Gaming is all the rage right now and has been on an upward trajectory since the outbreak of the pandemic. According to Forbes, from January to March of last year, the number of mobile gamers grew by 46% from 1.2 to 1.75 billion, and in March, it hit an all-time high of 90 million play hours in the last days of the month. There has also been a marked increase in the number of games in development since the coronavirus disease spread. So, if you’re thinking of elevating your status from gamer to game developer, it is a step in the right direction. In fact, even before the boost of the pandemic, the gaming industry was alive and well. TechCrunch reports that in 2019, the global gaming market was valued at $152 billion, with 45% of that value attributed to mobile gamers. This shows that this market was and will remain robust even after the world goes back to normal. 

But the transition from gaming enthusiast to developer isn’t all that smooth. From conception to testing to roll out, a lot goes into crafting a game that will be enjoyed by the masses and get you high returns. Some of the skills that are needed to come up with a half-decent game may take you almost a lifetime to master, especially if you don’t have any background in software development. However, with the increasing availability of tried-and-tested freelance developers and creators on Ureed.com, building your game can be a whole lot easier. 

Here’s how you can build your very own development team with freelancers from Ureed.com:

1. Start with a plan

Before diving headfirst into development, you have to figure out what you want your game to be like, who you’re developing it for and why, and what will make your game stand out from the rest. With a good plan, you’ll be more confident as you charter the development waters. At this stage, you should consult a seasoned freelance developer or game development consultant to help create a detailed, cohesive plan that will act as your guide throughout. Although it may sound superfluous, consulting a professional this early will help you know what works and what doesn’t so your vision is clear from the get-go. At this stage, you can set down preliminary design criteria like the game technology and programming language you’ll use. This will be instrumental in your choice of freelancers.

2. Hire the freelancers

After you’ve solidified your vision, and set goals to guide your process, it’s time to bring in the talent. Whatever the nature of the game you want to create – P.C, mobile (iOS or Android), virtual reality, augmented reality, etc – you need to assemble a team with diverse skills to bring your vision to life. Below is a list of freelancers that will be essential in your development:

• Programmer– Coding is the end all and be all of the game development process. Without programmers, your big idea will remain just that- an idea. This is the first person you should hire because from there, you can be able to build your team around them. On Ureed.com, there are over 1.5K developers who will help you code, debug and test your game to ensure it runs as it should.
• Creative Writer– Interesting storylines are also an integral part of game creation. Games that have had incredible success in the past like Need for Speed, Grand Theft Auto, and Call of Duty all have compelling backstories that keep their audiences entertained.
• Sound Mixer– A little background music to set the scene, sound effects, or voice actors to give your game a realistic vibe, may be the aspect that resonates most with your audience.
• Artist– The overall look of your game will be directed by this freelancer. Stunning foreground and background visuals for your game can be created by many of the digital artists on Ureed.com.
• UX/UI Designer– for the best user experience, hire a designer to optimize the functioning of your software.

3. Develop a prototype

This is probably the longest but most satisfying part of the process. With your team assembled, you can now begin the actual work. Here you develop the game in its entirety until a smooth running prototype is actualized. If you are going to need external investors for the final rollout of your game this is what you present to them as you seek financing. There are several freelancers on Ureed.com who can help you create your prototype in case you need additional support. Also, to ensure that you and your team stay on track, you can hire a freelance project manager to help you keep up with your timelines.

4. Testing, Debugging, and Rollout

After your hard work, it is important to test your game with select audiences. For instance, Google’s app platform Google Play allows users to access games still in development on early release or beta testing before they are available to the general public. This will help you gauge your audience’s reaction to your creation and also help you weed out some errors that may not be apparent to you and your team. If you had done the rest of the work independently, you can hire developers or other programmers at this stage to help error-proof your creation. 

Then after you’ve put the final touches on your game, you can then release it on all platforms for your audience to enjoy. Important to note is that the gaming world has gone global, so you might want to consider game localization to capture an even larger market.

The Takeaway

Ureed.com is a haven for everyone looking to build anything fresh and exciting from scratch. For game developers, whether you’re a veteran or an upper-and-comer, you’ll find all the talent you need from our platform. And even after you roll out your game, you can get additional support to market and popularize your creation from our wide pool of content creators, social media strategists, SEO experts, and market research professionals. Whatever your needs may be, Ureed.com has got you covered.