The Game Development Process

It is very expensive and time consuming for developers to create games and often the returns are much smaller than you might imagine. For a great game to make it to market collaboration on a grand scale is required. For things to run smoothly the creative, technical and business sides all need to work together. A fine balance is required for success and if any one of these aspects dominates the project is in trouble. In practice this balance is rarely achieved.

The vast majority of games start with an idea. The initial idea can come from anywhere. Whether it is a setting, a character or a game mechanic this idea will form the basis for a game design. The next stage is to ask questions about how the game will be implemented. How things progress depends on the financial situation of the company.

The people who really make the games you play are the developers. The big publishers would like to take the credit and they do occasionally have internal development teams but for the most part the role of the publisher is a supporting one. When a developer starts on a new project the first thing they need to do is secure funding. The most common way to do this is to pitch to a publisher who will partially fund development and distribute the game in return for the bulk of the profits. For further discussion on this check out What Is the Difference Between Developers and Publishers?

If developers can raise funding by giving away equity in the company to investors this is one possible alternative route. It used to be common to take large bank loans but the credit situation has changed dramatically over the last few years and this is much rarer now. If they are lucky enough to be based in a country where the government supports game development then they may be able to apply for funding assistance or tax breaks. If a developer has had a successful game they will often use the profits to fund their next project but the majority of games don’t even cover their costs.

If the developer is looking to fund the game by attracting investors or going the traditional route and signing a contract with a publisher then they need to pitch the game. The design department will craft a brief outline of the basic idea in conjunction with the production department. If the developer lacks a track record then a pitch document will not be enough and they may have to produce a demo or a vertical slice of the game. A vertical slice is similar to a demo, but since it won't be used by customers, it can have plot spoilers, skip the tutorial, and usually comes more from the middle or late game content to show off as many features as possible.

As the negotiation process advances the details are all agreed upon. This includes the size of the team, the budget, the timescale, the platform of the game and the basic design. Most projects enter a period called Pre-Production which is used to nail down the specifics. Ideas may be prototyped, art styles suggested and concepted, engines may be experimented with and at the end of this period the game has a solid plan and is ready to enter production.