Is there a single person in the world who hasn’t heard anything about the gaming industry so far? We doubt it! This industry is expanding and taking over more and more various fields - from sports, food, and to the beauty sector. So yes, ignoring the overwhelming popularity of video games is impossible.
Most of us enjoy spending time playing video games - of different genres, types, complexity levels, on different platforms, and so on. Now we’ve got an extensive pool of options, indeed. The industry is growing and the market becomes more competitive respectively.
Game developers come up with unique and interesting ideas and offer effective solutions to deliver game products that win gamers' hearts. And as gamers tend to be especially picky now, developers make the best out of the latest technology to amaze them. However, it isn’t as simple as it may seem.
We all play games but do we all know what it takes to create a mobile game? If you think that developing a game is as entertaining as playing it - we must disappoint you. Well, it is to some extent, but in fact, the process is far from amusement and fun. It goes without saying that game development requires careful initial planning but having a plan doesn’t guarantee you won’t have any bottlenecks, unexpected issues, etc.
Whether you have only superficial knowledge about game development or you have literally no idea what this process consists of, we’re to provide you with all the information you are eager to know in detail. As a mobile games development studio with long-term experience in crafting spectacular games, we know everything about this process, and even a bit more! We’ve outlined the essential stages of any game development cycle. Discover the wonderful gaming world with us!
What it takes to create a mobile game
The very first thing you need to understand, the steps to develop a mobile game are complex and multi-component. That is why a development process can take from a few weeks to years.
Developers have to take enough time for:
Long preparation and tedious concept work
Design and art creation that always comes along with endless edits
Programming is the core process of the entire game creation
Testing
Work with sound and music that add up to the general game’s atmosphere
Various management tasks
By the way, you should never equate or confuse game development with game design. These are the two different elements of game creation. Did you know about this? In case you didn’t, we’ve already described the basic differences between these concepts. Click here to read about game development and game design, their peculiarities, similarities, and key differences.
And we move on.
6 key stages of game development
If sticking to a modest game development lifecycle, we can point out three main phases, namely pre-production, production, and post-production. But of course, each one consists of several smaller stages that are crucial, too. We’d like to dig a bit deeper and show you the process of mobile games creation in detail. Check it out now.
Pre-production
Pre-production occurs before the actual creation of the game begins. During this stage, the game concept is refined, the game design document (GDD) is created, and the development team is assembled. This stage lays the foundation for the entire game development process.
One of the primary objectives of pre-production is to define the scope of the game. This involves setting specific goals for the game, determining the target audience, and identifying the key features and mechanics of the game. This information is then documented in the GDD, which serves as a roadmap for the development team throughout the rest of the project.
Another important aspect of pre-production is planning and scheduling. This involves breaking down the development process into smaller, manageable tasks and creating a timeline for each task. The project plan includes milestones and deadlines to ensure that the development team stays on track and that the game is completed on time.
During pre-production, the development team is also assembled. The team size and composition may vary depending on the scope and complexity of the game.
Another important aspect of pre-production is prototyping. This involves creating early versions of the game to test and refine the core mechanics and features.
Production
The production stage in game development is where the game is actually built. It is the longest and most involved phase of the development process, where the game design document is brought to life. This stage is all about creating the game mechanics, characters, environments, and storylines.
During production, programmers work on the code, artists create the visuals and audio designers work on sound effects and music. The team collaborates and communicates to ensure that all elements of the game come together seamlessly.
The first step is to create the game's mechanics and systems. This phase is crucial, as it determines how the game will play and feel to the user.
The design team works on creating the game's characters, environments, and storylines. This involves creating sketches and concept art for characters and environments and writing scripts for dialogues and cutscenes.
Artists work on creating the graphics for the game, including backgrounds, textures, and character models as well as creating animations for the characters and objects in the game.
Audio designers work with sound effects and music for the game.
The production phase ends when the game is complete and ready to go through testing.
Testing
Game testing is a crucial phase of game development that occurs after the production stage. It involves testing the game to ensure that it is functioning properly and is free from any bugs or glitches. This phase helps to ensure that the game is of high quality and is ready for release to the public.
There are several types of game testing that occur during the testing phase, namely alpha testing, beta testing, and user acceptance testing.
During the testing phase, the development team uses a variety of tools and techniques to identify and fix bugs. In addition to testing for bugs and glitches, game testing also involves testing the game's performance and compatibility with different platforms and devices. This ensures that the game runs smoothly on a variety of devices and is accessible to as many players as possible.
Pre-launch
The pre-launch stage in game development is the final phase of the development process before the game is released to the public. It involves preparing the game for release, generating buzz and excitement, and ensuring that the game is ready for players to enjoy.
During the pre-launch stage, the development team focuses on several key tasks such as marketing and promotion, QA, distribution and release planning, documentation and support, and community management.
If paying attention to the outlined concepts, the development team can ensure that the game is ready for release and that players are excited to play it.
Launch
This is a critical phase of game development, as it is the moment when the game is finally made available to players and the success of the game depends on how well it is received by the public.
During the launch stage, the development team focuses mostly on analytics and results monitoring. The launch stage is a time to closely monitor the game's performance and collect data on player behavior and feedback. This data can be used to inform future updates and improvements to the game, as well as to better understand the game's audience and how they interact with the game.
Overall, the launch stage is a critical phase of game development that requires ongoing attention and effort from the development team.
Post-release
The post-release stage in game development is the phase that begins after the game has been launched and made available to the public. During this stage, the development team focuses on analyzing player feedback and behavior, making updates and improvements to the game, and continuing to engage with the game's community.
The post-release stage is a critical phase of the game development cycle that requires ongoing attention and effort from the development team so they can ensure the game remains relevant and engaging for players over time.
Summary
Completing all the game development stages is very important because each stage contributes to the overall quality and success of the game. Skipping or rushing through any stage can lead to issues or problems that may affect the game's reception by players.
For example, if the pre-production stage is not carefully completed, the game concept may be unclear or poorly defined, leading to a lack of direction and focus for the development team. This can result in a game that lacks coherence or is not enjoyable to play.
In addition, properly completing all the game development stages is important for ensuring that the development process is efficient and cost-effective. By carefully planning and executing each stage, the development team can avoid wasting time and resources on unnecessary work or revisions.
Finally, completing all the game development stages is important for maintaining the reputation of the development team and the game itself. A poorly developed game can damage the reputation of the development team and make it more difficult to sell future games.
In summary, carefully completing all the game development stages is crucial for producing a high-quality, successful game that is well-received by players and maintains the reputation of the development team.
HitBerry Games is a mobile app development studio that offers advanced mobile games creation services as per the highest standards and the latest industry trends. Over the years, we’ve built a team of seasoned developers, designers, artists, and QA experts ready to take on your project and bring your concept to life.
We’ve been growing together, expanding the pool of our services, sharpening our skills, and gaining valuable experience. HitBerry Games provides high-end technology solutions for even the most complex cases. Our studio creates games from scratch as well as offers skillful experts for mobile games outsourcing.
We will also help you to provide an accurate mobile game development cost estimation. Click here to calculate your expenses yourself and then reach us for more details.
Choose HitBerry Games for developing a mobile game and get backed by true professionals in reaching your objectives.
Contact us now and let’s create a mobile game together!