How much does it cost to hire a game developer, after all? Making an entire game from scratch is a great experience – but one that embraces many realms of knowledge, no matter the complexity of it. A game is a combination of multiple kinds of artworks, all of them mixed into a cohesive and unique interactive experience that is itself a form of art.
Of course, in order to make that artwork become reality, you need to have people available to do it. And those people need to have the technical and artistic skills which can help make it a reality. And the game developer is the most important one.
So, whether you’re part of an indie studio that’s trying to get some more devs or you just want someone to develop your dream game for you, you may be wondering how much does it cost to hire a game developer.
How much does it cost to hire a game developer?
That depends. The main factor is which kind of work you’ll be hiring them for. There are different costs involved for contract work (that is, a freelance gig or something similar) and long-term work (in which they’ll be paid wages while they work for the studio).
Contract work
Throughout the internet you’ll be able to find many freelance developers, some being focused on game development, while others are focused on other kinds of applications. They tend to be available for short-term work and may be working on multiple projects at the same time.
The price can vary a lot depending on their experience on the field, the tools they use and how famous they are, but in general their pricing is in the range of $15 to $35 per hour. As game development can take a while, you can expect to pay more than $1000 even for a simple mobile game. Of course, that depends on how complex the product is.
If you’ve been keeping up-to-date with game development, someone creating a game in such a short time may sound strange. Games usually take more than one year to get finished, and some more months to get ironed out.
Freelance work is different in that the developer has to streamline it as much as possible. If the work takes too long, the client may give up on them. So they work using game templates and simpler assets, while also implementing the client’s demands the best way possible.
They usually have their engine of choice, which they’re already very used to and which enables them to be the most productive. Unity is a common choice, because it’s very flexible, making it easy to make 2D and 3D games, import assets, use some handy plugins, and create desktop, mobile and even VR games.
Long-term work
For long-term work, it’s a bit different. In this case, the developer has many less obligations, as they only need to focus on developing the game itself, while the assets are made by other members of the team.
Still, a game developer is also a software developer, usually having about the same degrees and level of experience in the field. Some may even have professional experience with software engineering.
Their payment can be different from country to country and region to region, but in the US it’s usually about $10,000 a month ($120,000 a year).
It also depends on the company, though. Indie studios may not be able to offer such wages, especially before getting their first product out, but some people may be fine with it, as in larger game studios they may have to deal with problems such as crunch and a high-stress environment.
What is a game developer anyway?
Some people may think that someone being a game developer means that they are able to develop entire games by themselves.
While some people really manage to make incredible games by themselves (like Chris Sawyer, who created Transport Tycoon and RollerCoaster Tycoon by himself), game developers usually focus on implementing the game mechanics and interactive elements, “gluing” together the assets using the game engine.
Developing usually means programming, which is why they’re a kind of software developer. While there are many tools today that make it possible to develop games with little to no coding, game developers usually use good old code because it’s more flexible and can deliver better performance, which is very important for more complex games.
In order to create the games, they work together with people that have different skills, such as artists, 3D modelers, sound engineers, musicians, writers, game designers, among many others, in order to both focus on developing the game itself and also have access to high quality assets, which can lead to a high quality game.
How about hiring an entire studio?
If you want to get your own high quality game, just hiring a game developer is not enough. You need a studio that’s capable of making what you need.
At Main Leaf, we have a team of experienced character designers who can create stunning characters and games that fit your vision and budget. We’ll work with you to develop concepts, refine details, and bring your vision to life.
We’re also a fully-fledged game development company with over a decade of experience in creating games from scratch, so we’re experts in all things game development.
Contact us today for a quick consultation and let’s discuss how we can help you create characters or games that your players will love!
