What Factors Can Affect The Cost Of Developing A Game?
The mobile game development business is on the rise and continuously expanding. Surprisingly, it has already crossed 2.5 billion mobile game players globally, and it is estimated that the projected numbers will even reach up to 2.7 billion by the end of 2023. And over the past year, google trends also indicate a consistent amount of searches for “Cost of Game App Development” all because of the popularity and demand of mobile games. Perhaps the convenience of accessibility is one of the major reasons for the rise in popularity of mobile games.
Unlike other games which are played online, There’s no requirement of complex installation procedure or a special console. Instead, players just need to click on the install button and begin playing the game in a matter of a few minutes. The widespread presence and demand of mobile games will only increase because of the increased emergence and usage of latest technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). There is a higher demand for new and innovative mobile games than there was ever before.
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How to determine the development cost through role of game type?
The type of the online game you are producing or considering to produce is one important aspect that will greatly influence the Game Development Cost. Employing AAA developers can surely ensure the game;s quality, but it may also increase the Cost of Game App Development. It may differ depending on the complexity of the plot, visual, and elements of the game. The genre of the game can also impact the platform that you’ll choose for the launch of your game, which may influence the Cost of Game App Development.
For a general idea about the cost, here’s an estimated cost of a few famous games: GTA V at $266m, COD: Modern Warfare 2 at $250m, PubG at $150m, FFVII at $45m, Cyberpunk 2077 at $316m, and Genshin Impact at $100m.
How can Gaming platforms influence the game development cost?
Another important game developing element that can affect your Game Development Cost is Game Platform. Making a game for different platforms like PCs, smartphones, consoles, may need various tools and technologies that can influence the cost of development. Also, developing games for various platforms may need additional fees and licenses, which may increase the cost of overall development.
What are the various factors that can affect video game development cost?
There are various important factors that decide the cost of the overall Video Game Development of a certain project. The hourly rates of developers also play an important role in determining the cost along with the resources, gaming engine, license, creative designing, maintenance etc.
Idealizing the exact cost can’t be possible for anyone using the assumption, but what can affect the cost can be. So, here are some cost-affecting factors of game development:
01. Experience of the Developers
You will require great resources to develop a great game. You will require a team of people who possess great skills and experience. But the more experienced and skilled your development team is, the higher the video Game Development Cost will be. It’s a widely known fact that experience comes with a rise in cost, so you will have to pay a high cost in order to get your work done by the experienced and highly skilled developers.
The positive aspect in this situation is that they can offer you a skillfully developed and error-free game with the top-notch quality. You will be at less risk if you hire a good development team rather than hiring an inexperienced and less-skilled team of game developers.
02. Mobile Game Engines
The game engine is a crucial component that helps determine the development cost of a video game. As a result, it is essential to select one of the best game engines since the success of your mobile game highly depends on them. To select the right mobile game engine you need to know about its features, category of the game, and types.
You can easily find various types of mobile game development engines In the Android and iPhone app development market, but like every other thing, it has some pros and cons. So you need to select the best game engine depending on your requirements.
03. Scope of the Game
If you wish to develop a bigger game, your budget will automatically go higher with it. Bigger game will require more time and effort. For example, if you want to develop a multiplayer game with a huge open world and elaborate storyline, first, designers need to design the whole experience in detail.
The artists and animators create and animate a huge number of assets, the developers have to code the numerous modules of the games, and last but not least, tests to test the game’s various aspects including the network latency to make sure everything works perfectly.
04. Planning of Plot and Characters
Stories are the base of any Role Playing Game. Without a good plot or thoughtful characterization, it will be a rigid task to draw the interest of the gamers until the end of the game.
Character configuration involves choosing the characters, language, and a lot of other game characters and their conduct with the users. The average cost of a video game development of an experienced company that develops android games can range anywhere between $30 to $80 every hour of the project.
05. Market the Game
Marketing is very crucial for Video Game Development. Probably because if you won’t promote your game in a proper way, then the world won’t know about the existence of your game or the audience you are targeting won’t know about the game and its features, you won’t likely make any profits and returns from it.
So it’s crucial to promote and publicize your game through the right methods and channels, such as influencer marketing, physical or digital advertisements, and community building. So regardless of the marketing method you may choose, the overall budget required will have to be a generous portion of the game.
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06. Game Designing
There’s multiple layers involved in the designing process of a mobile game. In this phase, you can select your target audience, the game’s environment, the target users, and the gameplay. You may come across some bugs and glitches if you begin developing a game without any proper design. Therefore, you need to take designing seriously.
07. Resource Acquisition
Game development agencies and companies irrespective of their size usually have game development experts or specialists from various domains. Because no matter if the company is big or small, Video Game Development is a field that requires the high level skills and expertise of developers and other experts from multiple game development domains such as art, project management and testing apart from designers and developers.
08. Cost of Licensing and IP
You need to get the license of the IP addresses if you are considering using intellectual property that is owned by another party, you can take an individual or a company for example. Mostly, you have to pay for the rights or license for a certain time period.
Furthermore, IPs can also mean in-game music that other artists or musicians make. For example, publishers like rockstar and EA can get the rights to music or BGM from other artists and record labels for a certain time period, generally for hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Expected Game Development Cost
Although the cost of a game depends on several factors, an average per hour cost for game development lies between $30-$100, depending on the geographical appearance and expertise. In India, the cost of a single developer starts from $30/hour, while in the USA, it begins from $100/hour.
Here at RGI Games, the hourly rate for a single developer starts from $30, designer at $25, and QA at $20. So, the cost for a mid-level gaming solution, that require:
- 2 developers for 320 hours = $19200
- Designer for 160 hours = $4000
- QA for 120 hours = $2400
So, the total cost for an engaging gaming solution will cost you around $25600.
Note: the above cost is just an illustration, the final cost of a project always depends on the function, resources, deadlines, and several other factors.
Conclusion
The above provided information talks about factors that influence the Game Development Cost. The mobile game development business is on the rise and continuously expanding. Surprisingly, it has already crossed 2.5 billion mobile game players globally, and it is estimated that the projected numbers will even reach up to 2.7 billion by the end of 2023.
The general cost for a mid-level gaming solution lies between $25000-$100000 and it also depends on the demographics. So, before going to hire a game developer, just go through the factors first.
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