We’ve talked previously about how best you can prepare your studio for game art outsourcing, such as knowing your needs before you begin discussions and preparing a strong brief. We’ve also discussed some top tips for game art outsourcing that we’ve gathered across our projects, where clients get the most out of their time with our studio. These involve having a clearly defined art style, flexibility with that style, and maintaining a strong line of communication with your outsourcing partner.
Now we’d like to discuss some of the fundamentals behind the processes and decisions to be made around game art outsourcing. Do you need it? Why is game art outsourcing used so frequently? Are there risks involved working with a party outside your studio? These are some of the questions we’d like to answer.
Game Art Outsourcing
Briefly, we’d like to mention the differences between game art services and game art outsourcing. They are effectively the same thing, which is providing art services within a game’s development pipeline. This also sometimes raises the question as to the differences between game development outsourcing and game art outsourcing.
Usually, the core difference there is that development outsourcing is an end-to-end process of involvement such as the Magic Media group’s co-development and full-cycle development services. Whereas game art outsourcing is less end-to-end and more an additional set of work for a period.
Game Art Outsourcing or Internal Development
The first fundamental of game art outsourcing is simple. Will you use it at all? Before anything else, look at your needs, and what is doable with your team size, budget, and project aspirations.
Outsourcing is becoming more common. So much so that it’s hard to name a AAA title in the past few years that hasn’t outsourced a significant portion of work. Modern gaming is so big now that these huge, expansive games need so much time and input to execute.
So, let’s say you’ve decided outsourcing is on the table for your project. Why consider game art outsourcing? What are the fundamental benefits to utilising this service from an industry-leading group like Ringtail Studios.
Overall Project Costs
As we mentioned, outsourcing offers multiple areas of potential savings. While you shouldn’t be relying on game outsourcing to carry your project, it’s a fantastic way to rapidly scale upwards without sacrificing quality. It’s also a great way to save if the budget is looking tight. Based in Eastern Europe, companies like Ringtail Studios have the benefit of cheaper hourly rates with no less talent.
In addition, when outsourcing you have no need to worry about taking on new staff. You don’t have to consider their hardware or software requirements. You have no worries providing supplies for any of their needs. All of this is not your concern as the studio is ready and willing to deliver high-quality results that are exactly to your specifications.
Now, that isn’t to say that stellar game art outsourcing is dirt cheap! You do get what you pay for, and an outsourcing studio can be malleable with your budget requests and the extent that you require their input. But for your budget, the quality will always be seen in the cost.
Improve Workflow and Avoid Risk
Strong communication is absolutely paramount, as mentioned in our earlier article on Top Tips for Collaborating with Outsourcing Art. And this communication, matched with additional staff mean a seriously improved workflow. More can be done in a shorter time as the game art outsourcing team seamlessly blends into your own style and methodology.
There is also an assumption many make that handing out work to a third party can be risky. We understand it can be worrying to do so, but there are more than enough protections in place to cover this.
And an outsourcing studio would not last long if they violated their contracts. Working with clients like Activision, Amazon, and Supermassive Games, means we have a reputation for reliable and high-quality deliveries. The assumption of risk with outsourcing is entirely false as a solid outsourcing studio will not just help you avoid risk; they’ll mitigate it too.
Interested in our game art outsourcing services? Get in touch today and start benefiting from streamlined, scalable, and reliable outsourcing services. As part of Magic Media we have the combined bandwidth to tackle any project, at any size, in house. Instead of using multiple studios, you can come to your one stop shop, and we can offer a range of services to ensure your project is a success.
