Entrepreneurial Gaming Studios Getting a Head Start

The fiercely competitive world of online gaming is evolving at a lightning pace. Exploding out of the starting blocks is a dream come true. Here’s how to get a foot in!

Entrepreneurial talent in the gaming industry is alive and well. Video game development is a high-intensity industry filled with fascinating insights, technologies, and opportunities for growth and development. Up-and-coming game development studios rely heavily on the synergistic capabilities of team members for success.

Designers, developers, and marketing professionals combine their professional skills to deliver a tour de force in gaming firepower. As a newcomer to the gaming scene, there is plenty to look forward to. Indie game developers, game studio designers, and visionaries of the gaming multiverse pool their talents to chart a course from obscurity into the mainstream.

Fortunately, there are tried-and-true tactics and strategies for new game studios to get a foot in the door. To better understand the process, let’s get back to basics. Every game development studio worth its salt must predefine its raison d’être. That’s a fancy way of saying the brain trust must define the mission objectives of the gaming enterprise.

The Mission Statement

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a mission statement as follows: A formal summary of the aims and values of an organization. In other words, the gaming studio must distinguish itself from the competition by creating, fostering, and manifesting a unique identity. This is ensconced in the company’s vision and mission statement. It goes to the very heart of the types of games the company wishes to create. Will it be a pulse-pounding skill game? Will it be a random outcomes game of chance or a hybrid game that marries the two concepts?

What is it that makes your gaming studio different from any other gaming studio? In this endeavor, entrepreneurs dig deep to uncover their unique offerings. It’s about finding a niche in the fired-up gaming market. With so many other game developers, standing out from the crowd is more important than anything. When defining the vision and mission statements, it’s imperative to factor in gameplay mechanics and then strike a chord with the development team.

The Talent

If the whole is the sum of its parts, then the team forms the bedrock of the gaming company’s success. A talented team is a versatile team. Each team member must have designated tasks, duties, and responsibilities. This goes for everyone, from the sound engineers to the character creators, game writers, designers, freelance consultants, 3D artists, game programmers, marketing professionals, and the like. Everyone has an important part to play in the game development process. Remember – it’s all about bringing the company’s vision to life.

The Blueprint for Success

More important than anything else, a gaming company can’t exist if it doesn’t have a plan to stay profitable. These companies are in the business of creating an energy-infused product for a discerning gaming audience. Things like legal ownership of characters, storylines, games, software, and other intellectual properties must be written into the blueprint.

The rewards are multifold, including loyal players and a growing audience. When done right, this success translates into quantifiable profits. Therefore, we must define the company’s USP ahead of time. The Unique Selling Proposition indicates why Company A’s games are unique compared to Company B, Company C, and Company D.

Along the way, various considerations must be factored in, including licensing and regulation issues. Sound legal advice is needed for these. Consider the types of companies that can be created, notably sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation (S-Corp. C-Corp), etc. Each type of company has unique value propositions in the form of separation of liability between owner and company with corporations and the tax implications thereof.

The Money Flow

Many indie game developers underestimate the money requirements when starting. It’s important to be flush with cash to cover all eventualities. All funding sources, notably grants, subsidies, crowdfunding, and self-funding, should be considered. Entrepreneurs who believe in their products tend to invest heavily from their funds, with seed capital from other investors if possible. As with any campaign designed to raise money, it should be well managed from the get-go. The goal is to paint a picture of success moving forward, given your existing resources and the potential it can bring to the gaming market.

Marketing Strategy

Even with the best product on the market, nothing will happen if nobody knows about it. That’s where marketing comes into the equation. A well-thought-out marketing strategy is the best way to get there. This comprises many components, notably a professional website, a strong presence on social media, expert-tailored content, and ready, steady, and incisive engagement with gaming communities. Once you are noticed and people start recommending you, your game gathers a life force.

Ready, Steady, Launch!

You can use many different platforms to showcase your new game to the world. These include the Google Play Store, the App Store, Steam, Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and others. There’s no end to the possibilities that await you with a packed online gaming landscape. Remember to keep your finger on the trigger – the pulse of the gaming community – at all times. Marketing campaigns should be coordinated, practical, and designed for maximum exposure. Similarly, it’s crucial to engage with the community across all channels. And even after the launch, post-launch content should be released with updates, patches, and expansions as required.

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