Knowing every aspect of where you are required to spend your money in game development is very essential. You must be aware of the factors that drive the costs of game development. A lot of key factors come into play, major as well as minor, that determine how expensive or budget-friendly the game is going to get. Even the simplest thing as the location of the developers affects the costs.
Therefore, you must understand each and every factor that influences the cost and based on that you can choose a game development service that suits your preferences so that you can spend intelligently.
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The cost of game development may differ depending on the services you choose. Mobile game development costs are distinct with costs of games developed for a console or cross-platform games having different sets of factors. We shall look at some of the major factors that play a similar role in all types of game development.
The Game Design Document (GDD) incorporates all the game details. This document contains a well-structured process required in the game development process. Moreover, it’s a fundamental step in the foundation of the whole project.
Curation of the game design document takes a good amount of time. The document describes the pre-production costs in detail.
It would be great if you chose cross-platform development instead of rolling out your game only on iOS or Android. Choosing the right platform will greatly affect your game development costs as well as its reach and revenue. While iOS game development costs are significantly higher, Android still manages to dominate the mobile game market. The single-platform development costs are lower than those of cross-platform applications, but the latter will fetch you more audience.
The process of designing a mobile game involves multiple layers. In this stage, you can determine your target users, the levels of your game, the game’s environment, and the gameplay. Developing a game app without a proper design will result in many bugs and glitches. This step should therefore be taken cautiously.
It is not uncommon for UI/UX designers, architects, and game artists to be involved in the whole design and development cycle. The fees charged by these professionals depend on their expertise and capacity.
Similar to game development, the testing process is crucial. Bugs and glitches in the game result in low retention rates of gamers, and the traffic dies. To offer an unprecedented user experience, ensure that your game runs smoothly and without any problems.
AR and VR app development costs greatly differ depending on whether you are creating a simulation, social, or casual game app. Depending on their complexity, game apps can be categorized as follows:
| Type of Mobile Games | Development Cost |
| Mini-Game | $2000 to $10000 |
| Simple 3D Game | $10000 to $20000 |
| Social Game App | $18000 to $30000 |
| Mid-level Mobile Game | $10000 to $50000 |
| Business Mobile Game | $5000 to $1,00,000 |
| 3D Game | $30,000 to $60,000 |
| AAA Game | $300,000- $500,000 |
| Real Money Game | $10,000 – $100,000 |
The crucial features of a game become apparent after determining the game’s category and genre. Integration of social media will suffice for a simple game. However, complex games require complex features, eventually affecting the cost.
Game engines play a crucial role in determining the cost of game development. As a result, selecting one of these engines is essential since the success of your mobile game is entirely dependent on them. Selecting the right game engine depends on the features, type, and category of the game. In the Android and iPhone app development market, you can find a variety of mobile game development engines. There are pros and cons to all of them. Depending on your needs, you need to make a selection. Prominent game engines include Unity, Unreal, and Godot.
You should also understand the game development process and know how it is compensated. We will share with you the developer’s perspective so that you get the idea about the steps involved in the process.
Developing a game begins with its concept, you give us the idea, and we refine it to match it with the market trends. A successful game can be derived from an already existing game idea, or it could be completely original. Our development team will study the market and your game idea before embarking on the game development process.
With the invention of the idea, the storyline of the game is created along with the blueprint of its development phases. The game’s protagonist, plot, and general theme are finalized. An explanation and representation of the game’s building pieces are provided in the notion of game creation. A comprehensive overview of the game provides an overview of its mechanics, settings, technology, and elemental interactions.
After the concept gets finalized, the production process begins. To develop the concept, a team of game designers, programmers, and QA testers must be assembled. Game developers must create a game design document (GDD), which is a highly descriptive and extensive account of how a game is designed.
Whether you want iOS game development cost or Android Game development cost, a playable prototype is required after mechanics have been validated through testing. In addition to mimicking the key elements of the game, the prototype must incorporate key mechanics. Even though making a prototype takes a lot of time, it is necessary to identify the flaws in the game design to improve it.
The front-end development starts and the UI of the game is developed. All aspects of the game that you witness on the screen are included in the art design, like gameplay, levels, menus, and promotional artwork. UI/UX implementation or fundamental gameplay is the foundation of front-end development.
The testing of the game is performed by a team of highly qualified experts. The game is not deployed until it is tested thoroughly. The beta version of the game is also rolled out for a selective audience who play it and pass the feedback. Based on the feedback of the players the game is modified and deployed for the masses.
It usually takes 2-4 months to build a simple game, but more sophisticated products can take longer. Also, the game app development cost breakdown will vary depending on the country in which the developer/development company is located. The scope and complexity of the project determine programmers’ and freelancers’ hourly rates.
Here is a list of the most expensive video games ever developed by publishers. These games were built on a massive game development budget and are complex AAA games.
| Game | Development Budget (in $) |
| Star Citizen | $501 million |
| CyberPunk 2077 | $331 million |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | $316 million |
| Final Fantasy VII | $245 million |
| Halo 2 | $230 million |
| Destiny | $160 million |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | $146 million |
| Dead Space 2 | $145 million |
| Grand Theft Auto V | $126 million |
| Shenmue | $114 million |
In the end, we know that the development cost does not depend on one factor, but several things contribute to the budget of game development.
If you want cross-platform compatibility or complex features, the cost will rise. Moreover, you should ensure that the price you are paying is worth the quality of service you are receiving. The average cost to make a AAA game ranges from $1 million to $500 million. While an indie game development project can be completed within a few thousand dollars. So it ultimately comes down to the type of game you want to develop.
If you are looking for an experienced game development company that can create engaging games at affordable costs, you’ve come to the right place. With countless games in our portfolio, BR Softech is one of the best Game development companies in the world.
Hire our skilled app developers to turn your vision into a spectacular game that runs seamlessly across platforms and promises an excellent gaming experience.
Indie games feature a vast game budget. Since the game is being developed by an independent developer. All the utilities and daily expenses of the developer are factored into the indie game development expenses.
AAA game development requires a significant investment. The AAA game development cost can range from $1 million to $500 million, depending upon the technologies used and target audience.
Yes, we offer cross-platform game development services. Our developers are well-versed in advanced technologies and have experience working with multiple technologies that support cross-platform functionality.
