Game development combines many areas and processes. Art creation is one of the most important aspects you’ll have to handle. Yet, managing this activity on your own is not easy.
Finding a good game art company that will help you with visuals is the best decision you can make. Keep reading and learn how to pick the right provider for your needs!
Why Consider Outsourcing Art for Your Game Project?
The visual quality of a game often determines its first impression. Art impacts how players experience and connect with your creation.
Yet, designing this art is a complex process that requires specialized skills and tools. Outsourcing this activity might be the most effective solution for you.
Here are the key reasons why you should consider outsourcing.
Access to Expertise
Video game art is not a single discipline. It’s an ecosystem of highly specialized roles. You need specialists in
- Concept art,
- 3D modeling,
- Texture art,
- Animation,
- Visual effects.
It is usually unrealistic to build an in-house team that covers all these areas.
Delegation lets you work with professionals who focus solely on their discipline. The assets you receive will match your vision and industry standards.
Cost Savings
Maintaining a full-scale internal art department is expensive. This overhead can strain your budget and take resources away from other essential development areas.
Game art outsourcing can help you avoid many fixed costs. You’ll only pay for what you need at the moment. You can free up funds for
- Design,
- Marketing campaigns,
- Community building.
This flexibility allows you to manage budgets more strategically.
Shorter Production Timelines
Game development schedules are quite demanding. However, it can take you months to create detailed characters and animations. These delays can push back testing and release dates.
Outsourcing lets you speed up your production capacity. External artists will create assets, and your team can focus on
- Gameplay mechanics,
- Level design,
- Narrative scripting.
As a result, you will reduce timelines and receive a quality final product.
Fresh Perspectives
Internal teams sometimes run out of ideas. They start missing new opportunities by focusing too much on the project.
External specialists can change the artistic identity of your project by introducing new
- Perspectives,
- Techniques,
- Cultural influences.
These teams usually work with different genres and platforms. They can offer you unique design solutions or workflow improvements. These unexpected elements will help your game stand out.
Finding the Best Game Art Company
The visual design of the game is extremely important. It helps you capture the player’s attention from the start. You already know that handling all the art activities yourself is not an option.
Delegation of this task is a great solution for most companies. Yet, you need to find the right game art company. A good partner will help you make your game unforgettable.
Here are the things to consider before you pick a provider.
Define Your Needs
The first step in the selection process is understanding your own requirements. Game art is a broad field that covers many different services.
Companies differ in their specializations. For instance, some studios excel in creating concept art. Others focus more on technical 3D modeling or detailed rigging and animation.
You have to decide if you want to cover a specific area or if you need support with the entire production process. Also, think about whether you require
- UI/UX design,
- Cinematics,
- Marketing visuals.
Clear goals will save you a lot of time and help you find the company that fully meets your needs.
Check the Portfolio
Evaluate the portfolios of your potential candidates. It will help you understand their strengths and creativity. Make sure they have experience with the style you’re aiming for.
Also, pay attention to the range of experience. A portfolio limited to one genre might suggest expertise but also potential inflexibility. A diverse set of examples shows that the team can adapt to new challenges.
Plus, you need to check if the game art company has a track record of working on released titles. They should know how to work with deadlines and technical limitations.
Evaluate Collaboration and Flexibility
The next thing to assess is how the provider communicates. You’ll need to provide feedback and sometimes request significant changes during the process. It will work smoothly only if your partner is ready to listen and adjust when necessary.
Flexibility is also critical. You already know that game development is a complex activity. Changes in technical requirements or design are pretty common. A good partner should be able to adapt to these shifts.
For example, Gamepack Studio is a trustworthy and versatile choice. They have 150+ specialists in
- 2D and 3D art,
- Animation,
- Concept art,
- UI/UX.
They are famous for meeting deadlines and delivering at a consistently high standard. Plus, they can offer you different partnership models and support with marketing initiatives.
Look Beyond Art Creation
Visuals are your main focus during the outsourcing process. Still, most companies offer way more than just art production.
Some providers offer full-cycle development. They create an initial concept and complete all the activities till you receive the final product. Other partners will offer co-development services. They complement the work that you’re already doing.
Plus, we recommend that you assess if the company provides promotional support. You will need strong visuals for
- Advertisements,
- Trailers,
- Social media campaigns.
A full range of services will help you create a game that looks good and succeeds in the market.
Conclusion
Video game art creation is a complex process that requires many skills and resources. Handling it internally is practically impossible. So, outsourcing is the best solution for most businesses.
The key is to find a great partner that can fulfill all your requirements. To pick a suitable company, you have to
- Define your needs,
- Evaluate the portfolio and expertise,
- Assess communication,
- Check the marketing support.
Hope that our guide was useful and you’ll find the right game art company for yourself!