Devoted Team

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.

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 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

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

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.

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.