Video game development

Video game development, often called gamedev, is the process of creating a video game. It involves many different skills, such as programming, design, art, audio, and writing. Teams can be very large, with hundreds of people, or as small as just one person.

Making commercial video games is usually paid for by a publisher and can take two to five years. Smaller teams that pay for themselves are called independent development. Developers can build games from scratch or use special tools called "engines" like Unity, Unreal Engine, or Godot.

Commercial game development started in the 1970s with arcade video games, first-generation video game consoles like the Atari 2600, and early home computers such as the Apple II. At first, one programmer could make an entire game like Pitfall!. But as games grew more complex, especially with 3D graphics, it took many people to make a big game. Today, big games can cost over $200 million to make. Even so, independent games have become very popular. The best-selling game ever, Minecraft, started as a project by one person before Mojang was created to develop it further. It was later bought by Microsoft.

Most big games are made in steps. First, an idea is created, then a plan is made in pre-production with prototypes. After that comes the main building of the game, called production, and sometimes a final polish stage. Many developers let players try early versions of their games to get feedback while they keep improving them.

Overview

Creating video games is like making software, but it mixes art and science. People make games both to express ideas and to sell them for profit. A company that wants to make a game usually needs money from a publisher, and they must plan carefully to stay within their budget. Many games don’t make money, so developers work hard to balance their ideas with what they can actually do.

In the early days of home computers and consoles in the 1980s, one person could make a whole game quickly. Today, big games need teams of over a hundred people and can take three to five years to finish. Game development starts with an idea, and designers write a plan explaining the game. Developers can be small teams or big companies, and sometimes they work on many games at once. Console makers like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony have rules that games must follow to be approved for their systems.

History

The story of making video games starts with the very first games ever created. At first, these games weren’t very fun and needed big computers to play. One of the earliest games was OXO, made in 1952 by Alexander S. Douglas. It was the first game to show pictures on a screen. In 1958, Willy Higinbotham created Tennis for Two, which people could play on a special screen at a lab. Then in 1961, students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology made Spacewar!, one of the first popular computer games.

Real businesses started making games in the 1970s when arcades and the first home consoles began. In 1972, Atari made Pong, a simple game that became very popular. This led to many other companies making their own versions of the game. As technology improved, games became more complex and started to include characters and action. By the late 1970s, games like Space Invaders became huge hits and inspired even more game creators.

Over time, making games grew from one person working alone to teams of artists, writers, and programmers all working together. Today, games can cost millions of dollars to make and take many years to complete. The way people play games has also changed, with many now playing on phones and tablets instead of just consoles or computers.

Roles

Producer

Main article: Video game producer

Producers help guide the making of a video game. An internal producer works for the team creating the game and manages schedules, progress, and staff. An external producer works for the company that pays for the game and watches over budgets and progress. Producers handle many tasks, such as planning, negotiating contracts, and checking quality before the game is released.

Publisher

Main article: Video game publisher

A publisher is a company that releases video games. They can create the games themselves or work with other teams to make them. Publishers handle making sure the game is ready, marketing it, and often paying for its creation. They might also arrange for others to help sell the game.

Development team

Video games can be made by tiny teams or large groups with hundreds of people. The team includes artists, programmers, designers, and audio specialists, along with a few producers to help manage everything. Some team members might do more than one job, and the size of the team depends on how big the game is.

Designer

Further information: Video game design

A game designer creates the rules and structure of a game. There is often a lead designer who guides other designers. Designers also help write the story, dialogue, and other parts of the game. In bigger games, there might be designers who focus on different areas like characters, mechanics, or graphics.

Artist

Further information: Game art design

Game artists create the pictures and animations for video games. An art director guides the art team. Artists can work in 2D, making flat images, or in 3D, building models and animations. They might work on characters, backgrounds, or user interfaces.

Programmer

Main article: Game programmer

Programmers write the code that makes video games work. There are usually lead programmers who start the code and guide others. Programmers can work on many areas, such as physics, artificial intelligence, graphics, sound, gameplay rules, user interfaces, and more.

Level designer

Further information: Level design

Level designers create the spaces and challenges in video games. They use special programs to build these levels, often working with tools made by programmers. They focus on making sure levels are fun and work well before the final art is added.

Sound engineer

Further information: Video game music

Sound engineers handle sound effects and music in games. They work on making sure sounds are placed correctly and might also work with voice acting. Composers create the music, though this work is often done by outside experts.

Tester

Further information: Game testing

Testers check video games to find any problems. They make sure the game works well and is fun to play. Testing is very important, especially near the end of making a game, to catch any bugs or issues.

Development process

Game development is the process of making a video game. It involves many different skills, such as programming, design, art, audio, and writing. Each of these areas may have more specialized tasks. For example, art includes creating 3D models of objects and characters, animation, and visual effects.

Overall, game development doesn’t follow typical software methods. One common method is called agile development. This method focuses on getting feedback and improving the game step by step. Another method is called Personal Software Process, which needs extra training for the team and costs more. Sometimes, different methods are used together during development.

Programming languages often used in game development include Java, Javascript, C++, and C#. For example, the game Minecraft is built using Java. Developers can either create animations using special tools within the programming language or load images directly into the game.

Development of a commercial game usually includes several stages:

Outsourcing

Creating video games often needs help from many different experts. Some jobs, like making music or recording voices, only need to be done for a short time. Because hiring these experts all the time can be very expensive, many game makers ask other companies to help with these jobs instead.

This help is planned early in making the game, when creators figure out how much time and money these outside jobs will need. For example, making music for a game can cost a lot depending on how long the music is and who makes it. Sometimes, the people who help are not named in the final game. This is called "ghost development." Some companies prefer this because they want to keep their reputation strong, and some workers agree to stay anonymous. This practice has been common for many years, especially in Japan, where companies like Tose have helped make thousands of games without always being credited.

Marketing

Creating a video game is like making a movie or recording music. The people who publish the game have a team that helps decide who should play the game and how to tell people about it. They share ideas with the game makers about what players like and what trends are popular. They then make ads for the game, from posters to TV commercials, using the main idea of the game to attract players.

Before a game is finished, makers often create a smaller version called a demo. This demo can be very short, like a quick clip, or much longer, letting players try out parts of the game. Demos are shared with journalists, buyers, at big gaming events, or even with employees who will help promote the game.

Big gaming events like the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) and Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) are where publishers show off new games. E3 is a major event in North America where new games and gaming devices are announced. PAX is a fun event created by the writers of the Penny Arcade blog, focused more on players.

Sometimes games are made in one language and need to be changed for players who speak another language. This process is called localization. For example, some games made first in Japanese for the PlayStation Vita, like Soul Sacrifice, are later translated so players all over the world can enjoy them. Localization can include translating words, changing voices, and even adjusting pictures and designs to fit different cultures. For instance, the game Assassin's Creed has different cover designs for Europe and the United States to better appeal to those players.

Main article: Video game localization

Development costs

See also: List of most expensive video games to develop

The cost of making a video game can change a lot. It depends on how many people work on it, what kind of game it is, and other things like using special characters or technology. Big game companies also spend money on advertising.

In the past, before the 1990s, making a game usually cost between US$1–5 million. But some games cost much more. For example, one game needed $20–25 million just to use a popular movie’s name. As new technologies like 3D graphics became common, game budgets grew. Games like Final Fantasy VII in 1997 and Shenmue in 1999 cost tens of millions of dollars.

Since then, the cost of making big games has kept rising. By 2017, the average cost was about $100 million, and some experts think it could reach $200 million soon. This is because games now need more detailed graphics, longer stories, and can attract many players. Because of these high costs, companies often stick to making games they think will sell well. This opened a chance for smaller, independent games to try new and creative ideas.

Today, the cost of making top games keeps going up. Some big games now cost over $200 million, with some even reaching over $1 billion when you include both making the game and advertising it.

Indie development

Main article: Independent video game development

Independent games, or indie games, are made by individuals and small teams without big companies helping them. These developers often share their games online. Many start by changing existing games. Indie developers are known for coming up with new and creative ideas, like in games such as Darwinia, Weird Worlds, and World of Goo.

Over time, platforms like Xbox Live Arcade and Steam have helped indie games succeed. Some indie games, like Braid, World of Goo, and Minecraft, have become very popular. Today, there are many places online where people can find and talk about indie games, such as Itch.io, YouTube channels, and communities on Steam. Some indie developers let people play their games for free and make money in other ways, like small in-game purchases, ads, or by asking fans for support on sites like Patreon and Kickstarter.

Game industry

Main article: Video game industry

The video game industry is the part of business that makes, sells, and markets video games. It has some special ways of working that make it different from other industries.

Locales

United States

Further information: List of video game companies

In the United States, early video game development often happened along the corridor from San Francisco to Silicon Valley in California. Many big game companies still have offices there, like Activision Blizzard, Capcom Entertainment, Crystal Dynamics, Electronic Arts, Namco Bandai Games, Sega of America, and Sony Computer Entertainment America. But game companies can be found in many other places too, such as Big Fish Games in Washington, Majesco Entertainment in New Jersey, Microsoft Corporation in Washington, Nintendo of America in Washington, and Take-Two Interactive in New York.

Education

Many schools and universities teach classes about making video games. Some work together with big game companies so students can use the best tools and maybe get jobs after they finish school. Students often share new ideas at events like the Independent Games Festival or the Game Developers Conference. Some students even start their own game companies after creating games for school projects.

Stability

Working in the video game industry can be unpredictable, much like jobs in television or music. Many game studios start, make one game, and then close. This is why game makers often work close together — if one studio closes, they can easily join another nearby or start a new one. Because only the top 20% of games make money, many games begin development but are never finished or released. Even experienced game developers might work for years without releasing a game.