It’s no exaggeration to say that the gaming market is huge. Globally, it is estimated to be worth nearly $200 billion and is expected to reach $340 billion by 2027. Freelance game developer creators played a key part. This is why you should consider hiring one.
How Coronavirus Helped Gaming Grow
Covid lockdowns spurred the availability of fast internet connectivity to help people transition to remote work.
At the same time, people were restricted to fewer social forms of entertainment. Gaming became a readily available diversion where players could keep in touch with friends and family if they wanted.
And gamers now have more choice than before. Where once they were restricted to buying physical games which only work on certain consoles and platforms, now people can access their favourite games in the cloud using their mobile devices, smart TVs, and headsets like Meta’s Oculus Quest.
All these things helped fuel gaming’s recent popularity.
Impact of Gaming on Companies and Culture
The highest-level games, known as AAA titles, can cost hundreds of millions of dollars to produce and promote. Despite this outlay, the returns can be staggering if their games are successful. For example, the Halo franchise, one of gaming’s most popular titles, has sold over 81 million copies and generated over $10 billion in worldwide sales. It is a cornerstone of Microsoft’s Xbox platform and essential to the long-term success of the company. (Gaming now accounts for 11% (and rising) of the corporate behemoth’s income.)
Crucially for Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, and the other big players, games are increasingly part of a wider cultural mix. Part of Halo’s success is that the game has been spun off into a media franchise, incorporating best-selling novels, films, animation, comics, and even a tv show.
All this matters for businesses big and small. Gaming is now considered as much a part of the cultural and social landscape as movies, tv shows, music, and other media.
What to Look for in a Freelancer Game Developer
So, it’s an exciting, and potentially lucrative, time to be involved in the gaming market. But, with that, comes risk. Game development is not cheap, but companies can minimise risk by using freelance game developers. The pandemic forced many developers into remote work. Some found the convenience and flexibility preferable to agency life. As a result, their expertise is now available for hire.
Online hiring platforms help by making the vetting process easier. Often, developers will use them to showcase their skills, experience, and work. This helps companies filter freelancers based on their own requirements. For example, some seek experts based in the same region or time zone. Others look for technical know-how based on their needs, such as the ability to program in Unity 3D, Javascript, C++, or Java. All will look for reliable help, so reading reviews of freelancers’ work and considering their “soft skills” is essential.
With gaming’s popularity assured, there’s never been a better, or easier, time to develop a game.
