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!

Video game co-development is constantly growing in use as the games industry grows in scale, scope, and player expectations. The Magic Media group has been offering comprehensive co-development and outsourcing expertize for several years. In that time, we’ve explored and experimented with the co-development formula.

What we discovered was that, given the set structure of game development, it was all about the quality of the delivery rather than any fancy new addition to the co-development pipeline. So, the Magic Media co-development team have spent their time perfecting the basics, the fundamentals, and the core deliverables across every project we’ve engaged on.

So, what game co-development look like with Magic Media? 

Extended and Embedded Game Development

There are two variations available for co-development with Magic Media. Extension and Embedded, which are simple to differentiate. Extension is when you deliver a brief to our team, give us the parameters to work within, the goal to hit, and establish a communication pipeline to ensure that work can progress smoothly. Check-ins are regular, but you effectively extend your game development team with a separate team that operates somewhat independently.

Embedded Game Co-Development is something that is becoming more common. Instead of operating separately, you increase your team with outsourced members bespoke chosen for your team. Those members, whether artists, developers, QA engineers, or anything in between, immerse themselves in your team. They take part in day-to-day meetings, virtually or in-person if possible. They fully become part of your team, giving you an instant boost without having to source, interview, and onboard new members.

Magic Media separates itself by fully dedicating themselves to your project. This begins with a team or individuals chosen specifically by and for your needs – people who understand your game’s genre, language, and aesthetic. 

Transparency and Partnerships in Game Co-Development

When we co-develop games with our clients, we’re looking to develop a long-term partnership as well. It is a big ask to bring in what are effectively strangers into your game development project. These games are often important and close to our hearts, we understand that and approach each co-development collaboration with it in mind.

We also understand the value of transparency for our clients when it comes to how we work and how we deliver their needs. From the beginning of our collaboration, our co-development team will also be transparent in their workflow. You’ll have no doubt on the progression of our work and what the next steps are. The Magic Media team will establish a workflow and tempo that both sides are happy with, no details will be left uncertain.

Video Game Co-Development Across Time Zones

It’s not uncommon for the outsourcing teams and the in-house teams to be separated by several hours. In some cases, the right combination might be on the other side of the world. Magic Media is an international outsourcing studio, with a presence in 14 countries. Our artists, developers, animators, producers, and more are spread across the world. This wasn’t by design but the international state we find ourselves in quickly became one of our strengths.

Aside from diversity and different expertize drawn from a plethora of backgrounds and locations, it also means the lights never turn off at Magic Media. We strive to minimize the gap in time zone differences and embrace it as a strength of what we can bring to your project.

If you’re looking for high-quality co-development expertize that nails the fundamentals and delivers nothing but the best results, get in touch with Magic Media. From full-cycle game development and game porting to art production, video production, VFX & Cinematics, we have everything you might need. We’d love to hear from you so don’t hesitate, 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!

In the intricate world of game development, the constant influx of innovative technologies is reshaping the foundational aspects of game creation, gameplay experience next-gen game development. This evolution is not merely a stride towards enhanced aesthetics but a leap towards fundamentally altering the game development landscape.

For game developers, understanding and harnessing these emerging technologies is paramount to staying relevant and competitive in this dynamic industry.

Artificial Intelligence 

How can AI be used in gaming? We’ve previously discussed that by using AI in gaming, developers can create more immersive, engaging, and realistic games, providing players with a fully immersed gaming experience.

AI is spearheading this technological revolution, offering game developers tools to craft more realistic and complex non-playable characters (NPCs) and gameplay mechanics. Advanced AI algorithms can simulate human-like intelligence and behavior, allowing for the creation of NPCs that can adapt, learn, and respond to player actions in real-time. This adaptability enhances the gaming experience by providing more engaging and unpredictable gameplay, keeping players on their toes and increasing the game’s replay value.

Virtual Reality

In addition to AI, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are significantly impacting the game development process. These technologies offer game developers the opportunity to create immersive and interactive gaming environments that transcend traditional screen-based gameplay.

Developers can construct three-dimensional, interactive worlds that players can physically navigate, offering a more engaging and realistic gaming experience. The integration of VR and AR technologies requires a comprehensive understanding of spatial design, user experience, and hardware capabilities, necessitating a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to game development.

Real-Time Rendering

Moreover, the advancement in real-time rendering and ray tracing technologies is enabling game developers to achieve cinema-quality graphics and animations.

These technologies allow for the realistic simulation of light, shadow, reflection, and refraction within the game environment, enhancing the visual appeal and realism of games. Mastering these technologies allows developers to create visually stunning and immersive game worlds that captivate and enthral players.

Next-Gen Game Development Outlook

The future of game development is rich with technological advancements that promise to elevate the gaming experience to unprecedented heights. For game developers, continuous learning, adaptation, and innovation are crucial to navigating this evolving landscape successfully.

Embracing and mastering these next-gen game development technologies will not only enhance the quality and appeal of games but also ensure the sustained growth and success of game developers in this exciting and ever-evolving industry.

At Magic Media we are veterans of the gaming, tech and entertainment industries, offering comprehensive services including game development, VFX, animation and full art services! Our main goal is to provide a one-stop solution for any project. If you’d like to utilize our expertize and experience in creating, game art and more, drop us a line and let’s create magic!

Developing PlayStation games is a shrewd decision for many game developers. The PlayStation brand is known the world over, and it has proven to be a highly-popular gaming destination since the inception of the first PlayStation console in the 1990s. Though it’s not possible for every developer to commit to developing PlayStation games in addition to other target platforms, PS4 and PS5 offer distinct advantages that can help create novel gaming experiences.

The Magic Media team is highly experienced in game development and specifically, in PlayStation game development. Though some might consider its development to be similar to that of Xbox Series X or other modern consoles, developing PlayStation games has unique characteristics and benefits not found elsewhere in the gaming industry.

Advantages of Developing PlayStation Games

Though Nintendo’s Switch system has been dominant in sales since its launch, PlayStation 5 is the best-selling ‘traditional’ console of the current generation on the market. Given its popularity, developing your game for PlayStation 5 could mean high levels of exposure and promotion by simply being available on such a widely-used console.

Similarly, the PlayStation 4 continues to be highly popular even in the current console generation. Despite its relatively lower power compared to modern consoles, it continues to receive frequent game releases, from indie to AAA titles.

As we’ve learned through our extensive experience in PlayStation game development, the PS5 also boasts powerful technical specifications. It can produce extremely high-end visuals as seen in titles like God of War Ragnarok and Horizon Forbidden West, while maintaining minimal, almost non-existent loading times in certain games due to its in-built SSD storage system. The raw power potential and uninterrupted gameplay sessions offered by PlayStation game development are alluring to developers who aim to deliver the smoothest gaming experiences possible.

Unique Features of PlayStation Consoles

Despite being powerful machines capable of outputting incredibly lifelike visuals, perhaps the true appeal of PlayStation game development comes from the consoles’ controllers. The PlayStation 4’s DualShock 4 controller boasts the familiar layout and feel of previous PlayStation console controllers, but with the addition of the touchpad, developers have a unique control mechanism to take advantage of. It can be pressed like a traditional button, swiped in any direction, or used in any number of ways to deliver unique and engaging input design in games.

The PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller takes the idea of a unique controller even further. PlayStation game development on PS5 provides developers with an opportunity to create uniquely immersive games. The DualSense controller provides haptic feedback and resistance in its triggers, allowing players to feel when their in-game gun needs to be reloaded or the pressure of pulling back a bow.

Its advanced vibrations allow for varying degrees of intensity, enabling players to experience the sensation of walking on rough terrain or being engulfed by raging waters. The controller allows players to experience a physical representation of the immersive real-time VFX in a game.

The 3D audio technology in PS5 adds significantly to the experience of both PlayStation game development and the gaming experience itself. It allows players to hear location-based sound, become alert to enemy positions, and indulge in the ambient sounds of an open world. For developers, it’s an indispensable tool for delivering highly immersive experiences that largely can’t be achieved on other consoles.

Technical Considerations for PlayStation Game Development

Whereas the Xbox family of consoles uses Direct3D APIs for rendering like their Windows PC counterparts, it’s important to note that PlayStation consoles utilize their own proprietary graphics APIs. These APIs aren’t used on other platforms, but fortunately, they’re used across both PS4 and PS5. If you’re a developer who’s used PlayStation’s GNM and GNMX APIs before, then transitioning to developing on PS5 might not be as challenging as many might expect it to be.

Additionally, those engaging in PlayStation game development should be aware of the PlayStation Shader Language (PSSL). Though it has some similarities to the HLSL language found in DirectX 12, it is exclusive to PlayStation systems. Despite this, developers with experience using HLSL should have no problem adapting to PSSL, as it has been compared to HLSL but with some minor differences and changes in semantics.

For all your PlayStation game development needs, Magic Media is the partner you need. We’re a one-stop solution for all your gaming, entertainment, and tech project needs. Our dozens of services include but are not limited to full-cycle game development, real-time VFX, game trailer production, and many more. Reach out today, and let’s create magic!

Video games have come a long way since their inception. With technological advancements, developers are not only creating new games but are also updating old ones. One way of updating video games is through remasters, remakes, reboots, and ports. In this article, we will explore each type of update and what they entail. We’ll also discuss the benefits of game updates and how they contribute to the gaming industry’s growth.

Remasters

Remasters are updates that enhance the graphics, sound, and performance of an old game while retaining its original gameplay and story. The goal is to improve the game’s quality, making it more enjoyable on modern devices. Remasters are popular among game developers because they’re a cost-effective way of updating games. Some remasters we have worked on at Magic Media include Destroy All Humans 2 Reprobed and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered

Remakes

Remakes involve a complete overhaul of a game, from the mechanics and graphics to the sound and voice acting. While the story remains the same, the goal is to reimagine the game, bringing it up to date with modern standards. Remakes require more time and resources than remasters, but they offer a unique opportunity for developers to introduce new gameplay mechanics and features. 

Reboots

Reboots involve a complete re-imagination of a game’s story, characters, and gameplay mechanics. The goal is to introduce the game to a new audience while retaining its original essence. Reboots are risky because they require developers to create something entirely new while staying true to the original game’s spirit. However, when done right, reboots can be a great success. 

Ports

Ports involve bringing an old game to new devices, optimizing it for the new platform. Ports are popular among game developers because they’re a cost-effective way of making an old game available to new audiences. Ports usually involve improving the game’s graphics and performance, making it more enjoyable to play on modern devices. For example, the mobile version of Minecraft is a port of the original game, optimized for mobile devices.

Game updates are a vital part of the gaming industry. Remasters, remakes, reboots, and ports breathe new life into old games, making them more enjoyable on modern devices. Remasters and ports are cost-effective ways of updating games, while remakes and reboots offer unique opportunities for developers to introduce new gameplay mechanics and features. As technology continues to advance, we can expect more updates to old games, providing new experiences for players.

At Magic Media we are veterans of the gaming, tech and entertainment industries, offering comprehensive services including game development, VFX, animation and full art services! Our main goal is to provide a one-stop solution for any project. If you’d like to utilize our expertize and experience in creating, game art and more, drop us a line and let’s create magic!

We’ve asked the question before, what makes a quality 3D model? But that was very much a technical focus on the creation of 3D characters. And we’ve touched on the quality we pursue for 3D characters, models and assets like our behind the magic look at the weapons of Nine-to-Five. But that’s not where players get hooked. Players get attached to characters, they fall in love with stories and the people within them. And that is where our focus lies. We sat down with some of our leading artists and our stellar executive art director to discuss Magic Media’s 3D character creation and what we do to stand out in such a talented industry.

The Technical Process of 3D Character Creation

While we’re very proud of every character we create, our technical process isn’t very different from most! We start with the brief and any descriptions or references from the client, we proceed through concept and exploration until we get to the blockout stage, to high-res, retopology, UVs and baking, texturing, and final approval. Of course, every step is played out with multiple artists and senior staff consulting. Given Magic Media’s length and breadth of talent from all over the globe, it’s easy to get immediate and tangible insight from almost any corner of the world. As a full end-to-end service provider, it’s important and useful for our teams and artists to have an open flow of communication. For each member to be able to pitch in for any piece or project as it progresses from concept to creation.

More on our technical processes can be found here, in our creation of the 3D model of this four-armed warrior and for our 2D delivery of this half-demon knight. These are two great examples of some of our character work and they hint at our approach to 3D character creation. The key, as we’ve mentioned, lies in the story. Every layer of our technical design and talent is immersed in a world of story and character. Our concept artists start this process, and it’s maintained throughout. Each of our artists view every piece as part of a story, every piece must have context.

Going Beyond High-Quality Characters

Creating a high-fidelity, high-quality 3D character is one thing. It’s an impressive mechanical achievement! But at Magic Media, we’re in the business of making magic for projects such as Blankos Block Party and Switchback VR. Which doesn’t stop at mechanical. So, how do we go beyond the mechanically impressive? You already know the answer, of course!

It’s all about ‘character’. Bringing a character to life, giving it meaning and a place in the world it exists in. We spoke about this context and way of thinking in our tips and tricks for gaming concept art. This type of principle is how we created the character you see here! This fantastic 3D character has been shown off as concept art, 2D, now 3D, and she’s been integrated into Unreal Engine as well! All part of the Magic Media service.

If you happen to be a creature of the apocalypse, now is the time to start running. She began with the idea of an apocalypse survivor who has gone beyond surviving. This life has become her norm, she’s a warrior now, not just some survivor. She was created to embody the strength it takes to survive and thrive in this world. She almost looks casual in her attire and equipment, stylish even. That was the story we aimed to create as she was to be the hardened protector to the “Survivor Kid” that we created with her.

There’s always a story attached. For them we imagined a lone wolf and cub vibe, inspired by the incredible manga created by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima. He has not gone unscathed though, hence the missing arm and scuffed clothing. But he still has that light and childishness in him. But she is the jaded protector, she’s been around far too long to treat this horrifying world as anything but normal. And just in imagining this world and basing the characters in their context, we see them come to life. With this, our artists can deliver the excellence that we offer to our clients.

In need of industry-leading character art? Look no further than Magic Media. At Magic Media we are veterans of the gaming, tech and entertainment industries, offering comprehensive services including game development, VFX, animation, 3D characters and full art services! Our main goal is to provide a one-stop solution for any project. We love nothing more than collaborating with creative minds, so drop us a line and let’s create magic!

On the surface level, it might seem as though there are few differences between developing games for console and PC, but the deeper you look into the process, it’s easier to understand the differences and unique challenges of console game development.

There are aspects of console game development that are growing closer to PC, such as coding and the sheer power of modern consoles, but differences remain. Consoles offer several distinct advantages over other platforms that make them an appealing choice for game development.

Console Hardware Considerations

Compared to PC, consoles have far fewer hardware variations to consider. Consoles such as Sony’s PlayStation 5 have the same components across the board, meaning that developers know exactly what they’re dealing with when it comes to console game development. The only exception to this is updated console versions, such as the PS4 Pro, which have become more common in the last two console generations. Even with this in mind, like other consoles, updated pro versions of consoles have fixed hardware, they simply improve upon their predecessors.

Due to the fixed internal components of consoles, development can be more streamlined compared to PC game development. On PC, there is a significant range of options available for everything from the GPU to monitors. This is undoubtedly beneficial for consumers to have options available in a variety of price ranges, but this can prove to be challenging for game developers. Accounting for countless combinations of components isn’t a factor in console game development, and what consoles comparatively lack in terms of power, they make up for in reliability.

In Magic Media’s experience, it’s been common for us to see console-specific teams set up to tackle console game development. Though there are differences between PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo consoles, the daunting variability of PC development isn’t present in the console game development sphere.

Console-Specific Features

As consoles have become more complex and powerful, so too has their unique functionality. Most modern consoles possess some functionality that sets them apart from other platforms, including PC and mobile. Each of these distinct features can be seen as an advantage of console game development and should be considered assets to enhance gameplay and immersion.

PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller, for instance, makes use of immersive haptic feedback to elevate gaming experiences. When implemented by developers, gamers will be able to feel terrain as their characters move through it, the intensity of attacks, and environmental effects. Xbox uses a clever and consumer-friendly feature called Smart Delivery. This feature ensures that you’re playing the most well-optimized version of the game is played, regardless of platform. If a player purchases a game for Xbox One, and later plays it on Xbox Series X, it will automatically be upgraded to make use of the Series X’s improved power.

Using these console-specific features can bring your game to the next level, in terms of immersion, access, and overall experience. Though mobile might have the advantage of being portable, and PC more overall raw power, modern consoles are becoming more unique with features such as these, making them all the more appealing to develop games for.

Design and Development

As consoles have advanced, they’ve become closer to PC in terms of coding. C++ is commonly used across console and PC game development, though the available code libraries will differ depending on the target platforms. Popular game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine 5 fully support consoles too, making console game development, and even porting, much more straightforward.

Where console game development doesn’t differ much from PC game development are timelines and the sheer length of time it takes to complete projects. This is more heavily dependent on the genre, style, and scope of the game in development. Regardless of target platforms, an open-world AAA RPG game will likely have a lengthy development cycle.

Magic Media is proud to offer dozens of services across the entertainment and gaming industries to help realize your dream projects. From full-cycle game development to cutting-edge real-time VFX and stunning pc/console art and cinematics, our goal is to help your projects reach their full potential. We’re proud to offer a one-stop solution for all your projects, so get in contact today and let’s create magic!

Outsourcing can be an excellent way to scale and add highly experienced members to your team’s development cycle, however it can be expensive. The costs can quickly skyrocket, especially if you’re considering co-development for the entire development pipeline. Although doing this can be beneficial when looking to gain a large amount of external expertize and creativity, it may not be the right solution for your project.

At Magic Media, we would suggest that if you’re considering outsourcing co-development, that you take it on for the production stage. Our goal is to create the best possible gaming experience that runs smoothly across all released platforms.

Five stages of game development

 1. Planning

The first stage of game development is ‘Planning’, where concepts are considered and prepared. This is where the team is deciding what kind of game they want to create, the story they want to tell, who they will tell it to, and what platform it will be on.

2. Pre-production

In the second stage of game development, the team’s focus is to take their ideas, narrow them down, and make it more real. In the ‘Pre-production’ stage early prototyping and establishing a story are the main priorities. This is the stage where the plan gets set for the rest of the project, both in terms of development and the game’s story and mechanics.

3. Production

We’ll get to that soon!

4. Launch

Of course, the ‘Launch’ stage is where the preparation happens to do just that. This is where our team will focus on quality assurance and bug fixing, polishing of mechanics and assets, and building up to the final release. When the game is ready for launch, it goes “gold”. The launch stage is actually made up of a number of stages, this is due to the development team going through several phases of pre-launch testing and balance checking.

5. Post-Launch

Finally, we have ‘Post-launch’, this stage is made up of a constant string of bug fixes, quality of life improvements, and balancing while working on new content to deliver later on. Therefore, the Magic Media team works hard to stay at the top of trends and methodologies.

Breakdown of the production stage in game development

To no surprise, the ‘Production’ stage is the longest and most intensive stage of the game development cycle. This is the stage which focuses on the modeling and designing, and the bulk of the game’s design is finalized and implemented. Of course, the audio and visual effects also must be introduced, the game physics and mechanics need to be put in place, and then final renderings occur.

Commonly, when people from outside of the industry talk about game development, this is the stage that most would refer to too. Production is the stage where the whole team is involved in creating, iterating, and finalizing the game. Most of the project’s resources are used here, as this is where the most challenges will arise.

Unlike pre-production, during this stage a lot of mechanical work occurs. During pre-production, this is where we will see a lot of progress on art styles and story beats. Engineers are consulted for technological requirements and potential challenges. The bulk of the work here is with writers, artists, and producers. 

The production phase of development requires the whole team to take part. Our team of creators and innovators will work consistently ensuring that the characters and environments look exactly the way that they were envisioned. It is also important to ensure that the audio and sound design elevates and adds to the game’s events weight. Something like a bad footstep sound effect has the potential to ruin an entire game experience. During this stage the level designers are completely focusing on crafting the final experience, ensuring that the world feels real and alive for the players’ experience. 

Unsurprisingly, the production stage is the longest of the whole process. It usually takes at least 12 full months of development. Even then, it would be considered a very short timeframe to finalize and execute all these elements properly.

Advantages of outsourcing during the production stage

When it comes to the advantages of outsourcing in the production stage, the team tends to be focused on time and resource management. Although outsourcing may be out of budget for smaller studios, it is usually an integral and often necessary step for larger companies. With large companies they are usually under immense pressure due to the time and turnaround expected of them by publishers. Outsourcing isn’t just an advantage, it’s a necessity.

With outsourcing, expert teams can lead your project through all stages of development up to release and post-release support. You will have immediate and continuous access to a large group of seasoned professionals who are there to help you through any stage. Whether you need support across the board in the production stage or just in elements, such as developers or artists, outsourcing can provide this to you. At Magic Media our extensive expertize will cover every avenue of game development, you are guaranteed to have a communicative, effective, and efficient team at your disposal. 

As we have established, outsourcing is a significant saver on time and money. It means you no longer need to look for these team members in the hiring world or take the time to go through a hiring process. The teams come well prepared and equipped, meaning you don’t need to provide them with an intake course or any tool licences. When it comes to outsourcing, our team will be ready and waiting immediately upon contract start. 

In the long run, co-development is less expensive than expanding in-house to scale to needs. With studios spanning the globe, we offer bespoke researched and designed game development and outsourcing. No matter the genre, no matter the platform, the Magic Media teams are prepared from Day 1 to meet your challenges head-on and provide only the best results. We are well experienced in delivering co-development services, check out our case study on the work we did for Railway Empire. Railway Empire is a railroad construction and management simulation game, and our team worked tirelessly to complete a number of projects.

If you’d like to hear more about our co-development practices, or some of our other services such as art, game porting or VFX, we’d love to hear from you.