Our Development Process
This is how we actually build games. Not a marketing funnel disguised as process - the real phases, real deliverables, and real decision points where projects succeed or fail.
Discovery & Scoping
Before estimating or committing, we need to understand what we're building. This phase is about asking questions, not writing code.
We discuss your vision, target audience, reference games, platforms, and constraints. We identify technical risks and unknowns. We establish what "done" looks like in concrete terms.
This phase is free for serious inquiries. If we're not the right fit, we'll tell you.
DELIVERABLES
- Scope document with feature breakdown
- Technical risk assessment
- Timeline and budget estimate (ranges, not false precision)
- Go/no-go recommendation
Pre-Production
If we proceed, pre-production establishes the foundation. Architecture decisions, technology choices, pipeline setup. The boring stuff that determines whether production goes smoothly.
We set up version control, establish coding standards, choose middleware, and create the project structure. If there's existing code, we assess and potentially refactor it.
Art direction, if applicable, gets established here. Reference boards, style guides, asset specifications. Anything that will be needed repeatedly during production gets documented now.
DELIVERABLES
- Technical design document
- Project structure and development environment
- Art style guide (if applicable)
- Production schedule with milestones
Prototype / MVP
Build the core loop as fast as possible. Not polished, not complete - just enough to know if the game is fun. This is where most of our MVP engagements live.
Placeholder art is fine. Hardcoded values are fine. What matters is whether the fundamental interaction works. Can you feel what the game will be?
This is the first real decision point. If the prototype isn't fun, we need to iterate or reconsider before burning production budget.
DELIVERABLES
- Playable prototype with core mechanics
- Validation report: what works, what doesn't
- Revised production plan based on learnings
Production
The longest phase. Building all the features, content, and polish defined in the scope. Weekly builds, regular playtests, continuous integration.
We work in sprints, typically 2 weeks. Each sprint has defined goals and a playable build at the end. You see progress regularly and can adjust priorities.
Scope changes happen. When they do, we re-estimate and discuss tradeoffs. Adding a feature means something else gets cut or the schedule extends. No silent scope creep.
DELIVERABLES
- Weekly playable builds
- Sprint reports with progress metrics
- Regular scope/schedule reviews
- Alpha build (feature complete, rough)
- Beta build (content complete, needs polish)
Polish & QA
No new features. Bug fixing, balance tuning, performance optimization, accessibility improvements. Making what exists work well.
This phase is often underestimated. "We'll polish at the end" assumes polish is quick. It's not. Plan for 20-30% of total production time.
We run thorough QA passes, including platform-specific testing if targeting consoles. Performance profiling on target hardware. User experience testing with fresh eyes.
DELIVERABLES
- Bug tracking and resolution
- Performance optimization report
- Release candidate build
- Platform certification submission (if applicable)
Launch & Support
Launch isn't the end. It's a phase with its own work: store page setup, marketing coordination, day-one patches, community response.
We can handle Steam/platform setup, trailer coordination, and launch-day technical support. Post-launch, we're available for hotfixes and initial updates.
Long-term support (ongoing updates, DLC, live service) is a separate engagement if needed.
DELIVERABLES
- Gold master build
- Store page and marketing asset handoff
- Launch support (typically 2 weeks)
- Post-mortem document with learnings
How We Communicate
Weekly sync calls, minimum. More frequent during critical phases. Slack or Discord for day-to-day communication. Shared project management (usually Notion or Linear) where you can see task status anytime.
Builds are deployed to a private testing channel after each sprint. You play them. You give feedback. We iterate. No surprises at the end.
Ready to Start?
The first step is a conversation. Tell us about your project and we'll figure out if we're the right fit.
GET IN TOUCH