by the new round and the old protections.

Founders often fall below 50% ownership faster than expected.

Lesson: Pick a valuation you can grow from, not just a headline number.

SAFEs vs. Convertible Notes

These are common at pre-seed/seed.

SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity): money now, converts later into equity at the next priced round.

Convertible Note: technically debt, can convert to equity later and usually accrues interest.

Why does it matter? Discounts and valuation caps decide how much equity early money gets when it converts. Too generous = more dilution than you planned.

Anti-Dilution: Know the Two Terms

Full ratchet: early investors reset as if they bought at the lower new price. Extremely punishing for founders.
Broad-based weighted average: a partial adjustment. Still dilution, but survivable.

👉 Always push for broad-based weighted average.

Control Terms: Where Founders Need to Push Back

Investors don’t want to design your characters, but they do want oversight.

Expect:

Board seats (common at seed/A)
Veto rights on big decisions (selling the company, raising new rounds, issuing new shares)

Game-specific twist: some investors want veto rights over publishing deals or licenses. That can block a partner you want to work with.

📌 Protect: creative/product calls, team comp decisions, and a board balance that leaves founders in control of day-to-day.

Strategic Investors: Double-Edged Sword

Publisher-affiliated or platform investors may ask for:

Rights of first negotiation/refusal/match
First look at sequels or future titles
Regional exclusivity

These rights can scare future acquirers.

Solution: time-box and narrow these clauses to specific titles or geographies. Don’t give away your whole future.

Founder Equity: Vesting and Buybacks

Even if you’re starting with friends, use vesting.

Standard: 4 years, 1-year cliff.
Milestone-based vesting ties equity to real progress.
Investors may ask for re-vesting so the clock restarts when they invest. Push for timelines that match your dev cycle.
Include repurchase rights so dead equity doesn’t block the company if someone leaves.

Drag-Along & Tag-Along

Drag-along: if a sale is approved, minority holders can’t block it.
Tag-along: if some shareholders sell, others can sell proportionally too.

Both are standard, and both grease the wheels of exits.

Bad Fit? Getting Rid of an Investor

There’s rarely a “kick them out” clause. Your options:

Buy them out.

Or bring in a new investor to replace them.

Choose carefully at the start. You’ll likely be living together for years.

Investor Checklist (Founder-Friendly Version)

✅ Valuation you can grow from
✅ SAFE/note discounts max ~20%, fair cap
✅ Broad-based weighted average anti-dilution
✅ 1× non-participating liquidation preference
✅ Founder-majority board for standard decisions
✅ Narrow, time-limited ROFR/first match rights
✅ Vesting that matches your dev cycle
✅ Repurchase rights for leavers
✅ Capped legal fees

Brandon’s best reminders!

Bring in a lawyer early. Many defer fees until a round closes, so don’t wait until after you’ve signed. A few hours of expert review can save you years of regret.

Big picture: Raising money should buy you runway and freedom, not lock-ins and headaches. Whether it’s publisher or investor capital, structure your deal so your studio keeps creative control and long-term upside.

Watch the full conversation in Devoted Speakeasy Ep. 37 to hear Brandon break down investor traps, valuation myths, and real-world examples from the games industry.

Gamedev

02.12.2025

Why Game Dev Costs Are Up, And What You Can Actually Do About It

2 months

Game development budgets are exploding. Spider-Man 2 (2023) cost around $315 million, more than triple the first game’s $100 million budget in 2018. Call of Duty went from 657 contributors in 2008 to over 9,000 in 2023, with budgets reportedly exceeding $700 million. Yet players are spending less time in games than they were just a few years ago.

The math doesn’t add up. Game studios are pouring in more money, time, and talent, but returns are shrinking.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s causing this spike in cost, and what developers can actually do about it.

Game Budgets Are at All-Time Highs

At industry events like XDS 2024 and GamesBeat LA, data was shared showing that AAA game budgets now regularly fall between $300 to $500 million. Some titles push well beyond that, especially as teams grow and scope expands.

These figures don’t include marketing, which can often match or exceed development costs. One publisher reportedly spent $660 million on development and another $550 million on marketing.

Even mid-tier games are seeing budgets climb due to longer dev cycles, asset complexity, and increasing player expectations.

What’s Driving the Cost Increase?

At XDS 2024, over 30 developers and service providers shared the biggest contributors to rising costs. Their responses fall into four key categories.

Content Complexity

Players expect larger maps, more quests, and cinematic content
Better graphics and physics increase asset creation time
Games must ship across more platforms with custom optimizations
New features like live services and destructible environments take more effort to build and test

Market Pressure

Sequels are expected to be bigger and better than the last game
AAA games now compete with polished mobile titles backed by $500M budgets
Launch windows are packed, so even successful games delay to avoid the crowd
More time is spent researching and testing before greenlighting production

Talent and Team Growth

Hiring specialized talent is expensive and competitive
Ramp-up times are longer, especially with in-house engines
Post-launch polish teams are larger and stay on longer
Compensation gaps and industry competition are inflating salaries

Executive Pressure

Shifting feedback from executives leads to costly reworks
Ambiguous creative direction causes teams to rebuild or delay
More layers of approval slow decisions and increase iteration cycles
Everyone wants prestige quality, but not everyone agrees on what that means

And Yet… Players Are Playing Less

In 2020, the average U.S. gamer played about an average of nearly two hours a day gaming or using computers for leisure, up from just over an hour in 2019. By 2024, that number had dropped to around 79 minutes a day. A 2023 survey also showed that most U.S. console gamers now play only one to five hours per week, while just 11 percent spend more than 20 hours.

At the same time, according to NewZoo Global Games Market Size, revenue growth in the global gaming market has stalled.

2020: +24% growth
2022: -5.1% contraction
2024: Estimated at $187.7B, which is $5B less than 2021

So while development costs have gone up, player time and spending have not followed the same trend.

What Can Studios Actually Do About It?

Studios today face a tough balancing act. Layoffs are happening across the industry, but games still need to meet growing expectations. Instead of choosing between cutting quality or breaking the bank, here are three things you can do differently.

Embrace Strategic Co-Development

Not just outsourcing. Real co-development involves working with external teams who integrate with your internal processes. They can own parts of the pipeline, from level design to live ops support.

With the right partner, you can:

Reduce your core team size
Access specialized talent faster
Avoid long onboarding cycles
Keep production moving, even during delays

This is how Devoted Studios supports internal teams. Our co-dev approach helps manage quality and scale, without ballooning internal costs.

Plan Smarter, Not Just Bigger

One we know is that throwing more people or money at a project doesn’t always solve the problem.

Studios that succeed in the current climate are:

Building modular pipelines that allow reuse and flexibility
Launching content in chapters or live updates to spread cost
Aligning creative and executive vision early in pre-production
Prototyping early and often to reduce late-stage churn

Nearly 70% of developers say they’re being asked to do more with less, according to the 2025 Unity Gaming Report. And around 45% are turning to productivity tools to move faster, while 24% are focused on getting more value from their monetization and live ops budgets.

So it’s all less about making everything bigger, and more about designing development to be adaptable. The result is not just better games, but healthier teams and more sustainable budgets.

Delay the Right Way

Delays happen. But keeping your full team active during polish phases burns through the budget fast.

Instead:

Lean on external teams for polish and asset fixes
Let internal teams focus on tuning and final integration
Plan co-development capacity into your project timeline, not just as a backup

What This Means

Game development costs are rising fast, driven by larger teams, more complex content, and shifting market realities. At the same time, player attention and revenue growth have slowed. Studios must build differently if they want to stay competitive.

Co-development isn’t just a cost-cutting tool. It’s a way to bring flexibility and focus to your production process. The studios that embrace it early will be better prepared to ship the games players love, without breaking the budget.

Gamedev

28.11.2025

Publishing Red Flags Every Game Studio Needs To Know

3 months

The past few years have pushed game studios into one of the most complex publishing landscapes we have seen in a decade.

After the funding drought of 2023 and 2024, 2025 finally showed signs of recovery, with global gaming industry funding climbing back upward. In Q1 2025 alone, the sector saw 373 million dollars in funding, a 35 percent increase from the previous year, showing that capital is cautiously returning to the market.

At the same time, private equity firms have become increasingly active in gaming, making large investments into publishers and studios and accelerating the growth of PE-backed publishing labels. As a result, more publishing groups are emerging and expanding their portfolios each quarter, reshaping how deals are structured and what developers can expect when seeking funding.

But while the number of publishers is increasing, the terms are getting tougher. Many of the deals that look great on the surface hide clauses that can cost a studio control, revenue, or even the ability to survive a delayed milestone.

In our Devoted Speak Easy episode 36, we invited Brandon Huffman, one of the industry’s most respected video game attorneys, to walk through the clauses, traps, and financial structures that define modern publishing agreements.

Get to Know Brandon HuffmanBrandon Huffman is the Managing Attorney at Odin Law, one of the leading law firms focused on interactive entertainment. He has represented studios and developers of all sizes and has negotiated against publishers like Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Tencent, Disney, Netflix, and more.

We’ll break down the biggest red flags from the conversation and Brandon’s practical advice on how to stay protected. Let’s dive in.

illustration related to publishing agreements

Why Publishing Terms Are Changing in 2025

Several macro factors explain why publishing agreements have become more demanding.

Funding is recovering but still conservative

Money is returning to the market, but not with the “2020 energy.”

Publishers now require prototypes, traction, or near-alpha builds before signing.

“Publishers are clamping down on what they’ll publish and making it more difficult for indie studios especially to get deals.”–Brandon Huffman

Private equity backed publishers demand higher returns

Many new publishers in 2024 and 2025 are funded by private equity. These firms operate with strict return expectations and often require management fees or revenue structures that protect their capital first. Brandon explained how some publishers are now inserting 10 to 15 percent service fees into the deal because their investors expect guaranteed income streams.

Publishers require more advanced builds before funding

GamesIndustry.biz reporting shows that publishers now expect playable prototypes or near alpha state before offering a contract, compared to the pitch deck stage that was common in 2020 and 2021. Some publishers even want to see community traction through Discord numbers or Steam wishlists before committing.

Milestone pressure is higher than ever

The GDC 2025 State of the Industry reports highlight that more studios are dealing with milestone rejections, schedule uncertainty, and production delays. As studios shrink, milestone pressure increases, making vague agreements even riskier.

This changing environment makes it important to understand what lies beneath the surface of a publishing deal.

“If all it says is ‘vertical slice,’ that’s not a very well-defined milestone… the publisher may get it and go, ‘I don’t think this is a vertical slice,’ and reject it.”–Brandon Huffman

The Publishing Red Flags: What You See vs What You Actually Get

Publishing deals look generous at first glance. But much of the risk is hidden under the surface.

Above the Surface: What Looks Great in a Publishing Deal

These benefits are visible, attractive, and often well presented.

Funding
Platform support
Marketing and PR
QA and localization
Production and launch support
Community and analytics help
Distribution and retail relationships

Below the Surface: What Developers Do Not See Right Away

The deeper risks often sit inside legal clauses that seem harmless.

Milestones that are vague or loosely defined
Acceptance criteria that enable repeated rejection
Recoup structures that push developer revenue far into the future
Rights creep that limits future projects
Publisher fees added on top of revenue splits
Termination clauses that force repayment
Unclear marketing budgets
Weak reporting and no audit rights
Change request pipelines that inflate scope
Private equity driven expectations that shift risk onto developers

Brandon noted that even a small change in wording can mean the difference between a fair deal and a financially devastating one.

🚩Red Flag 1: Vague Milestones and Risky Acceptance Terms

A milestone like “vertical slice” or “alpha build” may seem obvious. But without objective criteria, it becomes a tool for publishers to delay payments.

“If the milestone acceptance terms are aggressive, then the publisher can reject for virtually no reason.”–Brandon Huffman

In the current market, milestone rejection is more common. The GDC 2024 industry survey highlighted that studios feel increased pressure around milestone acceptance due to leaner teams and stricter requirements. Brandon has seen deals where publishers reject milestones simply because the build is “not polished enough,” even when the milestone definition never included polish.

What to secure instead:

Tangible deliverables
Concrete feature lists
Clear acceptance timelines
A milestone zero payment on contract signature

When milestones are objective, there is less room for subjective rejection.

🚩Red Flag 2: Recoup Clauses That Block Revenue for Years

Recoup is where many studios lose money.

Some 2025 publishing agreements recoup only from the developer’s royalty share. Brandon explained that in these cases, even if a game sells well, the developer might not see revenue until extremely high sales thresholds are reached.

This problem is compounded in PE backed publishing deals, where firms introduce extra management or service fees before splits happen. As PE Hub reports, PE backed publishers commonly structure deals to prioritize guaranteed returns, often through fees or more aggressive recoup pipelines.

Safer options:

Recoup taken from total revenue, not the developer share
A royalty percentage that begins from day one
Clear caps on marketing or internal spend
No extra fees without mutual agreement

If the recoup math does not make sense at first glance, do not sign!

🚩Red Flag 3: Rights and IP Creep

A contract may say “the developer retains the IP,” yet the fine print sometimes grants the publisher sequel rights, prequel rights, merchandising rights, or transmedia rights. Brandon has seen deals where developers unknowingly locked themselves out of their own sequel.

This is becoming more common among strategic investors. Some publishers who also act as equity investors use their ownership stake to secure long-term rights across multiple projects.

Look for these protections:

Rights limited to the specific game
No automatic sequel claims
No perpetual merchandising rights
No multi-project lock-ins

If a publisher wants future rights, they should negotiate them separately.

🚩Red Flag 4: Termination Clauses That Put All Risk on the Studio

This is one of the most dangerous areas for indie studios.

Some agreements allow publishers to:

Reject a milestone multiple times
Declare breach
Terminate the contract
Demand repayment of all funds

Brandon shared an example where a developer nearly lost the entire budget because a publisher repeatedly rejected deliverables, then terminated and asked for repayment.

“They fail your milestone two or three times… and then they say, ‘Oh, by the way, give me back that money I paid you.”

He also gave us another example involving a publisher terminating a deal just before launch, releasing the game, and keeping all revenue.

“They terminated before the game shipped… then shipped it and the game made a ton of money.”

You must secure:

No repayment after termination
Reasonable cure periods
Guaranteed minimum compensation
Clear post-termination revenue rules

Termination should never bankrupt a studio.

🚩Red Flag 5: Marketing Promises Without Marketing Commitments

Many publishers promise marketing. Few guarantee it.

We know multiple cases where publishers deprioritized indie titles in favor of larger ones in their slate. Without agreed upon spending floors or caps, studios have no leverage if their marketing plan is dropped.

Secure the following:

A minimum marketing spend
A cap to avoid inflated recoup
Clarity on internal vs external spend
Regular reporting
Control over key art and messaging

If marketing is not in the contract, it does not exist.

🚩Red Flag 6: Reporting, Transparency, and Audit Limitations

If you cannot see the numbers, you cannot trust the numbers.

Brandon reminded studios that publishers control all sales data unless the contract says otherwise. A safe deal includes:

Quarterly reporting
Access to receipts
Audit rights at least once per year
Penalties for underreporting

Remember: Transparency is non-negotiable!

When a Publishing Deal Is Actually Worth Taking

Not all publishers are problematic. Many are incredibly supportive and add huge value. The important part is knowing the difference.

A strong publisher offers:

Real marketing power
Platform relationships
QA and localization pipelines
Production support
Funding tied to realistic milestones
Clear communication
Fair recoup and revenue splits

So before you sign that publishing contract, ask yourself…

Will this publisher help your game perform at least twice as well as it would without them?

If the answer is yes, then the deal may be worth taking.

👉 Watch the full conversation on Devoted Speak Easy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdRUkrrwJ-w

Development

28.11.2025

7 Signs It’s Time to Partner Up: Why Leading Studios in 2025 Are Turning to External Development Teams

3 months

After a turbulent 2025, the game development landscape looks very different. This year brought sweeping industry layoffs, rising production costs, high volatility in game performance, and greater pressure to deliver content faster across more platforms. At the same time, players continued to expect higher fidelity, more ambitious worlds, and regular live updates. By the end of 2025, even the biggest studios were rethinking how they operate.

External co development is no longer a fallback plan. It has become a core part of how games are made. As the industry steps into 2026, many studios are already recognizing the signals that they can no longer scale through internal teams alone.

This article will talk about the clearest signs that it is time to partner with an external development team and explains how the realities of 2025 have shaped a new production model for 2026.

The Studio Reality After 2025

The numbers from 2025 help explain why so many studios are rethinking their production model. Market data from Newzoo shows the global games industry approaching 189 billion dollars in 2025, creating pressure for larger, higher quality releases.

At the same time, press reporting and industry lists indicate that a handful of blockbuster titles now reach into the high hundreds of millions in development costs, while major franchises often rely on thousands of contributors and multiple studios working together. The year also saw widespread layoffs and slower hiring pipelines.

According to the GDC 2025 State of the Industry survey, about 11 percent of developers reported being laid off in the previous year, and studios continued to struggle to fill senior or highly specialized roles. Together, these factors pushed many teams to look for more flexible, scalable production models going into 2026.

Looking ahead to 2026, studios are seeking a more stable way to scale. External partners allow teams to stay lean while accessing flexible production support on demand. The question is not whether to collaborate, but when.

Below are the seven strongest signs your studio is ready to partner up with an external partner:

Sign #1: Your Production Timelines Keep Slipping

What we saw in 2025:

Many studios entered 2025 under pressure from internal capacity reduction while production goals stayed high. For instance, the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2025 survey reports that one in ten developers said they lost their job in the past year, and 41 % said they were impacted by layoffs or saw colleagues let go.

These workforce disruptions correlate with longer schedules, increased reliance on overtime and crunch, and slipping milestones across the industry.

What this means for 2026:

If this pattern continues into the new year, it signals an internal pipeline stretched beyond its limits. Slips ripple across teams, causing missed content drops, delayed marketing beats, and rising technical debt.

A co development partner stabilizes throughput by adding the right people at the right moments, preventing more slippage as the year progresses.

Sign #2: You Cannot Hire Fast Enough

What we saw in 2025:

Studios faced intense talent scarcity in key roles. Industry commentary and surveys show that many game companies reported trouble filling senior engineers, technical artists, and VFX roles. For example, 32 % of gaming houses struggled to find suitable talent for their projects.

What this means for 2026:

If you are starting a new project or expanding scope, the internal hiring pipeline will not grow fast enough to support it. Recruiting still takes months, and competition for senior talent remains high.

External teams provide instant access to specialized talent without long hiring cycles or long term commitments.

This means, if hiring speed does not match production speed, collaboration becomes essential.

Sign #3: Scope Creep Became the Default in 2025

What we saw in 2025:

Games continued to grow in complexity through 2025, and this expansion directly contributed to rising scope. Industry reporting shows that modern titles take longer to build because they require more content, more platforms, and more interconnected systems than earlier generations. On top of that, the market itself is shifting faster than most teams can adapt. Our State of Video Games Freelancing Report 2025 found how changing player expectations and genre trends, from live service updates and battle passes to extraction shooters and roguelites, force studios to rethink features mid-development. These pivots stretch timelines, increase rework, and expand the production footprint beyond what internal teams originally planned.

What this means for 2026:

If you already feel behind before new features arrive, the roadmap will only become more demanding in 2026. Scope creep is not going away. Studios that survive it are the ones who reinforce their pipelines with external help before the pressure peaks.

A strong partner helps absorb expanding workloads while keeping the original roadmap intact.

Sign #4: QA and Optimization Were Always Delayed

What we saw in 2025:

QA backlogs grew across the industry. Optimization work was pushed to late production, which strained release windows and increased bug risk. Technical debt hit new highs. Industry reporting also highlights that games are taking longer to polish because complexity has increased faster than QA resources.

As noted by Christophe Gandon, managing director of the game division at Virtuos, “As the games industry matures, projects grow in complexity as players increasingly demand better quality, immersion, and satisfaction in game length and value. Developers strive to meet or exceed these expectations.”

What this means for 2026:

Delaying QA again this year will lead to the same problems, only more expensive. Performance expectations continue to rise, and post launch recovery is harder. External engineering and QA teams help stabilize this part of the pipeline, reducing risk at the final stages.

Sign #5: Creative Leadership Spent 2025 Managing, Not Directing

What we saw in 2025:

Leads across the industry found themselves absorbed in coordination, scheduling, and triage. Less time was spent reviewing creative work or shaping direction.

What this means for 2026:

A team that cannot give its leads space to do creative work slows down over time. As projects get larger, leads need more support to keep quality high.

A well integrated co development partner allows leads to return to creative decision making while the partner handles consistent execution.

Sign #6: Your Budget Grew in 2025 but Output Did Not

What we saw in 2025:

Costs increased. Output did not. Teams had fewer people but bigger expectations. Production overruns became common, and fixed costs weighed heavily on studios of all sizes.

What this means for 2026:

Studios are moving away from bloated internal structures and toward flexible capacity. External partners give teams the ability to scale up or down as needed, improving cost to output efficiency as the industry enters another unpredictable year.

Sign #7: You Need End to End Production Support, Not Just Temporary Staff

What we saw in 2025:

Many studios relied on staff augmentation only to realize that freelancers could not solve deeper workflow challenges. Coordination, tools, engineering integration, and multi discipline collaboration required a more unified partner approach.

What this means for 2026:

Complex projects demand more than extra hands. They demand a partner who supports full cycle production, from art to engineering to optimization.

Recognising the Shift: 2026 as the Year of Strategic Co Development

Studios that succeed in 2026 will not try to rebuild massive internal teams. They will focus internal energy on creative leadership and rely on external partners for specialized, scalable production support. This allows teams to move faster, maintain quality, and control long term costs.

Co development is now a strategic decision, not an emergency measure.

What Does a Reliable External Partner Look Like?

A strong partner should offer:

Transparent communication
A proven history of reliable delivery
Seamless pipeline integration
Cultural and workflow alignment
Flexible engagement models

Next Steps: How to Start the Transition

Assess your internal pipeline honestly.
Identify which disciplines are under the most pressure.
Decide if you need support in art, engineering, or full cycle workflows.
Test alignment with a smaller pilot.
Scale the collaboration as trust and output grow.

Why Studios Choose Devoted

Devoted Studios partners with teams worldwide to support art, engineering, tech art, gameplay systems, and full cycle production. We integrate directly into each studio’s workflow so collaboration feels seamless. You can explore our end to end environment production approach, from early concept to final assets. We have also spent more than four years collaborating with Obsidian Entertainment on large scale environment and content pipelines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktrTibAmmp4

And if these seven signs match what your studio experienced in 2025, it may be the right moment to explore co development for 2026. Many teams are already changing toward flexible, scalable production models to stay ahead of the industry curve.

Development

24.11.2025

10 Best Game Porting Outsourcing Studios in 2026

3 months

Game porting is a process in which a video game that was originally developed for one platform is adapted or converted to run on another platform. For example, if a game was created for a console like PlayStation, game porting would involve making that same game work on other platforms like Xbox, PC, or even mobile devices.However, the process is not as easy as just moving files. Game developers have to make adjustments to the game’s code, graphics, and how it performs so that it looks and feels just as good on the new platform as it did on the original one.

As more players buy games online instead of physical copies, game developers need to find ways to reach them across different platforms. This is where porting comes in.

Why Devoted Studios is the Definitive Choice for Game Porting in 2026

Porting allows a game to be played on multiple devices, like consoles, PCs, and even mobile. In 2022, the gaming market made $28.6 billion, while the worldwide PC gaming market generated $42.9 billion. Meanwhile, packaged game sales were much lower, only reaching $9.3 billion. With such a strong focus on digital platforms, porting is a great way for developers to reach more players and boost their success by making their games available on as many platforms as possible.

So that being said, porting is part of a growth strategy.

Now, let’s look at why outsourcing game porting can be helpful and which studios are the best at it.

Why Outsource Game Porting?

Outsourcing porting in 2025 gives studios a major advantage in a market where timelines are tighter and platform diversity keeps expanding.

Saves time and money
Expert help
Faster release
Quality assurance

Hiring an internal team to manage game porting can be expensive, but outsourcing helps you get high-quality work without needing a dedicated in-house team. Since porting requires a solid understanding of different gaming platforms, outsourcing studios are great at handling this, bringing the skills needed to make the process smooth.

When you outsource, different parts of the project can be worked on at the same time, meaning your game can reach new platforms faster than if handled internally. Plus, many outsourcing studios also provide testing services to make sure the port works well and is free of bugs or glitches.

Why Developers Recommend Devoted Studios

When looking for the best game porting services, Devoted Studios shines as the top choice for developers wanting to expand their games to new platforms without compromising quality. Our team has a ability to handle complex porting projects and navigate technical challenges while delivering seamless gaming experiences. From mobile game porting to console and PC adaptations, we offer comprehensive porting solutions that meet the needs of developers looking to reach more players.

What makes Devoted Studios stand out as a porting partner in 2025?

Proven Track Record: Successful ports across PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.
Deep Engine Expertise: Unity, Unreal, and custom tech.
Global Delivery: Teams experienced in working with international partners, licensed IPs, and strict certification processes.
Player-First Approach: Ensuring controls, UI, and performance feel native to console.

With projects like Palia, Five Night at Fredy’s series, Risk of Rain 2, Open Roads, and Spellbreak, we have proven time and again that we are the best porting studio for developers looking to partner with experts who can overcome challenges and deliver great results.

Development

20.11.2025

The Economics of Co-Development: Cost Savings and Efficiency

3 months

In game development, managing costs while delivering high-quality products is always a challenge. But partnering with external teams through game co-development has become an increasingly popular solution. It allows studios to reduce costs, boost efficiency, and maintain flexibility without the ongoing need to hire and manage large in-house teams.

At Devoted Studios, we’ve worked with many studios and seen how co-development can be an effective strategy for saving money while keeping development on track.

Let’s take a closer look at how game co-development can lead to significant savings and why more studios are turning to this approach today.

So, What is Game Co-Development?

To make sure we’re on the same page, game co-development is when a studio partners with an external team to handle different parts of the game’s development. This could include tasks like art creation, programming, or testing, with the external team working closely alongside the primary studio. This collaboration brings in specialized expertise and resources, helping get the game to the finish line faster and more efficiently.

And that’s exactly what we do, we specialize in co-development, offering a Strike Team approach that helps studios expand their teams with experienced artists, programmers, and designers who work seamlessly with in-house teams.

How Does Co-Development Save You Money?

One of the biggest concerns for game studios is staying within budget while delivering a high-quality product. That’s where game co-development comes in.

Cutting Development Costs

Game co-development can seriously lower your development costs. According to a 2022 report by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), studios that brought in external teams saw an average 30% reduction in development costs!

So, why does this happen? Well, here’s the breakdown:

Lower Labor Costs: Hiring full-time employees for every role can get expensive. With co-development, you only pay for the expertise you need, when you need it. No long-term contracts or salary commitments.
Global Talent Access: With co-development, you’re not limited to local talent. You can tap into talent from all over the world, where labor costs might be more affordable.
Faster Turnaround: Extra hands mean faster progress. More people working on different parts of the project means you can finish quicker, which often translates into cost savings.

Reducing Long-Term Overhead

Another great thing about co-development is how it helps reduce long-term costs. Traditional game studios often go through hiring and firing cycles, constantly recruiting new staff for each project. This leads to recruitment costs, onboarding, and the hassle of letting go of staff once the project is over.

But with co-development, you don’t have to worry about all of that. You bring in external teams for specific projects, so you don’t need to keep a big, full-time workforce. This means you avoid the stress of high turnover, recruitment fees, and long-term salary commitments.

Co-Development Boosts Efficiency, Too!

In game development, efficiency is key to staying competitive. Co-development helps studios streamline their processes and ensure that every part of the game gets

Focus on What You Do Best

One of the best things about co-development is that it allows studios to focus on their strengths. For example, let’s say your studio excels at gameplay and level design but lacks the resources for high-quality art production. Instead of struggling with hiring a full-time art team, you can partner with a co-development team that specializes in art. This lets you focus on what you do best while letting the external team handle the parts where they shine.

It’s like having a team of experts work on different areas of your game, making sure every aspect gets the attention it deserves!

Scalability and Flexibility

What happens when a studio needs more help during crunch time? Easy! With co-development, you can scale your team up or down based on the project’s needs. You’re not locked into a long-term contract with full-time employees. Need extra hands for a few months? No problem!

This flexibility is perfect for indie studios or even large companies that need to quickly adapt to project demands.

Let’s Hear What Studios Say: The Real Benefits of Co-Development

Still unsure about co-development? Hear from some of our clients who have experienced the advantages firsthand:

Sean-Paul Manning
Art Director, Elodie Games

Speaking on behalf of my team we are very fortunate to have the Devoted team as a partner in development on this project. We’re a very small team with limited time and resources – Devoted has been able to force multiply our abilities and close our gaps with their team of experts.

Ian Fielding
Studio Head, Super Evil Megacorp

Devoted Studios has been a great partner to help us bring our artistic vision to life. From concept, modeling, and animations – we value their support and look forward to continuing our partnership with them in future projects.

Should You Consider Game Co-Development?

In the competitive industry of game development, game co-development is a fantastic way to save costs, boost efficiency, and reduce long-term overhead. If you’re working on an indie game or a large AAA project, co-development can provide the flexibility, expertise, and cost savings you need to succeed.

At Devoted Studios, we’ve helped studios like yours streamline development and stay on budget, all while delivering high-quality results. Ready to dive into co-development and see how it can benefit your next project? Get in touch with us today, and let’s start collaborating!

Devoted Stories

20.11.2025

Behind Every Great Game Is a Great Team: How We Build Ours at Devoted Studios

3 months

Ever wonder how your favorite games actually get made? It starts with a great idea, but it takes a well-organized game development team structure to turn that idea into something that’s actually playable.

At Devoted Studios, we support studios through co-development. That means we don’t just create assets and hand them over. We become part of the team. Our tech experts, producers, and artists collaborate with internal teams to create games from the ground up.

One of the ways we support studios is through our Strike Teams. Like a special forces unit, this is expert talent ready to jump in fast and solve complex tasks. These specialized teams integrate into your studio and bring the right skills exactly when you need them.

They’re small, senior-level groups built to plug directly into your production. Fast to onboard, easy to scale, and designed to move with you. No long hiring process. No full outsourcing setup. Just the support you need, right when you need it.

So how do we structure these teams? What roles are involved, and how do they work with your studio day to day?

Let’s walk through the key game development team roles, how they stay connected, and why our setup makes the whole game development process smoother for everyone.

Devoted Studios Core Team: Your Dream Game Makers

Every game project starts with the right people. Here are the key roles you’ll find in a well-rounded game production team and what each of them brings to the table.

The Executive Creative Director makes sure ideas are clear and ready for production

Creative ideas can drift when a project gets busy. Jason Millena makes sure they don’t.

Jason is our Executive Creative Director. He works closely with both studios and internal teams to make sure the vision stays clear from start to finish. He’s great at guiding teams while keeping things flexible and collaborative.

He’s worked on games like Game of Thrones, Runescape, and Jurassic World: Primal Ops, so he knows how to manage creative direction even on big, complex projects.

Having Jason in the role means there’s always someone making sure the creative vision stays clear, focused, and fully realized.

The creative lead behind the visuals is our Visual Art Director

This is the person who makes sure your game doesn’t end up looking like a mix of five different art styles.

The Visual Art Director guides the overall look and feel of the game. From characters and environments to textures and props, they make sure everything fits together visually and supports the story and setting.

One of our Visual Art Directors worked on titles like Guild Wars 2, Avowed, and Nike’s Airphoria in Fortnite, helping keep the art direction focused and cohesive throughout production.

Want a closer look at how we handle worldbuilding? Read our article on Nike’s Airphoria in Fortnite. Read it here.

Blending design and function is what our Tech Art Director does best

If something looks amazing in concept but breaks when you hit play, this is the person who steps in.

The Tech Art Director connects creative and technical teams, making sure assets work just as well in the engine as they do on paper. They’re the ones solving issues with shaders, rigging, and performance without slowing down production.

We also shared some practical tips on updating from Unreal Engine 3 to Unreal Engine 5 in this article. If you’re dealing with a similar transition, it’s a simple breakdown of what to expect.

Our 3D Tech Art Director keeps complex assets running smoothly

This is the person who steps in when the 3D scene looks great but acts like it’s haunted.

Our 3D Tech Art Directors specialize in solving tricky technical issues that come up during production. From asset integration to performance fixes, they make sure everything runs the way it should.

With personal experience on titles like Guild Wars 2, Predecessor, and Nike’s Airphoria in Fortnite, our 3D Tech Art Director brings the kind of deep technical know-how that helps complex assets run smoothly and fit right into any pipeline.

Movement, timing, and expression come to life with our Animation Director

You can model the coolest dragon ever, but if it walks like a penguin, something’s wrong.

Harvey Newman is our Animation Director. He’s worked on Warships: Jolly Roger, Dune: Awakening, and more, making sure characters move in a way that feels believable and fun to watch.

He leads the team responsible for how characters move, fight, and interact with the world. That includes close collaboration with both the client’s animation leads and our in-house rigging and tech art teams to keep everything aligned and consistent.

Want to get to know Harvey better? We wrote a whole article about him! Check it out to hear his story, career tips, and thoughts on game animation.

Behind every smooth pipeline is a smart Chief Technology Officer

Every solid video game studio workflow needs someone thinking three steps ahead.

That’s Flavius Alecu, our Chief Technology Officer. He’s worked on iconic games like Resident Evil, The Last of Us Part II, and Grand Theft Auto, and he leads the tech strategy that keeps our teams moving.

Flavius helps shape how we operate across projects and teams, so our game production workflow stays reliable and ready to scale.

The VP of Production is the one keeping everything on track

You can have the most talented artists and developers on a project, but without strong production, things can quickly go off course.

Ira Vishnetskaia runs the show behind the scenes. She has led production for major titles including League of Legends, FNAF: Security Breach, and Guild Wars 2.

As our VP of Production, Ira is the steady hand behind the scenes. She keeps timelines in check, teams aligned, and conversations flowing. She’s also the one making sure deadlines are met, expectations are clear, and no detail falls through the cracks.

Want to see how our production team pulls it off? We broke it down here. and see how they keep things moving and projects on track.

How We Communicate with Studios

Clear communication is everything. Our game studio team roles aren’t isolated, we’re constantly working side-by-side with studios through shared tools like Slack, Jira, and weekly check-ins.

We assign dedicated producers to each project, ensuring all updates, questions, and feedback go through a single, clear point of contact. Meanwhile, our directors stay closely in sync with the game studios’ leads so nothing gets lost in translation.

It’s a system that works. Some teams bring us in as their full external game art team, handling everything from concept to final assets. Others tap us for support on specific characters, props, or environments.

So… How Do You Actually Build a Game Dev Team?

A strong game development team structure is key to delivering great results. At Devoted Studios, we help studios quickly scale their teams by plugging in the right game development team roles at the right time. Our flexible model works for everything from full co-dev partnerships to targeted support.

We start with the scope. What does the studio need? Full co-development or targeted art support?
We build the team. Using our roster of 3000+ vetted artists, producers, and tech specialists, we assemble a team with the right experience.
We help game studios stay flexible. Our game co-development model allows game studios to scale up or down depending on the project’s phase.
We keep it human. No silos. No miscommunication. Just real people collaborating across time zones, tools, and disciplines.

Why Our Structure Works

Our success comes from structure. We’ve built a game development process that balances speed with quality. When game studios work with us, they work with real people who care about the outcome and know how to deliver.

Our game production team is agile, responsive, and experienced. We know how game studios work from the inside, and we build teams that reflect that.

A great example of this is our ongoing work with Obsidian Entertainment on Avowed. Over four years, we partnered with multiple teams on 2D concept art, 3D characters, large-scale environments, and hero props. We became their go-to team not just for delivery, but for reliability, style alignment, and cross-team collaboration.

“The Obsidian team has been completely satisfied with Devoted Studios’ performance in all aspects – art quality, time management, adherence to style and timeline, communication quality control. Devoted does an excellent job and never hesitates to run the extra mile to guarantee the best outcome. They are always punctual, have impeccable production management skills, offer high quality services and reasonably priced.”

— Chris Naves, Lead Art Outsourcing Manager at Obsidian

We’re proud to be an outsourced game development team that doesn’t feel outsourced. You get the flexibility of a service with the consistency of a long-term partner. We call it external game development with a feeling of belonging.

At the End of the Day, It’s All About People

Building games is a people business. The tools evolve, the pipelines improve, but it’s the team that brings everything together.

From producers to artists to tech leads, strong collaboration is what makes it all work. At Devoted, we build teams that understand the craft, the challenges, and each other.

Dev

20.11.2025

The Role of Co-Development in Scaling Game Projects

3 months

Scaling a game project is exciting, but we all know that it can also feel like trying to build a rocket ship mid-flight. Deadlines move faster than your team can catch up, bugs pop up out of nowhere, and there never seem to be enough hands on deck.

In the game industry, game co-development is becoming one of the most reliable ways to handle large-scale projects. It’s not just a backup plan. It’s a smart, flexible approach that allows studios to stay creative, stay focused, and meet their goals without burning out.

So, what is co-development in games? And how can it help your studio scale up without breaking the bank? Let’s get into it.

Let’s Start With the Basics: What is Co-development?

Game co-development (or co-dev) means two or more studios working together on a game. This can include everything from character design and environment art to engineering support and live ops. It’s a deeply collaborative process that integrates an external game development team into your pipeline.

The main studio typically owns the vision and creative direction, while the co-dev team helps bring it all to life.

It’s not the same thing as outsourcing game development. With co-development, the external team becomes part of your workflow. You collaborate closely, share updates regularly, and build something together. It’s more like adding a powerful extension to your internal team than handing off tasks into the void.

Why More Studios Are Turning to Co-Dev

The game industry is more complex than ever. Games are bigger, players expect more, and timelines aren’t getting any longer.

The 2025 GDC State of the Industry report shows how tough the landscape has become for game developers. Over half (56%) of developers said they’ve invested their own money into their projects. For indie developers, that number jumps to 82%. Even 29% of AAA studios are self-funding in some form.

When investment is tough to find, studios need flexible, smart ways to get work done. This is where game co-dev studios step in. They help studios increase output, keep quality high, and avoid the long-term commitment of full-time hires.

Here’s how co-development in the game industry supports that goal:

Scale Fast Without Long-Term Hiring

Hiring full-time staff takes time and adds long-term costs. A co-development partner gives you access to ready-to-go teams. You can scale up for a big push and then scale back when the job is done. This flexibility is a huge asset for game project scaling

Keep Your Core Team Focused

Your internal team doesn’t need to do everything. With the right co-dev support, they can focus on the big-picture creative work, while experienced partners handle asset creation, technical support, and other production-heavy tasks.

Move Faster and Reduce Bottlenecks

Large-scale game production can easily hit snags. Co-development gives you more flexibility. You can assign tasks to a dedicated external team and keep the pipeline moving without missing key milestones.

Get Access to Specialized Talent

Some parts of game development require specific expertise, like motion capture, UI systems, stylized animation, and more. A game co-development studio often has those specialists ready to plug in. That saves you time and gives your game a professional edge.

Save on Overhead

One of the biggest benefits of game co-development is cost control. Working with a co-dev team helps you manage costs more effectively. You avoid full-time salaries and still get high-quality work.

Let’s Bust Some Myths About Co-Development

We’ve seen a lot of conversations online about outsourcing and co-development. Some of the posts on Reddit are helpful, but others spread confusion. Let’s clear up a few common myths about co-dev—because they might be holding some studios back from scaling effectively.

#Myth 1: “Bigger Teams = Faster Games”

Credit: r/gamedev on Reddit

✅ Reality: Bigger doesn’t always mean better.

In large teams, things can actually slow down. Too many opinions, too many meetings, and not enough focus on execution. It happens in game development just like it does in corporate offices. More time is spent talking than building.

At Devoted Studios, we don’t believe in throwing more bodies at a problem. Instead, we build lean, strike teams that align with your vision from day one. That way, you get the firepower you need, without the chaos. Our producers work closely with your internal leads to keep things moving quickly, clearly, and without decision fatigue.

#Myth 2: “Any studio offering co-dev services is legit.”

Credit: r/gamedev on Reddit

✅ Reality: Not every team is ready to support large-scale production.

There are groups that look like studios but don’t have the structure, experience, or people to deliver. Some teams may disappear mid-project. Others may lack the skills needed to work with new tech like AR, VR, AI, or blockchain.

We’ve seen that happen too. That’s why our teams are vetted, trained, and experienced. From games like Palia to Risk of Rain 2, our clients count on us to deliver consistent, reliable support with real technical depth.

These myths can make teams hesitant to collaborate, which is totally understandable. But a good partner won’t slow you down or take over, instead they’ll plug in where you need them and help move things forward with support.

Our Game Co-Dev Portfolio

We’ve built our process to support studios at every stage. Our model is flexible, reliable, and built around transparency. From one-time help to full-cycle support, we provide game development support services that grow with your needs.

Here’s a look at some of the projects we’ve supported through co-development:

PALIA

Palia is a life simulation massively multiplayer online game.

TEAM ROLE

Co-development, Engineering, Tools & UI
Primary Objective: Implementation of meta-game features
Secondary Objective: Bug Fixing

OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Created player house with plot customization
Debugged Party/Navigation system
Integrated chat system with in-game emojis
Developed in-game photography with creative filters

SPECTRE DIVIDE

An innovative free-to-play 3v3 tactical shooter

TEAM ROLE

Devoted Studios’ engineering team contributed significantly to the early version of Spectre Divide, helping to bring this unique concept to life.

OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Comprehensive Tool Prototyping: Developed tools for Level, Weapon, Ability, Customization, Rigging, and Debugging.
Art and Animation Pipeline Optimization: Optimized the workflow from Maya to UE4, including shader testing and UE4 Animation Controller setup.
Integrated chat system with in-game emojis
Developed in-game photography with creative filters

RISK OF RAIN 2

Escape a chaotic alien planet by fighting through hordes of frenzied monsters

TEAM ROLE

Co-dev & Porting to Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox X|S.
Integration of all network features.
Rendering optimization.
Support for DLC.

OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Boosted FPS performance by 57% on all levels.
Introduced Multiplayer to PS and Xbox platforms, featuring 4-player coop.
Prepared the game to certification. As part of “Survivors of the Void” DLC
DLC certification passed on all platforms from the 1st try.

Five Nights at Fredy’s: Secret of the Mimic

VR survival horror

TEAM ROLE

Co-dev
Engineering
3D Tech Art
Art Production

PLATFORM

Unreal
PS5
Steam
Epic Games Store

We’ve worked with indie teams, mid-size studios, and AAA publishers. No matter the scale, our goal is the same: deliver work you can rely on, with communication you can count on.

Ready to Scale Smarter?

If you’re trying to figure out how to scale game production, co-development might be the answer. It gives you the flexibility to grow without the stress of hiring, the speed to meet your deadlines, and the support to keep your team focused.

At Devoted Studios, we make that process easier. From day one, you’ll get a responsive partner, clear delivery plans, and access to top-tier talent that fits your project’s style and needs.

Sony Interactive Entertainment

What Makes Sony Hard to Beat

Tencent Games

What Keeps Tencent at the Top of the Gaming Industry

Microsoft Gaming

How Microsoft Stays Ahead Going Into 2026

Nintendo

Why Nintendo Remains a Global Gaming Leader

Electronic Arts

How EA Stays Relevant and Respected in 2026

Epic Games

Why Epic’s Influence Keeps Growing

Roblox Corporation

Why Roblox Matters in 2026

Where Devoted Studios Fits Into a 2026 Market Led by Giants

Co-create with Devoted

The State of Game Development Hiring

What Game Studios Are Actually Hiring For

Why Cold Applications Do Not Work Anymore

What to Do Instead of Cold Applying

Recognizability Is the New Resume

How to Build a Portfolio That Gets Interviews

Who Gets Hired (And Who Struggles)

So where should you be?

Common Mistakes That Hold Developers Back

Publisher vs. Investor: Which Door to Open?

Valuation & Dilution: Don’t Let Big Numbers Fool You

SAFEs vs. Convertible Notes

Anti-Dilution: Know the Two Terms

Control Terms: Where Founders Need to Push Back

Strategic Investors: Double-Edged Sword

Founder Equity: Vesting and Buybacks

Drag-Along & Tag-Along

Bad Fit? Getting Rid of an Investor

Investor Checklist (Founder-Friendly Version)

Brandon’s best reminders!

Work with Devoted Studios

Game Budgets Are at All-Time Highs

What’s Driving the Cost Increase?

Content Complexity

Market Pressure

Talent and Team Growth

Executive Pressure

And Yet… Players Are Playing Less

What Can Studios Actually Do About It?

Embrace Strategic Co-Development

Plan Smarter, Not Just Bigger

Delay the Right Way

What This Means

Why Publishing Terms Are Changing in 2025

Funding is recovering but still conservative

Private equity backed publishers demand higher returns

Publishers require more advanced builds before funding

Milestone pressure is higher than ever

The Publishing Red Flags: What You See vs What You Actually Get

Above the Surface: What Looks Great in a Publishing Deal

Below the Surface: What Developers Do Not See Right Away

🚩Red Flag 1: Vague Milestones and Risky Acceptance Terms

🚩Red Flag 2: Recoup Clauses That Block Revenue for Years

🚩Red Flag 3: Rights and IP Creep

🚩Red Flag 4: Termination Clauses That Put All Risk on the Studio

🚩Red Flag 5: Marketing Promises Without Marketing Commitments

🚩Red Flag 6: Reporting, Transparency, and Audit Limitations

When a Publishing Deal Is Actually Worth Taking

Co-create with Devoted

The Studio Reality After 2025

Sign #1: Your Production Timelines Keep Slipping

What we saw in 2025:

What this means for 2026:

Sign #2: You Cannot Hire Fast Enough

What we saw in 2025:

What this means for 2026:

Sign #3: Scope Creep Became the Default in 2025

What we saw in 2025:

What this means for 2026:

Sign #4: QA and Optimization Were Always Delayed

What we saw in 2025:

What this means for 2026:

Sign #5: Creative Leadership Spent 2025 Managing, Not Directing

What we saw in 2025:

The Partner That Helps You
Move Faster in 2026