From Indie to AAA: Understanding the Different Types of Games Developers
In many markets and industries around the world bigger corporations tend to swallow up the little fish in the industry. For example, GGBet trumps their competition in the online betting world. McDonalds are the go to store for fast food. However, that isn’t the case in the gaming industry and both have a place.
Before we compare them both, let’s take a look at what each of them does to get a better understanding.
Indie Studios
Indie, or independent studios, work like any other gaming development company but generally on a smaller scale. However, the term does have different meanings for different people. Some believe an Indie game is any one that hasn’t been developed by a major studio. Others believe it’s the size of the budget used, the size of the team that made the game, among other things.
Whose correct? Probably all of them. However, you also have to consider other things such as what happens if an Indie game or franchise is bought by a larger studio? Take Minecraft for example which is probably the biggest Indie game ever made. It was bought by Microsoft for over two billion dollars. Can it still be considered as an Indie game given the switch and heavy backing?
Being an Indie studio as opposed to a AAA one comes with certain pros and cons which we will look into shortly.
AAA Studios
AAA games studios are usually defined as major game publishers who work with huge gaming and marketing budgets. Some of the most famous studios include Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft and Warner Bros.
Due to their large financial backing, these companies tend to push the boundaries within the industry when it comes to things like graphics or performance. But they also have their challenges. With so many companies offering free-to-play games these days, how can they compete when charging premium prices for their offerings?
Key Differences
Well, first off, they appeal to different types of games developers. Some developers like to work with big budgets, and the latest technology and as such they’re suited to AAA studios. However, others prefer the creative freedom they get at working for an Indie studio. Developers who work at Indie Studios usually have a greater say when it comes to making decisions. AAA developers typically have to follow market trends.
The roles at a AAA studio tend to also be harder to get. Although, in saying that, If you are lucky enough to bag yourself a AAA role, it’s likely to come with greater job security than if you worked at an Indie Studio that has less money. But with that, comes greater pressure, probably longer hours, which can have an impact on your work-life balance.
It’s not only the funding which is different, it’s also the production time which also varies. This can be seen as both a good thing and a bad thing for both. Due to the larger budgets, accessible resources, and rigorous testing, AAA games tend to have longer production times. This can alleviate some of the pressure on a developer. But it can also mean waiting around for feedback and approval at times.
Whereas Indie games tend to try and start a trend rather than follow one, meaning timing can be of the essence. While this can create pressure, it can also help with creative flow as the process is typically a lot less stop-start.
Indie developers and gaming studios also tend to interact with their audiences much better. They do this through platforms and forums, and they let their users help shape their games or updates. This helps them to generate a loyal fan base when battling against companies with endless money to throw on marketing campaigns.
Lastly, there are the risk-reward scenarios associated with each. AAA studios spend much more money making a game which is riskier. But generally it will help them reach a wider audience (certainly through marketing) so the rewards can be greater. Indie studios don’t spend as much so there is less risk involved but the chances of huge success are generally much smaller.
Their Impact on the Gaming Industry
We started this article off by addressing how both AAA and Indie Studios can work together unlike other industries but we didn’t answer why. The reason is they both push each other to be better. AAA Studios have to keep up with the creativity displayed by Indie Studios and they have to try and match AAA games by trying to outperform them despite having smaller budgets and less workforce. Don’t you just wish every industry learned from this example?