What is the Role of Art for Mobile Games?

By Vedwik
Game Art Outsourcing
Jan 4, 2024 Reading time : 4 min

The mobile gaming industry is gaining more and more popularity every year. And this means that the demand for these games is only growing. So one might wonder: what role do artists play in making a game?

Obviously, this role cannot be overemphasized, as in-game art is the strength of any game, and that is what will most likely attract the player to the game. Visuals are what a new player comes across and is the first impression a game makes. Many games are popular due to beautiful animations and visual effects, so this is a strong selling point. We can say that the “picture” is as important as the game’s story and mechanics.

Are Game Artists in Demand to Create Mobile Games?

Obviously, a game without illustrations won’t have any marketability, which is why any Triple-A game strives to make the best possible design to attract players. As such, artists play a critical role in creating a quality game that can attract a large number of players. Among other things, they are responsible for creating graphics (2D or 3D) for the visual elements of the game, types of characters, colors, textures, objects, lighting, environments, etc. Although this is clearly digital art, traditional drawing plays an important role thanks to special devices.

In general, the artists are responsible for how the game will look, because they are the ones who create the textures and concepts of the levels. Apart from this, they can also work on advertising and website design that will attract even more players.

Depending on the specialization, artists can perform different jobs, although some tasks may require a combination of certain skills. Therefore, digital artists can also learn to combine multiple skills to complete different tasks. There is also one dependence – usually, large studios need highly specialized specialists, and small ones need universal ones, which is quite logical.

Is There Any Point in Game Art Outsource?

Creating a game is a complex process that requires a lot of investment and effort. Especially when it comes to game design. Many companies require good specialists in this area, since creating a game without a team of good artists will not work. In addition, often developers have to work with short time frames, and they need to do everything as quickly as possible without losing quality.

Therefore, many developers, especially at the initial stages of development, resort to outsourcing game art. Game art outsourcing can solve many of the challenges a company may face when developing a game. This will compensate for the lack of resources, time, and qualified personnel. The main thing is to choose a trusted partner with a good reputation because there can be a lot of risks associated with this.

How Does Game Art Outsourcing Work?

If you are a developer who wants to use video game art outsourcing services, then you should know how to do it. Each outsourcing studio works differently, but to find an approach to any of them, you need to follow simple steps:

Search for an Outsourcing Studio.

The first important step is to find a reliable partner. To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the portfolio and reputation of the studio. Video game artwork studios with a good reputation are less likely to engage in dishonest collaboration, while others can easily sell sensitive data to your competitors. Also, don’t forget to review the studio’s work to make sure that the team worked with the style you need.

Request a Project Cost Estimate.

To find out if this or that company suits you, ask for an estimate of the cost of work, the time required, etc. Thus, you can choose the most suitable conditions for you among those offered.

Signing an Agreement.

As soon as you find the right studio and decide to start cooperation with it, you should agree on the details. You need to provide all the necessary specifications and discuss all organizational issues. In the end, you will need to sign the necessary agreements, after which the work will begin.

Production.

At this point, the art team will get to work. You, in turn, as a developer, will be able to give feedback and monitor the progress of work.

Review.

Large studios have their own “quality control” so that all work is done at the proper level. Of course, in any case, you will be able to make changes within the framework of the signed agreement, when both parties agree to this.

The cost of outsourcing game art is determined by the studio and the amount of work. For this reason, the average cost of outsourcing is extremely difficult to say. However, if the amount of work is large enough and the production list contains many 2D and 3D resources, the price can reach $10,000.




Vedwik
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Vedwik

Gaming and Technology Expert