In our previous blog, we went through the Magic Media outsourcing project pipeline. We covered the elements of both project workflow and how we go about establishing strong, constant communication to ensure the best and most satisfying results for our clients. 

For this part, we discuss the processes and efforts that our team puts into each outsourcing service, we asked our team and producers about how it is we try to stand out. From the internal quality processes and communication to market research and how we build a team for each project, we aim to exceed our clients’ expectations. Let’s dive in.

Magic Media’s Internal Quality Processes for Outsourcing Services

There are two key elements in the delivery of not just high-quality work but proofed and stable work. We have a gate process for each and every element we work on where team members sign off on work and it is passed up a chain. Each link on the chain, from individual member to senior to lead, to project leads, and creative directors are doing their own checks and validations. This gating process means the level of quality is checked by several different experts who are all looking for the best. This extends to the macro picture of development and milestones, our team are always implementing the gate process to ensure a quality of delivery. 

This is helped a lot by the size and scale of our team, which means we can tailor our team to those more suitable for projects. Those members who have experience with specific clients, needs, engines, or technologies.

Additionally, we of course have our own dedicated QA team who are delivering their own specific QA expertize. We layer checks on all elements of our work to ensure what reaches our client is only of the highest quality.

Bespoke Teams for Video Game Outsourcing

We mentioned the size of our team offers a level of selection afforded to our clients. You don’t just get an expert in game development, you get a Unity Engine specialist or an Unreal Engine specialist. An expert in the methods of your required outsourcing service and specifically an expert in your chosen genre, engine, coding language, aesthetic, and more.

This tailored approach to team building means a team fit for your project. Not just technically but also in the team’s individual interests and passions. We don’t just bring quality and expertize, we bring enthusiasm and dedication!

Standing out in Game Outsourcing Services

As explained by our bespoke team creation, we have the size and international presence to provide a vast array of experienced developers, artists, VFX engineers, and much more. This level means our team are always at the forefront of what is being developed, new methodologies and technologies that are evolving with the industry.

We also like to make the client a part of our outsourcing process. We think through constant communication, the client can see their vision is being upheld by our leads and directors. It’s an iterative process, game development is all about experimentation and trying new approaches. Flexible and agile are two clear descriptions of our team at any stage of game development. And, as our teams jump between projects, they only grow in experience and are able to deploy their talent to an even wider set of genres and styles.

Communication and Organization

We sound like a broken record when it comes to communication with the client but we emphasize it simply because it’s true! 

Our entire team checks in once a day for a short daily where we see updates on individual aspects of the project. Each individual team would then have their own check-ins as well, ensuring that all is operating as intended.

Once a week, our project leads would meet up to check on the big picture, see that we are meeting our milestones and our quality guidelines. And lastly, we meet with our client at least once a week. This is just for a check-in and an update and can happen more frequently if needed. Additionally, we often have special meetings with the client with specific team members or groups for more direct and pinpoint updates.

The project manager would also be in regular contact with the client, providing updates and addressing queries or concerns they might have. This contact is important as well to make sure the project is still on point with the client’s expectations.

Video Game Market Research and Trends

Certain elements of our team would spend roughly 25% of their time in “Leads” which is all about growing our contacts, clients, and team. It’s also about growing our knowledge and understanding of current trends and how the games’ industry is operating. 

Without this kind of attention, we wouldn’t be able to stay at the head of the video game outsourcing industry. Understanding latest trends and why players and developers are looking for these evolving genres, game types, or experiences is key to delivering high quality results.

All of these elements come together to provide our clients with a space where they are heard and their game development dreams are brought into reality.

Get in touch with us today to leverage Magic Media’s expertize and wide range of game outsourcing services. From full-cycle game development to remastering, porting, game VFX, and much more, our team are ready to deliver only the highest results. Contact us today and let’s create magic.

As part of the deep selection of expert services offered by Magic Media, we’re pleased to highlight our live ops services. In the contemporary gaming industry, it’s often not enough to launch a game without post-launch support, and this is where live ops come into play.

Live ops is a style of game management where a developer forges ahead with a game after its initial launch, offering new content in the form of new game features, locations, missions, characters, limited-time events, in-game store updates, and much more. Games supported by the live ops management style are called live service games, which have become increasingly popular in recent years.

Post-launch content as part of live ops management services to extend a game’s natural lifespan beyond what it would otherwise be. With new and regular content releases, a game receives added value, which helps retain players for lengthier periods and keeps them enthusiastic about upcoming updates and releases. Live ops are often deployed for multiplayer and free-to-play games where content is developed to encourage players to stay within the game and its ecosystem of events, missions, and in-game store offerings.

Magic Media aims to deliver live ops services for our clients’ games that will foster lengthy player retention through exciting new content that keeps their audience engaged and eager for future updates. We understand that live ops are essential to the success of many modern games, endeavoring to be agile with our live operations, adjusting our content output depending on player needs, and for the overall health of clients’ games.

Magic Media offers second-to-none live ops for live services games of all kinds, including multiplayer and free-to-play. We also offer dozens of expert services for other gaming projects including full-cycle game development, real-time VFX, co-development, and more. Further to this, we offer a range of services for entertainment and tech projects. Get in contact today, and let’s create magic!

Magic Media had an exciting time at the Game Developer’s Conference 2024 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco between March 18 and 22! GDC 2024 was an incredible opportunity to speak with like-minded gaming industry representatives, attend fascinating talks from the likes of Swen Vincke from Larian Studios and more, and, of course, continue to spread the Magic Media name globally. We’re humbled by the conversation we had with industry professionals and potential new clients and the many insights we gained while at the event on topics including AI’s role in the gaming industry, game remasters, storefront integration, and more. The enthusiasm for this great industry that these events bring is truly infectious, and we’re more excited than ever to take on new challenges and projects throughout 2024 and beyond!

About GDC

The Game Developer’s Conference is the premier gaming industry event with a primary focus on game development, the cutting-edge technology behind it, and what the future holds for it. One of the highlights of the yearly event is the in-depth talks from industry experts covering topics ranging from development secrets behind hit games, Q&A sessions focused on game writing and narrative, female CEO leadership, and much more. Beyond these insightful discussions, GDC hosts career seminars, GDC Play which showcases the latest and greatest indie games, and GDC Expo which puts a specific focus on game development products and solutions from all over the world.

If we didn’t have the opportunity to connect at GDC 2024 or you’re otherwise looking to learn more about Magic Media’s services, why not get in contact with us? We provide dozens of expert services including full-cycle game development, co-development, game porting, and much more. Beyond gaming, we offer extensive services for the entertainment and tech industries. Get in contact, and let’s create magic!

We are delighted to announce that Interactive Creation has become the latest company to join the Magic Media group! 

Interactive Creation, based in Skopje, North Macedonia, are pioneers in the entertainment industry specifically in the areas of 3D, Animation and VFX. They produce some incredible content in the gaming industry and have worked on notable projects such as Fall Guys, Weird West, and Shadow Warrior.

This is yet another important milestone in Magic Media’s growth. We are adding further resources to our growing Magic Media team, helping us to increase the breadth, scope, and quality of the service being offered to our clients. 

We are excited for the future ahead and the expanded range of skills and expertize now found within Magic Media.

If you learn more about our expanded range of services in 3D art, animation or game VFX, please get in touch with us today and let’s create magic!

At Magic Media, we prioritize delivering industry-leading quality services to our clients and that is how we stand out from the competition. With a global team composed of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and skill sets, we offer a wide range of services, from full-cycle game development to specific art production, game VFX, and video production. But how do we achieve this level of quality? What is it really like working with Magic Media?

Let’s dive into the internal processes of Magic Media’s workflow with our clients. Spoiler alert: there are no hidden technologies or secret formulas! Instead, we rely on a passionate and talented team who work collectively to deliver the results you desire. Let’s have a closer look.

Magic Media’s Outsourcing Process

When you choose to work with Magic Media, you can expect a high level of commitment, investment, and passion from our team. Our experts seamlessly integrate into your game development process, immersing themselves in your team and workflow.

To ensure this seamless integration, we have established our own processes that align with how we work. Our game development process is marked by constant communication, agile approaches, and rigorous quality assurance.

Project Initiation for the Game Development Process

Before we begin creating, coding, or utilizing our expertize, the first step in the game development process is project initiation. This is where our team leaders and yours come together to understand your requirements, goals, and desired outcomes. Together, we establish a project plan and communication pipeline to ensure an effective and streamlined operation.

Planning and Scope Definition

During this early stage, we also define the planning and project scope. If we are assisting as co-developers, it is crucial for us to have a clear understanding of the project’s direction. We discuss deliverables, timelines, and budgets. Together, we create a detailed project plan, identifying necessary resources, team members, and setting milestones.

Agile Development Approach

When it comes to the actual development work, we adopt an agile development approach. This approach is highly effective for game development, given its iterative and incremental nature. It also aligns well with our flexible, adaptive, and continuously improving work style.

Game Development Built on Communication and Client Collaboration 

While delivering high-quality services is important, ensuring that our work aligns with your vision is equally crucial. From the beginning of the project, we provide a single point of contact to ensure your voice is heard, and requests are efficiently communicated. You have access to our entire team, and we maintain regular check-ins through meetings, emails, and other project management tools.

We offer micro and macro check-ins at any point to track project progress, address challenges, and ensure we meet your expectations. Through these regular check-ins throughout the project lifecycle, you will have a clear understanding of our progress and how we align with your expectations. This direct line of communication allows us to address any concerns or queries promptly.

The Game Development Process and Quality Assurance

Quality assurance is a constant aspect of all our video game outsourcing services. Whether we are delivering art, development, or game trailers, our team has internal processes in place to ensure the promised quality is achieved.

Before any work reaches your screen, we conduct comprehensive testing, bug fixing, and iterative improvements to meet our high standards and yours. We strive to deliver our work to you with the utmost quality, meeting established milestones.

Market Research

We are committed to continuously improving the quality and efficiency of our work. Regularly assessing the game development process is crucial to stay ahead of modern trends, tools, and methodologies.

Our teams actively research market trends, investigate target audience preferences, explore new technologies, and keep an eye on our competitors. This research ensures we stay current with player interests and maintain efficient game development workflows.

With these insights, we implement new practices. Our talented game development team, consisting of artists, animators, developers, designers, and more, constantly test new technologies and methodologies. Alongside user feedback, our experts are always prepared to deliver engaging and marketable games.

Team Composition

At Magic Media, we tailor each team to suit your project’s specific needs. We don’t just provide a concept artist; we provide an artist who is genuinely interested and passionate about your game’s genre or style. Our diverse and global team ensures that we always have the right person for your project.

We don’t just want to deliver experts who can create industry-leading results. We want to provide you with an outsourcing or co-development team that is genuinely interested and enthusiastic about being a part of your work.

If you are interested in utilizing our expertize in full-cycle development, co-development, game porting, art production, game VFX, or any of our comprehensive services, please get in touch with us today. We are always ready to create magic together!

Magic Media has signed on to become a partner for the new XDS Spark platform and its new monthly newsletter series. XDS Spark is a brand-new platform whose goal is to connect clients with expert service providers across a range of disciplines in creative industries.

This new platform aims to help businesses to reach their goals and attain growth. As a marketplace, XDS Spark is set to be always on and ready to facilitate collaborations between top-tier service providers and the businesses that need them. With more and more details set to be released about XDS Spark, there’s never been a better time to be a part of creative industries and be in a position to offer expert services like Magic Media does.

As an experienced services provider for gaming, entertainment, and tech projects, XDS Spark is an exciting development for us here at Magic Media. Our mission statement has always been to support our client’s vision, whether that is through our full-cycle game development services, co-developing game projects with our clients, second-to-none VFX for television and film, or any of the other dozens of expert services we provide. We’re proud to be a partner of XDS Spark, and we’re excited to see its positive effect on the industry!

Magic Media is an experienced services provider for the gaming, entertainment, and tech industries. As part of our extensive offerings, we provide full-cycle game development services, real-time VFX, game trailers, and much more. To find out how we can help bring your vision to life, get in contact, and let’s create magic!

The team at Magic Media is excited to announce our collaboration with none other than Mythical Games, a true pioneer in blockchain gaming!

Building upon our past work with the Mythical team, we are now crafting a brand-new gaming title! We’ll have more details to announce soon but for now, we’re excited to deliver our high-quality co-development services on Mythical’s incredible new project and produce a fantastic player experience. By being chosen by Mythical Games for this particular project, it is a serious statement of confidence in Magic Media’s expertize, technical prowess, ability to tackle and deliver on a diverse range of projects to great success.

Magic Media continues to solidify its position as the premier choice for outsourced gaming projects. Our continued work with high-profile partners underscores our distinguished market position and cements our reputation as a leading force in the industry.

We are proud to be the comprehensive, go-to studio for our clients’ needs, offering an unrivalled combination of creativity, technical expertize, and dedicated customer service. By continually exceeding expectations and delivering high-quality results, Magic Media is not just a vendor, but a trusted partner in the dynamic world of gaming.

Mythical Games

Guided by a seasoned leadership team, Mythical Games specializes in crafting stellar gaming experiences centered around player-owned economies, including the highly competitive NFL Rivals, the thrilling racing experience Nitro Nation, and the captivating Blankos Block Party. Their team has contributed to the development of numerous renowned franchises, including the legendary World of Warcraft and the globally acclaimed Call of Duty series.

But Mythical Games is not just about innovative games. They’ve also made a significant mark with their pioneering Web3 platform, further establishing their influence and forward-thinking approach in the gaming industry. Their commitment to pushing boundaries and exploring new frontiers is testament to their role as industry leaders.

Magic Media Collaboration

Magic Media is honored to be forging a relationship with a dynamic and innovative group like Mythical Games. We deeply appreciate being selected to contribute to their cutting-edge project and are committed to delivering not just a result, but a spellbinding experience, living up to our name – Magic Media.

Martin Fabichak, CTO at Magic Media expressed his enthusiasm stating, “The opportunity to collaborate with a forward-thinking group like Mythical is truly exciting. Our shared passion for exhilarating games and the drive to pioneer new technologies makes for an extraordinary synergy.”
We look forward to bringing our collective visions to life, embarking on this exciting journey, and elevating the boundaries of gaming together.

Anish George, VP of Gaming at Mythical Games also shared his thoughts on this collaboration, stating, “We’ve enjoyed our work with the team at Magic Media. Our effort and dedication throughout the process is something we’re proud of. We eagerly anticipate unveiling our work to the world.”

Their commentary underscores the mutual respect and shared ambition that forms the bedrock of this remarkable partnership.

At Magic Media, we’re experienced service providers for the gaming, entertainment, and tech industries. Included in our range of dozens of expert services are full-cycle game development for all platforms, art services for games of any style and scope, real-time VFX, and much more. Get in contact with us today, find out how we can collaborate, and let’s create magic!

2023 has been an incredible year for Magic Media. We’ve seen unprecedented growth in critical areas and had the opportunity to work on fantastic projects leveraging our diverse services, including video game art, game development, video production services, VFX services, and much more. As 2023’s end draws nearer, we felt this was a perfect time to reflect on our year and share some of our most notable highlights.

Magic Media’s continued success would be impossible without our exceptionally talented team, whose talents cover countless disciplines, and our esteemed clients, whom we love nothing more than to work with diligently and bring their compelling creative visions to life in the gaming, entertainment, and tech sectors.

Magic Media’s 2023 Project Highlights

Throughout 2023, Magic Media has had the distinct pleasure of working on all manner of projects in gaming, entertainment, and tech. From large-scale video game productions to bespoke video campaigns, we’ve worked with exciting clients and exercised our diverse creative toolset.

Remnant 2 is one of the most noteworthy projects we worked on this year, lending our video game art and VFX services to the project. We were delighted to contribute 3D art pieces and visual effects to this title and collaborate with the wonderful Gunfire Games. Another significant collaboration this year was with Supermassive Games on their game The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR. For this project, we assisted with set dressing, texturing, and 3D modeling.

One of 2023’s most memorable game releases was Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion. We worked with CD Projekt Red on Phantom Liberty by providing our second-to-none video game art services, working specifically on new objects and locations in the expansion’s new content. We also lent our video game art production skills to New World, where we crafted brand-new weapons and armor for the Rise of the Angry Earth expansion.

We’ve been involved in an exciting collaboration with Microids on Goldorak, where we’ve been in a co-development partnership with the Paris-based studio and then with Mythical where we provided VFX and art services for the thrilling open-world multiplayer experience Blankos Block Party.

Our video production services were sought after in 2023 as well, as we were part of a high-profile collaboration with Yahoo Studios and Manchester City Football Club, where we delivered a series of videos using live-action, animation, and hybrid videos. Our video production specialists worked with Platige to deliver a unique SpongeBob SquarePants ride in Las Vegas. For this project, we used existing concept art as a reference to create the various visual elements and designs contained in the ride to the high standard set by the Nickelodeon TV series.

Magic Media Resort

2023 saw the opening of the Magic Media Resort, a one-of-a-kind resort experience for the gaming community. The resort is comprised of unique villas complete with all modern holiday destination conveniences including swimming pools, barbecue spaces, and much more.

What makes the Magic Media Resort unique is that it’s tailored for gamers with its state-of-the-art gaming equipment, ideal for gaming-oriented holidaymakers and for hosting exclusive industry events. If this wasn’t enough, the Magic Media Resort is in Crete, an idyllic island in Greece that boasts incredible weather, food, and people.

Magic Media Brand Launches

One of the most significant developments for Magic Media in 2023 was the launch of two new brands, Magic Media Mobile Studio and Magic Media VFX & Cinematics.

The launch of Magic Media Mobile Studio saw us compartmentalize our extensive mobile experience into this dedicated team. Just like the dozens of expert services Magic Media offers for gaming, entertainment, and tech projects, Magic Media Mobile Studio offers the same high quality and expertize for our clients who require services for their mobile projects. Though Magic Media has always catered to our mobile clients in this way, Magic Media Mobile Studio paved the way for us to take on more diverse projects and optimize our processes.

Similarly to Magic Media Mobile Studio, the launch of Magic Media VFX & Cinematics saw us bring a new level of structure to our service offerings for VFX in film, television, and video game cinematics. VFX services have always been part of Magic Media’s one-stop solution, but with Magic Media VFX & Cinematics, we can take on even more projects in an efficient manner than ever before.

Magic Media is an experienced services provider for gaming, entertainment, and tech projects. We offer dozens of services, including full-cycle game development for all platforms, complete game art services, real-time VFX, and much more. To bring your projects to vivid life, contact Magic Media today, and let’s create magic!

We’re excited to announce that Magic Media is in the final stages of completing the requirements for achieving Gold Shield vendor status with the Trusted Partner Network (TPN) for its 3D Art and VFX & Cinematics divisions. As those in the film and television industry will undoubtedly know, the Trusted Partner Network is a universally recognized security initiative that sets the standard for protecting partners’ content, raising security awareness, and enhancing the security capabilities of vendors. This is the latest step for the 3D Art and Magic Media VFX & Cinematics divisions to ensure our partners’ trust is earned and well-placed in our services.

Magic Media currently possesses Blue Shield vendor status. This means that we have self-reported our security information to the Trusted Partner Network on TPN+, the platform used for managing all TPN-related processes. We’re currently in the process of gaining Gold Shield vendor status, which means we’re awaiting a security assessment from a third-party TPN-accredited assessor. Once their findings become available to everyone in the form of a report on TPN+, our Gold Shield vendor status will be confirmed.

Gold Shield vendor status will enable the Magic Media group to build the highest level of trust possible with our partners. Though we do currently possess Blue Shield status, the safety of our partners’ content is paramount and we’re willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that. Gold Shield vendor status will enable us to take on an even wider range of projects and leave no doubt in our partners’ minds that Magic Media is a security-conscious entity that is more than capable of handling their projects creatively and safely.

Magic Media is an experienced service provider for projects in the gaming, entertainment, and tech industries. Included among our dozens of service offerings are full-cycle game development for all platforms, real-time VFX, VFX for TV and film, and much more. To learn more about how we can collaborate, get in touch today, and let’s create magic!

Cyberpunk 2077’s latest expansion, Phantom Liberty, is a recently released project we at Magic Media had the pleasure of working on. In collaboration with CD Projekt Red, we delivered numerous services to help the team create the best possible experience for Cyberpunk fans.

Our work primarily consisted of intricate 3D artwork, which helped optimize the smoothness of the overall experience. Considering how numerous critical reviews and fans have pointed to the game’s technical performance in the released version, we couldn’t be happier with the impact of our work!

Services We Provided for Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

A significant portion of Cyberpunk 2077 work was working on the LOD (level of detail) of the game’s environmental objects. This was done primarily for the in-game location, Pacifica. LOD refers to an in-game 3D object’s level of complexity relative to the camera and the playable character’s position. When the camera is closer to an object, it’ll present with more detail than it would if the camera was at a further distance. This is a common technique in modern game development that assists with rendering large worlds without impacting frame rate and overall technical performance. This can be commonly seen in games where foliage would pop up as players get closer to grassy terrain.

Our LOD work covered a diverse range of in-game objects, including but not limited to buildings, statues, tents, terrain, rock formations, and much more. The process of our LOD work began by extracting the asset we needed to work on from the game engine, CD Projekt Red’s proprietary REDengine.

Using a 3D packet, we optimized the texture as much as possible using trims and overlaps. We then baked the textures in-engine and set the LOD distances required, along with numerous other parameters which varied wildly depending on the object we were working on.

Collaborating with CD Projekt Red

Our team for our collaboration with CD Projekt Red on Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty consisted of 12 3D artists, two QA team members, one head of production, one producer, and one CEO, a total of 17 team members actively working on the Cyberpunk 2077 project.

From the very beginning of the project, we cultivated a communication pipeline with CD Projekt Red to ensure any issues on either side could be communicated and effectively addressed. While getting to grips with REDengine, we communicated with CDPR frequently to understand their proprietary engine as quickly as possible. They were exceptionally quick to provide all the technical support we needed to get to grips with the game engine.

We were also in frequent contact with CD Projekt Red’s environment and production leads. Most of our communication happened over Slack, which every team member had, and it proved to be highly effective for resolving any queries or issues promptly. CD Projekt Red provided most of their feedback using Slack and also using Jira tickets. Our involvement in Cyberpunk 2077 lasted roughly a year, and it was a fantastic creative experience to work with CD Projekt Red on this incredible world it has built.

Magic Media is an experienced service provider for not only game development projects of all kinds but for the entertainment and tech industries as well. Among our dozens of expert services are full-cycle game development, real-time VFX, and full game art services, like those that CD Projekt Red availed of for Phantom Liberty. Get in contact today to leverage our experience for your projects, and let’s create magic!