Game Art and Development Studio

Briefly About This Report Kevuru Games is an active participant in the gaming industry. We are an outsourcing service provider specializing in various areas: game art, design and development. Our team of professionals helps global companies design and develop games of various sizes and difficulty levels. We are proud to partner with leading companies in the gaming industry who contribute to transformational entertainment projects. With 8+ years in the gamedev world under the belt, we can state that this area changes at the speed of light. For that reason, we decided to highlight the latest trends in the world of game development in order to guide game developers and publishers to the products that are in demand in the market. The gaming industry began about 50 years ago when the first video games were introduced to the first electronic displays. Since that time, many devices and inventions have appeared that correspond to the main achievements of computer technology. In addition, dozens of genres and millions of projects have emerged that affect this area of business. In this material, we’ll bring you a list of the top-selling games and share their success stories. At the same time, the industry is determined by trends that change every year. 2020 is a very special year because of the many changes taking place on the global stage. Some of the most notable trends in the gaming industry are driven by the need to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and global restrictive measures. This made more people addicted to different games. To which ones and how many percent the gaming audience has increased, you will find out in this material prepared by our team. Overall, our analysis is the result of an iterative process in which we analyze the gaming industry at a very detailed level. During this process, we rely on quantifiable / non-quantifiable metrics from a variety of reputable resources to uncover the big picture formed by key players – gamers and game developers / publishers. Use this data to move forward with Kevuru Games! Introduction to the Gaming Industry and Its Development Many advances in computing paved the way for the industry to emerge – the first minicomputers, electronic displays with a pixel or simple 2D graphics, the first generation of game consoles, and more. As time went on, devices got more powerful, games got bigger and more engaging. Game enthusiasts have driven the movement towards the best software solutions, better graphics, better sound, and more advanced technology that we know and use today. As a result, it has developed from a small market to a mainstream market with an average growth rate of 9% per year (according to the Entertainment Software Association (usually abbreviated as ESA) annual reports and other authoritative materials). The global gaming market is estimated at $151.55 billion in 2019. Revenue is expected to reach $256.97 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 9.17% over the forecast period (2020-2025). But what about 2020, a year that brought us unpredictable challenges? As stated in a recent report by Newzoo, the global gaming market is likely to generate $159.3 billion in revenue in 2020. This will be a 9.3% annual growth. It can be concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic may have only hastened the emergence of a potential new gaming audience as more people than ever before are using games for communication and entertainment. We can say that when game enthusiasts lined up to implement and use new project ideas, a $150 billion industry officially began. The success of a game depends on many factors – like the authority of the developers and the publisher, the success of other studio projects, marketing, the season, competition with other games of the same genre. Today it is an industry that is attracting not only more and more users, but also more developers and publishers. Even though the world’s top five game publishers include Tencent Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Apple, Microsoft, Nintendo, everyone has a lot of chances to succeed in this area and enter the market with a valuable product. As Halfbrick Studios once did it with Fruit Ninja, or Minecraft by Mojang Studios. This is harder to get to top these days, but some studios are often made up of developers who have left a big publisher and gone on an independent journey. This does not mean that only these developers will be able to succeed in this venture. Currently, a global talent pool is available for collaboration and the creation of world-famous projects. Kevuru Games is working on gaming projects to improve the player experience today Our dedicated team provides expert game design and development support. We cover all stages of game development – from highly-detailed concepts to animated 3D characters, complete game environments, interactive user interfaces and other elements that make a game project stand out in the market. OUR OUTSOURCING SERVICES In a game studio, as in any company, there are different departments. The number of these departments primarily depends on the size of the studio or the amount of work on the project or projects. The development team traditionally consists of game designers, artists, developers, game producers, programmers, art directors, project managers, and so on. The market and huge project funding allow you to create games with stunningly complex graphics, attract hundreds of thousands of people to develop a project and, in the same way, bring pleasure to the end user – the player. As the industry is going through what is arguably its most unpredictable year, we’ve put together ideas to shed light on what might lie ahead, focusing on what’s important to gamers and how to succeed in the current marketplace. Who Are Modern Gamers? To better understand the gaming industry and its trends in 2020, we suggest studying its audience – who are modern gamers? We’ve taken into account – 2020 Essential Facts About the Video Game Industry by the ESA – to create you the big picture of the industry and its audience. Not so long ago, the gaming audience could be described in a simple sentence – a separate part of society, consisting mainly of children and teenagers. Since then, schoolchildren have grown, and technology has reached such a level of development that now more and more adults get addicted to games. Yes, millennials are still the dominant category of gamers (48%), but there are also adults ready to play all day – on mobile, tablet or console. There is an aging (maturation) of the gaming audience: they only grow, but continue to play. The above stats are based on the number of active gamers worldwide taken from Statista from 2015 to 2023. Besides, other research materials are taken into account – by GlobalWebIndex, Newzoo, ESA, etc. According to Newzoo, the number of players worldwide continues to grow and will exceed 3 billion by 2023. This proves the fact that player engagement is also increasing on average, doubling every 5 years. This means that players are eager to come back and play the game over and over again. There are highly engaged players who indicate that they spend at least 15 hours per week playing on PC, mobile phone or console. Today, gamers make up 37% of global internet users in 2020. This means that every 4 in 10 Internet users are gamers, that is, those who are interested in games and play games. Thus, game developers and publishers have a large audience for which they can create new products or re-publish old games (more about this trend later). The Asia-Pacific region has a large number of gamers – 1,447 million of those who play games. This is 54% of the global community of gamers. No wonder that this region is among the leaders who spends the most money on games: it accounts for 49% of the global gaming market share with a large share of revenue in China – $40,854 million. However, it is not surprising, because it is the most populous region in the world. However, if we take the countries, the leaders in terms of revenue are again the United States: here the revenue from games reaches $ 36.9 billion. We can see that among the 2.7 billion players worldwide, 63% of the players are men, compared to 37% are women. This means that women don’t get left behind games – they are active players who can set trends in future products. Here, all the hope is for the developers who will release a decent game. There is a great tendency to adapt modern games to the end consumer. That is why more and more developers tend to create games with the ability to “control” a female character, separating purely feminine storylines, equipment and weapons. Modern game content is gradually being filled with everything necessary for a girl to play serious male games. The salvation of the world, albeit a virtual one, is very popular with girls. Direct and indirect trends are fundamentally changing the gaming audience. Take, for example, the gamification of the processes around us – in business, education, training, marketing, etc. Games are a new tool in many fields, so they are not designed exclusively for computer geeks. Let’s get to know all the latest trends in the gaming industry, keeping the finger on the pulse of all existing and potential players! The Latest Trends in the Gaming Industry: Top 10 1. The Return of Game Consoles With Major Upgrades and a Wide Lineup of New Games Microsoft and Sony plan to release new flagship consoles by the end of 2020. It will be the next generation of home consoles with an updated look and technical characteristics. So, hits will be released almost one after another for the army of game console fans. Consoles are among the most popular devices for gaming as well as other activities, especially among players around the world between the ages of 25 and 34. In the current generation of consoles, Sony’s PlayStation 4 significantly outperforms the Xbox One in sales, with 113.16 million units sold by Sony worldwide. 2. Re-Release of Old Games and Remastered Versions With New Hd Features and Other Capabilities At the presentation of games for PS5, Sony announced a remake of Demon’s Souls. This is a re-release of the very first Bandai Namco Souls Series that originally came out exclusively on the PlayStation 3 in 2009. Updated graphics, improved visual effects and many other various fixes and improvements await players. And there are more and more such releases every month. Projects like Homeworld Remastered Collection or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered are good examples. Most likely, most gamedev companies will continue the nostalgic trend. What is also remarkable about these remakes of games is that nostalgia is one of the fundamental triggers for millennials to play games. 3. Increased Demand for Cloud-Based Games It is a type of online game that is accessible through a ubiquitous and convenient network, meaning it can be hosted on a company server rather than on a player’s computer or device. For this reason, they are sometimes called games on demand or games as a service. As a result, cloud gaming is overcoming the technical and financial constraints that many users face today as new technologies and technical requirements emerge. Every year, computer games are becoming more demanding: to play comfortably with the maximum graphics settings, you will have to pay a big sum for a computer or any other gaming platform. The global cloud gaming market is expected to grow from $0.16 billion in 2019 to $3.23 billion by 2023. 4. Gradual Transition From a One-Time Transaction to a Subscription Service One of the success factors for the gaming industry in 2020 is associated with a significant change in the business model. Most game providers have moved from a one-time purchase model to a regular stream of revenue from EA Play, PlayStation Now, Xbox Game Pass, and other game subscription services. If earlier monetization in the game consisted of selling characters, weapons, expansion packs and many other virtual items, today it is more profitable for many to play them for a nominal monthly fee. This is because today’s consumers are buying fewer games than they used to. What’s more, gamers who pay to subscribe spend about 45% more on games than non-subscribers. 5. Mobile Gaming Boom in a New Genre Known as Hybrid-Casual Games All gaming segments saw an increase in engagement and revenue as a result of the COVID-19 measures, but the largest growth was in mobile gaming. Overall, mobile gaming revenue in 2020 will amount to $77.2 billion, up 13.3% from a year earlier. A fairly significant part of it comes from casual games. In the general mobile gaming arena, 2018 and 2019 were the years of hyper-casual games, but hybrid-casual games took over in 2020, according to the Newzoo Global Mobile Market Report 2020. They combine elements of gameplay and monetization from both hyper-casual and mainstream genres such as action-based role-playing games (ARPGs) and deck builders. 6. The Arrival of Big Game Titles in Mobile Gaming It seems, 2020 is not inferior to the previous year – there are spin-offs of major series, and games from the creators of top console and PC games. AAA game publishers are increasingly looking at mobile phones as a way to reach new audiences, as evidenced by the release of Call of Duty Mobile and Riot’s announcement that the mobile and console versions of League of Legends will appear on iOS and Android in 2020. These and many other AAA games have their own separate mobile versions that don’t have much in common with the PC and console versions of these games. Instead, they are suitable for playing on touchscreens and on the go, and in many cases are a great replacement for AAA games that can be played anywhere, anytime. 7. Esports Is Reaching a New Level – Significant Competitiveness, Investments and Mobile Audience Growth The Newzoo Global Esports Market Report 2020 shows significant revenues in this area – $1.1 billion, an increase of + 15.7% year on year. Most of this revenue (74.8%) will come from sponsorship and media rights, amounting to $822.4 million, up 17.2% from last year. Globally, the total eSports audience will grow to 495.0 million people in 2020, up 11.7% over the same period last year. The key driver in this area is the growth of the audience, especially the mobile one. The explosion of mobile esports is also seen among the latest trends, along with the growing popularity of mobile gaming in general. 8. Live Game Streaming Catches on in a Big Way These days, games are not only played, but also watched with great interest. Twitch and YouTube are literally bursting at the seams with an abundance of streamers and their viewers. Today, the number of monthly Twitch streamers exceeds 7 million, this year users are watching over 803 billion minutes. And YouTube, not wanting to share fame with Twitсh, is actively promoting its service for game broadcasts YouTube Gaming. Therefore, most are leaning towards releasing a game that is enjoyable to watch, rather than just playing. For example, Mark Zuckerberg recently announced a gaming app that lets users watch and create gaming-focused live streams on the famous Facebook. 9. Cloud Is the Most Promising End-to-End Technology in the Video Game Industry Periods of high demand for online entertainment due to forced self-isolation or other factors, including new releases, promotions, and seasonality, always return gaming companies to the challenges of a high-performance, reliable and extremely flexible infrastructure. In this case, no one can deny the benefits of cloud infrastructure. Most gaming providers are actively using the cloud to solve everyday tasks and speed up most development processes, as well as work with high loads and traffic peaks. For example, Wargaming, the global leader in the multiplayer gaming market, has accelerated the development and testing of its products with the help of clouds. 10. The Demand for VR/AR Continues and Will Continue to Grow in Gaming The demand for VR/AR continues and will continue to grow in gamingVR and AR continue to blur the boundaries between reality and the virtual world more due to technological advances. The global AR and VR gaming user base is expected to grow to 216 million users by 2025. 2020 is drawing even more attention to the virtual reality industry due to the COVID-19 outbreak and to this day delivers a stable CAGR of 30%. For example, the popular Minecraft sandbox video game has made an update that allows it to be played with a PlayStation VR headset. Pokémon Go remains the AR industry’s biggest success story, earning more than $3 billion. The greatest introduction of VR or AR technologies is expected among the developers of various simulations. There is always a lot of innovation and trends in the gaming industry as video game companies are constantly looking for new ways to attract and retain customers. Competition for players is growing, and some new products and services are starting to gain momentum. There are games whose popularity seems to be forever like Minecraft, League of Legends or Counter-Strike. There are fashionable novelties that break stereotypes and overthrow recognized authorities, and over time they themselves become classics and set trends. Every year, new gaming trends emerge that developers and publishers chase to maximize profits and cash in on the popular. And even if 2020 is not easy for most industries, many continue or are just starting to play and discover new things in the gaming world. The List of Best-Selling Games in 2020 The gaming year 2020 is slightly different from the previous ones. First, this is a year of platform updates – the launch of Sony’s new PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X, as well as the first games for these consoles will go on sale this fall. Secondly, the record number of 2019 releases was postponed to 2020, so the list of interesting projects this time turned out to be especially long and varied. Tastes differ – someone is waiting for an AAA shooter, someone – an indie adventure, turn-based strategy or a remake of a game from 20 years ago. They all will find something to play this year. And if there is no dispute about tastes, sales are still counted, and the numbers may indicate the popularity of a particular game. Let’s take a look at the most popular names for the first half of 2020. Minecraft Dungeons – One of Spin-off Games Booming in Sales in 2020 This action / adventure role-playing video game is able to captivate players for a long time, as Minecraft once did. Minecraft is still incredibly popular with sales peaking at $200 million and 126 million gamers per month. As a reminder, Minecraft Dungeons is a spin-off of the popular sandbox game Minecraft from the Swedish game development studio, Mojang. In this game, players have to hunt for treasures and confront dangerous monsters in a team of up to four people. Each level will differ from the previous one in the camera angle, the location of some paths and buildings, as well as the number of secrets and chests. The game received mixed reviews. Many found the game fun and engaging, and its visuals and music are highly appreciated. However, some elements, such as simple gameplay, procedural generation, and short storytelling, generated more controversy. Minecraft Dungeons – Game Reviews Taken from Minecraft Dungeons Review by IGN (short for the former name Imagine Games Network). “Minecraft Dungeons is basically Diablo with a Minecraft skin. Sure, it doesn’t mine the same mechanical depths as Diablo, and plays it safe with the formula instead of blazing its own path with bold Minecraft-inspired ideas, but it has all the fun combat, and loot it needs, and it’s accessible to just about anyone. MLB: The Show 20 – One of the Fastest-Selling Game in the History of the Baseball Franchise in 2020 MLB: The Show 20 is a sports baseball video game where players are split into two teams and take turns batting and fielding. In general, the gameplay is built according to the rules of real baseball. The virtual variation of baseball has simplified rules of the game. It focuses on the accuracy of throwing and hitting the ball. Players from the offensive team (batting team) must calculate the strength of the blows using a special scale, which must be stopped in time. At the same time, players can jump to the sides, jump when falling and accelerate. Winners are determined by counting the points earned for an action. Generally speaking, despite all the exciting elements in the gameplay, graphics, MLB: The Show 20 remains a game exclusively for those who are already into baseball. MLB: The Show has been around since 2006, so it had time to grow its fan base and grew in popularity. MLB The Show 20 took the best debut recording of its direct predecessor, MLB The Show 19. MLB: The Show 20 – Game Reviews Taken from MLB The Show 20 Review by Game Informer. “MLB The Show 20 mainly nails its core gameplay, and its many modes deliver compelling experiences. It’s not the best the series could be, but it makes you hold your breath in that moment before a crucial pitch or swing of the bat – a moment I love living in. Animal Crossing: New Horizons – The Game Sales of Which Skyrocketed During the Lockdown MLB: The Show 20 is a sports baseball video game where players are split into two teams and take turns batting and fielding. In general, the gameplay is built according to the rules of real baseball. The virtual variation of baseball has simplified rules of the game. It focuses on the accuracy of throwing and hitting the ball. Players from the offensive team (batting team) must calculate the strength of the blows using a special scale, which must be stopped in time. At the same time, players can jump to the sides, jump when falling and accelerate. Winners are determined by counting the points earned for an action. New Horizons has been destined for success since its announcement. What if you are locked at home during a pandemic? Right, the majority chose to play this game. Animal Crossing: New Horizon is a game where players live on an island with anthropomorphic creatures and complete quests to make money. It was a runaway success during the pandemic, attracting people looking for escape and alternative ways to communicate. Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Game Reviews Taken from Animal Crossing: New Horizons Reviews at Metacritic. “Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the perfect getaway from daily life, putting players in a serene world where the only thing that matters is catching fish and arranging furniture. Its crafting system creates a sense of ownership over the island while also doubling as a creative outlet. It’s an absolutely delightful and refreshing experience. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – One of the Best-Selling PC Games in 2020 Even though this first person shooter was released in 2019, it is still gaining popularity in 2020. Modern Warfare also benefits from increased player engagement due to the need to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company said Modern Warfare has sold more copies and has more players online than any previous Call of Duty game in the same time frame. Net revenue for the quarter ended June was $1.92 billion and monthly active users were 428 million. The game is a relaunch of the Modern Warfare sub-series, and it is not a direct sequel to Modern Warfare 3. Call of Duty has always been about spectacular gunfire and other impressive visuals, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is no exception. If you watch how the series works, how the developers present shootouts and create level designs, you will be pleasantly surprised. There are always impressive episodes to keep the players entertained. No shooter series in the world has managed to achieve the same quality of directing, voice acting and production that you will see in Modern Warfare. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – Game Reviews Taken from a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Review by The Guardian. “It’s fun and it’s really well made. Modern Warfare looks astonishing, from the almost photorealistic cinematic sequences to the intricately detailed in-game environments: the desert towns, the city streets, the remote villas. Sometimes you just have to stop and admire the orange glint of the sun off a burned-out vehicle. Legends of Runeterra – One of the Best-Selling Mobile Games in 2020 In October 2019, Riot Games announced several new projects at once, including Legends of Runeterra. This collectible card game (CCG) originated from the world-famous League of Legends. While Legends of Runeterra is tied to the League of Legends universe, players don’t need to be familiar with the original game. This product can boast several interesting ideas, thanks to which its gameplay seems fresh against the background of competitors. The game has a huge number of mechanics, both familiar from other CCGs (for example, “choosing the enemy”), and unusual. For example, “Depth”, when triggered, if there are 15 cards left in the deck, creatures with this perk will receive additional bonuses to your stats. The visual part of the game deserves special praise. The smooth animation of characters and objects, detailed 2D art create a lively atmosphere while playing this game. Experienced players will see familiar characters from League of Legends, build an unbeatable deck, fight opponents in colorful arenas and earn many rewards. They all will experience dynamic battles with many options for the development of events. Legends of Runeterra – Game Reviews Taken from the Legends of Runeterra Review by IGN. “The ability to respond immediately is foundational in Legends of Runeterra; its gameplay is intended to be like a conversation between the players, full of exchanges and interjections, as opposed to a debate of dueling speeches. Control can go back and forth many times within a single round as each player gets the chance to counter their opponent’s actions. The COVID-19 Impact on the Gaming Industry It is worth noting that the period from spring 2020 has become a real boom for the gaming industry. The coronavirus pandemic played a role in this, tying everyone to the house. Unsurprisingly, most people have brightened up their self-isolation with computer and mobile games. This is evidenced by the fact that game downloads have increased markedly over this period. Just for thought – 15.2 billion mobile games were downloaded in both app stores – the Apple App Store and Google Play in Q2 2020. Revenue growth (CAGR 2020-2025) is expected to be 2.8%, resulting in a projected market size of $19,097 million by 2025. Along with younger users, older people are also showing interest in games, which is considered another reason for the increased demand for games during the COVID-19 pandemic. People aged 55-64 play mental stimulation games as highlighted in the ESA’s 2020 Essential Facts About the Video Game Industry report. So, the COVID-19 pandemic is opening up additional opportunities for game providers. The main thing is to navigate the rapidly developing gaming industry, its technologies and at the same time in the global entertainment sector in order to offer the most popular products and satisfy the basic needs and desires of the gaming audience. Competition in the global gaming market is extremely high, and companies are forced to look for innovative tools and technologies in order to offer their customers the most convenient platform. The developers of game content face a difficult task – to create a unique and modern solution that will be interesting to fans of games of different age categories. As for the key trends determining the development of the global gaming industry in 2020, first of all, it is necessary to note top tricks used to meet the consumer demands: game development on popular platforms with cloud and VR support, impressive graphic design, artificial intelligence, etc. In conditions of isolation, games have been actively integrated into social networks. In this way, they themselves become a kind of social network to keep in touch with others. By the way, with the spread of Сovid-19, the popularity of eSports has only grown, but at a different level. Now esports tournaments are full-fledged championships held entirely in the virtual world. It is possible to even say that the border between the virtual and the real world has disappeared thanks to online streaming of gameplay. In countries with closed borders, in empty cities, virtual life is in full swing. At the same time, the pandemic has become a challenge for the largest market players, confusing their plans. So, in April, it became known that Sony, due to difficulties with logistics, postponed the release of one of the most anticipated games – The Last of Us: Part II. In May, one of Ubisoft’s largest developers and distributors also warned that COVID-19 would delay the release of one of its high-budget games. Another significant change caused by the pandemic is that most developers have to master new formats of work – remote. According to the GDC’s 2020 State of the Game Industry Report, 70% of game developers have been forced to move to work from home. However, many gamedev companies have practiced remote work, hiring programmers around the world – in that sense, little has changed for them. Thus, the gaming market is more likely to outlast a pandemic than any other, such as the film industry or tourism. The audience growth will play into the hands of most gaming providers (if only they understand the big picture of the market with all its key trends). So, let’s move on to the main factors for the success of the gaming market that need to be considered in 2020. The Main Factors of Success in the Gaming Market Today In modern conditions, the competition for the attention of players is very high. But is quality always important to guarantee the success of a game? Is the popularity of game titles or the credibility of developers or publishers in the marketplace the only determinant of high sales? Of course, success depends on many factors: marketing campaigns, ad quality, product features, target audience, release time and many more. Among the large number of developers, everyone hopes that their next game will receive high recognition and become multi-million dollar income. However, few are destined to reach the level of Fortnite, Minecraft or Angry Birds. The success enjoyed by these particular games is far from accidental. What makes one game rank among the most grossing games while the other has a hard time chasing fans? Based on the list of the best-selling games of 2020, the following success factors can be highlighted: Success Factor #1. Game Development in the Most Popular Genres In 2020, 2.7 billion gamers continue to play games of all genres – from board and card games to simulation and strategy. One of the success factors for most game developers is the variety of genres in which they can create a game. There are dozens of game genres, and if you take into account the subcategories and mixed genres, then hundreds. Moreover, between 2019-2020, due to the isolation caused by the coronavirus outbreak, people are looking for new ways of entertainment in new genres such as hyper-casual games or battle royale games. Here you are top 5 genres popular in 2020. The question arises, what genres of games are popular today? It is important for current and future game developers to get a path of movement. So let’s talk about the most popular genres of games this year that are unlikely to leave positions in 2021. Everyone can find the game according to the mood, preferences, and experience of players. Success Factor #2. Correctly Chosen Platforms for the Game There is no one 100% perfect machine that would do absolutely everything that is required in the gaming world. While PC games can perform some tasks better than console games and vice versa, each will always have its own pros and cons. But you can approach the game development process more intelligently, take the following considerations into account for each platform, and choose the most appropriate one based on your needs and goals. The most successful gaming companies in the long run don’t just grab the attention of their audiences with games on the same platform in demand today. They create a stable game that works across platforms to appeal to different audiences. If you take another look at the list of top-selling games of 2020 above, you will notice this trend – most of them are released on different platforms. Success Factor #3. Beautiful Style and Atmospheric Graphic Design Games have always been a lucrative segment of the entertainment market, so more and more developers are active, constantly releasing new products with updated design elements. Therefore, the appearance of original, bright, colorful and quite realistic designs is not surprising. Indeed, we’ve come a long way since the days of basic 8-bit graphics in games. Recent advancements now allow gamers to experience games in fully rendered worlds with photorealistic textures. The ability to enhance gameplay with higher image quality makes players feel like they are in the game. A number of games can be distinguished with the beauty of the surrounding world and the visual component and give out a vivid picture. At the same time, most of them are engaged in creating a minimalist and simple design for games. Computer games are built around software, visuals, and storytelling. Graphic designers creates whatever the user sees on the screen. They work on a virtual world with levels, interfaces, characters, environments, animations, graphic elements and special effects. All these components create an overall unique artistic atmosphere and add mood to the game. Visuals that resonate with your audience are more than detailed graphics. It must be attractive and meaningful to the players. In practice, the general aesthetics of popular games include both specific design and general artistic intent. Remember that game design and art should complement each other. For example, most fans of real-time strategies or shooters may not like cute animal units. To determine the visual direction of their future project, many take into account the peculiarities of the chosen genre, the style of their closest competitors. At this stage, it is important to create a mood board to be able to convey the general mood and colors of the stylistics. When choosing colors, do not neglect the tastes and preferences of your target audience and platform features. For example, clean and positive colors are suitable for mobile games that are aimed at a more casual audience, and for PC and consoles, you can choose more harsh shades. Success Factor #4. Replay Value Game developers don’t want players to just download or play their game once; they want the game to be played over and over and over. Yes, that’s right, many are pursuing the goal of developing a game that is played as much as possible. Long-term engagement creates loyalty, which is the best way to gain a competitive edge. In order to make a game that gamers constantly want to play, you can go in two directions: so that the game cannot end quickly, or so that with each playthrough, there are some features that significantly change the gaming experience. Instead of giving players a full game, most developers divide it into episodes (series) and release it piece by piece. In fact, the game is not cut, because there is nothing to cut. The creation of such a game takes place in real time, and the first episode can be released long before the project comes to an end. Aside from these common ways to add value to play, most of them apply to other ways – let’s see which ones. Ways to Ensure Replay Value Implementation Quality Wealth of Game Scenarios Extra Details Follow the set of points that distinguish a good game from a bad one: successful gameplay design, intense plot, well-thought-out level design with challenging tasks, high-quality traced graphics, relevant music, etc. Create a well-balanced gameplay that does not limit freedom to one or two choices; Provide the ability to run the game with different initial conditions; Work on a non-linear storyline with different options for passing the game; Create an open game world without being limited by rigid plot lines Provide endless development of the game with blocked content unlocked after completing a level; Create competitive value in multiplayer games; Focus on team collaboration to make a game an effective communication tool during isolation; Don’t forget about regular updates, additions to games, catalogs, modifications Success Factor #5. The Development Team Working at Full Strength A well-equipped workforce strengthens your business. Given that the gaming sector relies heavily on super-specialized skills and knowledge renewal, it’s worth investing a significant chunk of your time building a stellar team. Game development can be done either by one person or by a full development team. However, while in the early 1980s, with the advent of the first home computers and game consoles, a single programmer could manage almost all the tasks associated with game development, modern game development requires a wide range of skills and support staff. To work on one project requires entire teams, which usually include representatives of different specializations. Who are these experts who are developing games today? As you can see, each specialist is involved in a different aspect of game development. Designers formulate key ideas. Artists paint characters, environments, and other game objects. Programmers implement game mechanics, etc. Each specialist must fill the game with meaning. To develop a game, you need at least a team of a game designer and programmer. All other pros are overkill for indie developers. But for large game studios, it is imperative to hire a full team of game development experts. To sum up, most long-lasting games combine compelling visual design, initial appeal to target audiences, revamped gameplay and a user-friendly revenue model, and leveraging social marketing channels effectively. The Battle Continues: Who Will Be the Next Industry Leader? While the fate of a game is largely determined by its type, style, and many other factors, today’s teams, with a consistent effort, try to attract users using special tools, technology and data available. Hopefully, reading this material wasn’t a waste of time for you. Moreover, you get competitive information which you can use for your own business goals and needs. We kindly ask you not to take the presented data for granted. Our task is to analyze the key trends in the gaming market and present the most likely forecast of potential leaders in the industry. Game development has become incredibly challenging due to the rapid changes in gaming technologies such as platforms, engines, virtual and augmented reality, high-definition displays, wearable electronics, the cloud, etc. It’s an ongoing battle as thousands of games compete for the attention of players. One gets the impression that it is more profitable to release another FIFA or endless Assassin’s Creed than to risk and bet on a really worthwhile project that the audience may not understand and appreciate. … but the winners find and use their ‘sweet’ spots in the market. So, who will be the next leaders in the gaming industry? Let’s forecast together based on the data presented! It can be very difficult for someone “outside” to get into the “production hell” of the industry, because even the teams that are “inside” find it difficult to develop and release their own game. There are enough interesting ideas and scenarios, but often either there are no resources for their implementation, or the project is “frozen” until better times due to too bold ideas and approaches. And better times may never come. So, there are only two ways to get into the world of game development: dive right into the abyss or take a long look and ask questions – “what will make my product outstanding?”, “who will earn the reputation of leaders in the market and why?” and so on. We’ve already presented you the list of success factors above. Now, let’s sum up – who will be the future leaders? Future leaders will be those who will: Find an idea that is valuable to the target audience based on their tastes and preferences Assemble a full team of qualified experts to implement this idea on a professional level “Attack” the gaming market with the competitive advantage and long-term benefits of products and services Kevuru Games is a leading European art and game design company, creating cutting edge entertainment experiences for clients around the world – FoxNext, Epic Games, EA and others. We are proud to partner with leading companies in the gaming industry and are ready to help become the leaders of the gaming world. Please read our website carefully or contact us for more information about our services. Create beyond the limits with Kevuru Games!

What is a fair price to pay for concept art in today’s high tech world where there are many digital resources available to create it? What influences the cost of concept art and how do you find the offer that works best for your project? Concept art can be underestimated, and vice versa, overestimated. Some people think that concept creation is not as difficult as artists describe, while others pay higher prices to get concept work done according to proper standards and specific requirements. In fact, prices really differ from company to company, from artist to artist, but there are significant factors affecting the final cost of concept art. What determines the concept art pricing and how to estimate the project budget is described in this article. Keep reading to find answers to all your questions. Components of Concept Art Pricing Concept art is an important stage – be it in a game, animation, cartoon, or any other video production project. You need concepts, that is, detailed visualizations of ideas for further steps in design. They are used by designers, modelers, animators to get started and make them workable in every single project. Everything you see in video games or cartoons is initially created by a concept artist. These are characters, their weapons and vehicles, clothes they wear, buildings where they run in, and other elements that make up the big picture of the scenery you are looking at. This work concerns the general style, and stylization of all visual elements, materials, and so on. This is a blacksmith, a 2D character that our team worked on from scratch for one of the projects. It took about 40 hours to create an overall design for this character with details that fully reveal this personality. You can find more works in our portfolio. There are specific factors that affect concept art prices: Project complexity. Almost no project in concept art can be considered simple because it is quite difficult to create original ideas for future design. This process takes a lot of effort and creativity to come up with something really valuable before settling on the final design. Some projects come with stringent requirements, specifications, and other demands that may complicate the task of creating concepts. Complex projects take more amount of time, imagination, and skill to complete. For example, creating concepts for 3D models is more difficult than 2D concepts as all of them must be depicted with all elements displayed from all sides. The prices will correspond to each degree of difficulty. The detail level. This is a crucial point when it comes to the time to charge the price of a final product. The logical conclusion that suggests itself – the more details are included, the higher the prices will be. It may happen that modelers or designers need a lot of additional details such as clothing, textures, materials, tones, props and other assets. It is better to create them during the concept phase, which can greatly facilitate their work later in production. In addition, poses also refer to additional detail that concept artists can develop for animation. For example, the character must be in a “combat” position using magic or firing a pistol. It will be a detailed concept creation process that will cost you accordingly. Scope of work. It’s one thing to work on character designs with appropriate references or already created characters in the same style. It’s another matter to develop an entire project with many characters, environments, and other assets from scratch. It is worth noting that concept requirements differ from industry to industry. More work is often done on in-game concepts because the game offers a character, location or weapon view beyond screen time. In films, cartoons or any other animated video, the result of painstaking work by an artist can take no more than a dozen frames. Time frames. Usually, it takes 50-80 hours to create a detailed concept (but again, depending on many conditions – complexity, level of detail, etc.) In theory, all this can be done by one specialist within a reasonable timeframe. You can expect the final product sooner, but be prepared to pay more for urgency. Time is money. During certain phases of work, concept artists need to be quick without being distracted by detail. They need to effectively communicate ideas and moods in as short a time as possible. Since this requires a tremendous amount of knowledge and skills, you can hire the most experienced artists at higher prices than those charged by juniors. So we are approaching the team and its composition. Team and its skill level. There is a widespread belief that artists are endowed with almost divine power, they just need to wave a stylus and then magically create valuable concepts out of nothing, but this is deceiving. Of course, artists must be talented, but at the same time experienced. Although there are geniuses in our world, artists have to work hard to get the most out of CAD experience. As with many industries, art and design experts are also keeping up with the tendency to improve their skills. So, your goal is to find a skilled expert who suits your requirements. Senior specialists with their higher rates are not always involved in projects, except for AAA. That’s right, they can perform most tasks without any supervision. But most projects have an art director who still leads the team based on a single artistic vision. Junior and mid-level professionals also handle most tasks with complete dedication and professional experience. How to Calculate the Cost of Concept Art? Typically, to calculate the cost of concept art, you need to figure out the concept artist’s hourly rate and multiply it by the hours it takes to complete the job. When you need a wide range of concepts, you hire more specialists. So don’t forget to multiply the amount of money by the number of specialists required for the project. And of course, don’t neglect some additional factors – complexity, level of detail, style, etc. The more requirements for the concept, the more money you will pay for the final illustration. Rate x Hours = … $ (Rate x Hours) x Number of Specialists = … $ Concept + Details = … $ Concept artists’ rates are different. Someone works as a freelance and sets rates they find fair. By the way, if you’re interested in the concept art pricing guide – how to negotiate better rates of pay, click here to get familiar with 15 ways to negotiate better rates of pay. Basically, concept artist’s rates like the rates of any other specialists depend on years of experience, skill level, qualifications, the reputation of the artist, as well as where he/she is from. Let’s dwell on the main factor of different rates – location. American or Canadian artists set higher rates than in Europe, especially in Eastern Europe. If you look at the table below, you can see the average hourly rates around the world. And knowing these numbers, you can quickly estimate the cost of a project by multiplying the rate by the number of hours required to implement the concept. Concept Artists’ Rates Around the World CountryRate, $/hr USA $100 – $149 / hr UK $50 – $99 / hr Germany $50 – $99 / hr Ukraine $25 – $49 / hr As you can see, the final cost of the concept art will vary significantly from country to country. This is due to many external factors – economic paradigm, living standards, etc. And this does not mean that concept artists in Ukraine are less qualified than in the UK. For example, Epic Games relied on our team of concept artists to work out new engaging players for the world-famous game – Fortnite. Read more information about this case study in our blog – Character Concepts that Rocked Fortnite Players. Well, How to Select the Best Concept Artists? Among all possible selection criteria, pay attention to the reputation of the art studio or artist you are hiring. Focus on the complexity of the work, the quality, and the time frame you set, and find out if a potential candidate will be able to meet all the requirements. Study the portfolio in detail – whether the style matches the setting of your game. If you are creating a sci-fi world, and the artist’s portfolio has a noticeable preponderance towards cartoony concepts, it probably does not suit you. Keep in mind that concept art is a fairly broad branch of CG. Within the gaming industry alone, there are many areas where concept artists are needed, from icons in free-to-play games to characters in big-budget third-person action games. You just need to find a reliable partner in this endeavor. Kevuru Games are at your service to realize projects you plan.

The topic of monopolization, which has never lost its relevance, has sparkled with new colors in the light of the freshest confrontation between Epic Games and Apple. What happened, how it affects the market, what fate awaits the parties to these proceedings, and whether the iOS kingdom will be able to maintain its isolation from the entire technological world – let’s figure it out. What Is the Matter? On August 14, 2020, video game company Epic Games filed a lawsuit against Apple technology corporation. The reason was the blocking of one of the most famous games from Epic Games, Fortnite, in App Store. The 62-page complaint filed on the day the game was banned contains allegations of antitrust and freedom of competition violations, and demands that Apple’s restrictive terms be revised. What Is the Reason for Banning Fortnite? According to the official App Store rules, all payments must go through the App Store payment system, for which a 30% commission is charged. Disagreeing with this state of affairs, Epic Games released a Fortnite update on August 13, which provides for the alternative method of in-game purchases. It’s about reducing prices for in-game currency V-bucks and the possibility of purchasing them through the Epic Direct system. By using it and bypassing App Store rules, players could purchase skins and in-game items with a 20% discount. Apple reacted quickly: Fortnite was completely removed from App Store. The already installed game will continue to function, but will no longer be able to update. And now it is not possible to download the game for new players. Apple’s statement“Epic enabled a feature in its app which was not reviewed or approved by Apple, and they did so with the express intent of violating the App Store guidelines regarding in-app payments that apply to every developer who sells digital goods or services. We will make every effort to work with Epic to resolve these violations so they can return Fortnite to the App Store. Google’s Reaction Google followed Apple’s lead by removing Fortnite from the Play Store. However, unlike Apple, Android users can install the game from other sources. Google’s statement “While Fortnite remains available on Android, we can no longer make it available on Play because it violates our policies. However, we welcome the opportunity to continue our discussions with Epic and bring Fortnite back to Google Play. Monopolist Territory: Play for High Stakes Accusations against monopolists arise every year. Tech giants like Amazon and Apple are often accused of damaging competition, tax evasion, undermining democracy and breaching privacy. Companies cooperating with monopolies are faced with the problem of a complete lack of alternatives: they become dependent on the conditions of the monopolists and are forced to pay all imposed commissions in order to stay afloat and promote their business. As a company directly involved in the video games industry, Kevuru Games is opposed to monopolization of any kind. Instead of a fruitful partnership, this form of cooperation turns into outright extortion, damaging small and medium-sized businesses. And the tougher the conditions, the more colossal the damage. Consequently, there is a chance that there will be even more companies dissatisfied with monopolization. And they will look for alternative ways of business development. Increased taxation, the introduction of new regulations and antitrust investigations are the first steps in establishing the global economic balance. And we fully support these initiatives. What’s Next for Epic Games? The creator of Fortnite strongly disagrees with Apple’s actions. From their point of view, Apple is abusing its power over iPhone users and restricting them in everything from the inability to install applications and games from third-party sources to the limitation of the only possible payment system. The overly restrictive App Store moderation rules have also always been the subject of bitter controversy and discussion. Epic Games created a special page where it explained to the players the essence of what was happening in detail. The hashtag #FreeFortnite is extremely popular on Twitter right now. Epic’s statement“Apple’s removal of Fortnite is yet another example of Apple flexing its enormous power in order to impose unreasonable restraints and unlawfully maintain its 100% monopoly over the market for in-app payments on iPhones. As for the prospects, it definitely succeeded to draw attention to the issue of monopolization. Many large companies have spoken out in support of Epic Games: Facebook, Spotify, Telegram, BaseCamp, Netflix, ClassPass, Airbnb, Match Group and others. Fiji Simo, the head of Facebook’s main app, said they had asked Apple to cut a 30% fee or allow using Facebook Pay to cover the costs of businesses struggling during COVID-19, but were refused. In March 2019, the streaming music service Spotify filed a complaint against Apple with the EU Antitrust Commission regarding the same notorious 30% commission for user purchases through the iOS app. By demanding a commission from Spotify, Apple is thus forcing the service to raise prices and lose its competitive advantage. Then the prices will be higher than Apple Music has, which Spotify competes with. The streaming service also decided to implement a subscription scheme bypassing Apple’s payment system and commissions, after which the latter stopped updating the application and threatened to remove it from the App Store. Other companies such as Rakuten, Match Group, and Tile have also complained about similar recurring trends at Apple: Apple is entering the technology, apps, music and e-book market without paying any commissions and thus outperforming competitors in terms of price. In this way, Apple fights competition by preventing possible alternatives from entering the iOS application distribution market. The company, among other things, prohibits installing app stores and programs themselves directly from third-party sites, preinstalls App Store and does not allow it to be removed. The US Congress has already spoken out about the monopoly state of Apple and specifically about the too high commission in App Store. The European Union also did not stand aside: back in June, an antitrust investigation was opened regarding App Store and Apple Pay commission practices. Margrethe Vestager, the head of the EU’s antitrust division “We need to ensure that Apple’s rules do not distort competition in markets where Apple is competing with other app developers, for example with its music streaming service Apple Music or with Apple Books. What Will Happen to Apple? The maximum penalty of 10% of all revenue is what Apple can expect if all claims against it are considered fair. However, not everyone believes that this will radically affect the future strategy of the corporation. The example of Google, which was also fined for violating EU antitrust laws, showed that large players view fines only as business costs. However, there are some nuances here. Apple is going through a difficult period: in the light of iPhone sales decline, the company will have to be more careful with statements and decisions. Therefore, it is likely that it will still make some concessions. For example, allowing third-party browsers and email apps, and easing HomePod restrictions for third-party music apps, including Spotify. But while these are only suggestions, there have been no official statements from Apple. Is It Possible to Loosen the Tension of the iOS Bridle? The Epic Games complaint suggests that the app developers have no real power to influence Apple’s behavior. They face a choice: pay a commission or ditch a billion-user base. According to Epic Games, no developer has the ability to single-handedly overcome network effects and cope with the cost of re-attracting users to another platform. The company believes that iOS users cannot be lured somewhere else so that it remains profitable. IOS users are unlikely to be able to abandon their platform for a number of reasons: The need to retrain: users are accustomed to design, control system, functions and are not eager to switch to other platforms. Losing personal data and financial investments in iOS applications: everything will have to be transferred manually, and paid content will have to be bought again. Moving away from profitable iOS family services: the platform encourages family or mass use of the system by offering useful group communication, file sharing packages and features for iOS. The loss of ability to use the kit: often users buy Apple devices in addition to other Apple devices due to the advantages of their work in combination.The loss of opportunity to participate in programs: for example, Apple allows you to get a new iPhone every year in exchange for recurring payments. The loss of ecosystem benefits: there are many benefits that make Apple virtually invulnerable in a competitive environment, so other companies will have to negotiate with everyone involved to duplicate the benefits of the iOS ecosystem. Thus, in the near future, an iOS alternative similar in capabilities and characteristics is hardly foreseen. But What About Fortnite? Despite temporary problems, Fortnite remains available for download and does not lose its audience. Players are free to get it on Android devices through the Epic Games app or Samsung Galaxy Store. We hope that this situation will soon be resolved and that all loyal fans of the game will be able to enjoy it without any restrictions. The Show Must Go On: Confrontation Continues Apple is serious about keeping the confrontation high: on August 28, it removed the account of Epic Games from the App Store. Now the developer will not be able to download updates and new games to the store. After deleting an account in the App Store, the Epic Games page on which the developer’s games were previously collected disappeared. The Fortnite page disappeared even earlier. Apple’s statement“We are disappointed that we had to delete our Epic Games App Store account. We’ve worked with the Epic Games team for many years on their releases. The court recommended that Epic adhere to the platform’s principles during the trial, following the rules the company has followed over the past decade. Epic refused. Instead, they’ve repeatedly downloaded Fortnite updates that violate App Store policies. This is unfair to all the other developers in the App Store and is drawing users into Epic’s struggles. We hope to be able to work together in the future, but unfortunately this is not possible today. The reaction of the head of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney, followed almost immediately. Tim Sweeney, the founder of Epic Games “Apple’s statement isn’t forthright. They chose to terminate Epic’s account; they didn’t *have* to. Apple suggests we spammed the App Store review process. That’s not so. Epic submitted three Fortnite builds: two bug-fix updates, and the Season 4 update with this note. Microsoft’s Reaction After Apple threatened Epic Games with not only deleting the account, but also depriving them of the rights to use all development tools for iOS and Mac, Microsoft spoke out in defense of Epic Games and said that such actions were unacceptable. Epic Games again appealed to the court, considering the actions against it unfair and likely to harm other participants in the industry. Microsoft has filed a statement in support of Epic, urging not to deny the company access to development tools while the lawsuit against Apple is ongoing. According to Microsoft, Unreal Engine, developed and maintained by Epic, is a critical technology for the industry, and losing access to it on iOS and macOS would deprive Microsoft and other game creators of a critical component. This can be a disaster for developers if an Unreal-based game is under development. In such a situation, one will have to choose between restarting development, dropping support for Apple devices, or canceling the project. Issues may also appear in existing games as iOS and Mac users will not be able to receive new features, bug fixes, and security updates. In addition, there will be a market split as users of Apple devices will not be able to play online with users of other platforms. Microsoft’s statement “If Unreal Engine cannot support games for iOS or macOS, Microsoft would be required to choose between abandoning its customers and potential customers on the iOS and macOS platforms or choosing a different game engine when preparing to develop new games.

A cultural phenomenon, that’s how the online video game Fortnite is called. It quickly broke into the gaming world in 2017 and without more ado began to gain jaw-dropping momentum. Available in three game mode versions that share a common gameplay and game engine – Fortnite: Save the World, Fortnite: Battle Royale and Fortnite: Creative – the game became especially popular thanks to the Battle Royale version, which attracted more than 250 million players worldwide and received several prestigious awards. Battle Royale invites players to take part in a massive battle on a vast map – alone or in groups of two to four people, exterminating or avoiding the characters of other players until there is only one winner on the map. The player can choose a different appearance of the character – a skin purchased for in-game currency. Skins are a separate culture that constantly stirs up the interest of players: they want their character to look good, and if a partner or rival entered the game in a newfangled or menacingly mesmerizing skin, then they certainly need to look no worse! The need to hold attention and engage players has led to the need to ensure a steady stream of new skins. Epic Games decided to team up with Kevuru Games to create new exclusive concepts for them. And it’s about how it happened. GOAL CHALLENGE TEAM COMPOSITION Triggering and maintaining the interest of newcomers Create concept arts of new skins Art director Lead concept artist Retention and engagement of old hands Concept artists Increasing the number of in-game purchases Project manager Initial Data The peculiarity of skins circulation in the game is that there is no need to spend real money to get them: there is a special in-game currency V-Bucks, which can be obtained for completing missions, tasks, and simply for the next entry into the game. Therefore, on the part of the players, there is no prejudice or annoyance towards skins, as happens with all sorts of game features that require a donation in order to unlock them. Players are very fond of skins and carefully collect in-game currency to buy what they like. Therefore, Epic Games chose the correct optimization path for working with them, creating a unified knowledge base with all the standards and reference information for producing new skins. This allowed them to unify the basic requirements for skins and get rid of fragmentation of interpretations. To ensure the correct work, our partner gave us access to the knowledge base. With its help, our concept artists were able to create concepts that had strict guidelines for style, colors and parameters specified by Epic Games. In creating some of the concepts, our team was given complete freedom of imagination, which we actively used to demonstrate our creative potential and deep expertise. Epic Games’ trust and openness to dialogue allowed our artists to make suggestions and corrections even to those concepts for which the client initially had a specific vision. Many of our team’s ideas regarding colors, equipment and weapon handling techniques were enthusiastically accepted, overshadowing the initial ideas. Workflow The distinctive feature of cooperation with Epic Games was full access to all skins ever created without any restrictions. Thanks to this, the artists quickly got their bearings in the main thematic style, which must be adhered to, and immediately got down to work. Interim approvals and discussions with Epic Games representatives took place almost daily: our team provided about three works at different stages of implementation per day and took an active part in discussing possible additions or recommendations. Working on such large-scale projects is always a challenge, not only in a creative sense, but also in terms of realizing a huge responsibility in all respects at once. To ensure information security when working with our team, we sign nondisclosure agreements that guarantee the protection and safety of our partners. Value Delivered During 10 months of cooperation, about 120 unique-looking concepts of skins for various thematic areas have been created. They fit perfectly into the atmosphere of the game and are already actively used by players to explore and conquer the incredible world of Fortnite. Each created character received an exclusive attachment, also developed by our team. It is called back bling and has a special shape, color and features that match the specifics of the character. This can be a backpack, badge, patch, shield, wings, helmet or any other item. Many players managed to appreciate the loveliness of charming Bushranger, the gracefulness of cosmically beautiful Astra, the audacity of red-haired Chance and many other characters from a wide variety of sets. And what could be better than the recognition of not only the partner who appreciates our exceptional dedication to work, but also from players who admire the skins designed according to our concepts? Planning. Considering reference materials and knowledge base Sketching. Creating thumbnails, generating ideas and choosing the final option Detailing. Adding small details and elements that complement the character’s image Rendering. Producing the final concept art that can be used for both further modeling and game concept art portfolio Conceptual Conclusion Our team is ready for challenges: this is an integral part of creative work, claiming to spread beyond the limits. Working with characters is our separate passion. Kevuru Games is happy to take on major world-renowned projects and ensures the highest standards of collaboration in all areas. Flexibility and adaptability allow us to easily adapt to the brand’s DNA while maintaining our unique creative vision. A well-established work process and high project management standards enable us to guarantee our partners the timely fulfillment of all obligations in the agreed volume and budgetary framework. And if we move away from the officialdom, then our team just loves to create cool artworks and contribute to the success of truly worthy video games. Rest assured: your game will shine with us! Feel free to drop us a few words about your ideas and plans for a new or existing game: together we will come up with how to skyrocket it to new heights!

Most people interested in 3D animation don’t understand how much time, money, and effort go into animated videos of high quality. In general, it requires a 3D animator to know anatomy, physics, animation principles, and have drawing skills to create a real masterpiece. But if to dive deeper into the video production process, you’ll see that many professionals stand behind it – art directors, concept artists, character designers, 3D modelers, animators, technical artists, scriptwriters, sound designers, and others. From our point of view, we consider it very important to show our clients what is behind 3D animation costs. So, this article will not only help get familiar with 3D animation services better but will also help facilitate cooperation with a 3D animation studio. This is crucial to know the 3D animation price before planning the project and its budget. This guide, a kind of a cost calculator, will help determine what you want to see in 3D animation. Look inside the closed doors of a 3D animation studio! 3D Animation Price List: What Are the Key Factors? DurationHow much is 3D animation long?ComplexityHow complex is 3D animation? TypeWhat type of 3D animation is required? Design & art styleWhat will animated objects look like? Scope of workHow much work will be done for the final product? Team & its experienceWho will be involved in production? The animation industry is often considered expensive, but the reality is that 3D animation costs vary from project to project, and of course, from studio to studio. Each project varies in many ways – how long it takes, who is the target audience, what budget, etc. 3D animation pricing depends on different art styles, character design, complexity, etc. Animation studios can set different rates for each part of the project. Be ready for it and let’s consider each of the possible factors that affect the final cost of 3D animation! Animation DurationThis is one of the significant factors in forming a final 3D animation price – as the animation length increases, the price will increase as well. Generally, long animations are needed to display more visual effects and require more skills and render time. You can estimate a 3D animation cost per minute or per second when it comes to cartoons, explainer or promo videos when scrolling is available. In games, 3D animation costs depend on the number of animated characters or objects in the scene and the complexity degree (read more about this point below!).The Complexity of 3D AnimationThe more details are in the animation, the higher cost will be. The details that add complexity are characters and their movements in the dynamic scenes. It may require a team of 10 specialists to create the illusion of movement in detailed 3D environments for a character-based story, while a 2D animator will be able to make flat objects move in a highly dynamic manner. That’s why 2D animation is cheaper than 3D animation. You can find out 2D animation costs in this market analysis. Moreover, techniques in 2D and 3D animation differ. 3D animation is combined with 3D modeling – sculpting from general forms to specific details with various tools. Special textures are used for realistic effects. Just imagine how complex it is to model and animate human features, let alone animation of facial expressions. Type of 3D Animation3D animation has come a long way to have many types in its account – digital 3D videos and films, interactive 3D videos, virtual reality, etc. You can read more about the types of 3D animation that can also affect the final project cost. Techniques, design, approaches differ from project to project that requires more detailed specifications for further budget estimates. Some are less complicated and labor-intensive than others. Thus, you will pay less for technically simple videos with 3D models and more for 3D animation in VR games, for example. 3D Character Design & Art Style The more detailed a 3D character is, the more manipulations are needed to set it in real-life settings. Special textures, materials, and proper lighting are set so that 3D characters will look natural in the animation. In addition, the more the 3D character has to move, the more effort is required to ensure that all movements, gestures, and postures are smooth in motion to create a holistic image.Each 3D animation is made in a specific graphic style to emphasize the visual identity chosen for the content being conveyed. It is based on the artistic vision formulated prior to the start of the project. In general, you’re offered to choose between abstract, realistic, or photorealistic, stylized, and cartoony 3D graphics. The number of 3D art styles is constantly growing, and this is not so much related to how 3D models are created, but how they are used and for what. Stylized, colorful, and cartoon-like 3D graphics is applied for children in educational or entertainment projects, or for adults in casual games. In PC and console games, you will find a photorealistic dark graphic style widely used to immerse players in real-world environments, such as shooters that take place during a war. Fortunately, technology allows game artists to create artwork that can simulate the real world with stunning visuals. Aside from visual aspects of each project, an art style determines the cost as well as all previous points. As a rule, it takes more time and skill to display realistic 3D designs than customizing cartoons. The Scope of Work on 3D AnimationYou can ask to animate already created 3D models or work on 3D animation from scratch – starting with researching all ideas valuable for the project to create the overall storyboard. As a result, different teams will be involved to perform specific job functions. Depending on the 3D project, the number of steps can vary. For 3D character animation, rigging is an essential step in setting up a controllable character skeleton that is intended for further manipulations. But if you include concept creation, storyboarding, 3D modeling, texturing, the process will take more time to produce the final output. Any of these areas of work are discussed and carefully planned in advance to provide an accurate cost estimate.The Number of Experts and Their QualificationsIt is important to remember that 3D animation is an interdisciplinary assignment performed by a team of creatives with different skills. Someone must create concepts, another will bring them in life through 3D modeling, and so on. As we’ve already mentioned, the scope of work determines the necessary number of team members. For an average 3D project, you’ll need to hire 5-7 specialists to see well-designed animation. Under the supervision of an art director, the team of 3D artists and modelers will build upon visual images so that they will correspond to the specified style. The team of 3D animators will apply models, characters design to create the illusion of motion. 3D animators need to understand what timing to use, know when to edit, how characters will move, what background is best for a particular scene, etc. 3D animation studios manage to bring together specialists with different competencies under one roof. You can choose between junior, middle and senior 3D animators with different hourly rates. That doesn’t mean you won’t get high-quality 3D animation from junior experts. They are also qualified as seniors, but you will pay less but wait a little longer. Kevuru Games is a 3D animation design studio equipped with all the necessary software to create art and animation of high quality. Our team has successfully launched 3D animation projects in – advertising, marketing, gaming, etc. 3D Animation in Hours: How Long Does It Take to Create? Type of 3D Project Design & Animation Scriptwriting Music & Sound Turn-Around Time Non-game 3D animation (explainer video, motion graphics, etc.) ✓ ✓ ✓ 100 – 120 hours Game animation with simple 3D characters ✓ ✓ ✓ 120 – 150 hours Game animation with complicated 3D models ✓ ✓ ✓ 150 – 180 hours Use this chart with the approximate hours required to complete any of the 3D animations as a starting point for budgeting your own project. The cost will vary based on style, complexity, and other requirements for the production process. Therefore, it is better to contact company representatives for a more accurate estimate of the animation. Hourly Rates of 3D Animators Around the World Country Rate, $/hr USA $100 – $199 / hr UK $100 – $149 / hr Germany $50 – $99 / hr Poland $25 – $49 / hr Ukraine $25 – $49 / hr India < $25 / hr (Hourly rates are based on the data, given on online review platforms such as Clutch.co (Top 3D Animation Companies), and presented through comparative analysis) The hourly rate can vary widely depending on many important factors, including educational background, qualifications and certifications, work experience, and additional skills. As you see the highest cost of 3D animation is offered in the USA – it ranges from $100 to $199 per hour. It means that if you hire an American 3D animator for a simple project that is estimated at 100 hours, you’ll have to pay him/her $10,000 (in the case when minimum price ranges are taken into consideration). And let’s compare how much it will cost you, for example, in Ukraine or Poland. $ 25 * 100 hours = $ 2,500 (but again this is possible if you hire a 3D animator with an hourly rate of $ 25, which is quite difficult to find in the countries mentioned). You can find affordable prices in India, but please keep in mind the experience and reputation of each preferred 3D animation studio on your list. With Kevuru Games, you definitely have nothing to fear: we have extensive experience with 3D animation, as can be seen by looking at our showreel. Follow the practical tips given to you below so that you could achieve the desired result – 3D animation of high quality delivered on time and on budget. Tips on Using 3D Animation Services for Success Define the business needs in advance. Once you know what 3D animation is for, why it is needed, you can easily ask the right questions when choosing a 3D animation team. Skip all possible misunderstandings with future partners through proper project planning. Select a 3D animation studio thoroughly to meet all the project requirements. You need to look for professional 3D animators across all available platforms. Don’t forget to find out as many details as possible about their expertise – will they be able to complete your project as required? Focus on the best working option. It’s up to you what to choose, but the final choice should preferably be based on the most beneficial conditions. Maybe, it will be reasonable for you to hire a dedicated team of 3D animators from Ukraine or any other outsourcing destination to gain access to global talents. Share all your ideas with a 3D animation team. When they know what you’re planning, it is easier for them to define the scope of work and prioritize the tasks. Do you remember that the scope of work will affect the final cost? So, it is much better to determine what you need and share your vision with the team. Don’t hesitate to share reference materials if any to get exact outputs. Don’t lose control over the project progress. You can manage it on your own or make use of project management services from a 3D animation studio. Experienced project managers keep the entire production process well-organized. Hopefully, this guide allowed you to figure out how much 3D animation costs and how many variables it may include. Welcome to Kevuru Games for more details about individual projects. Have an idea for 3D animation or any other creative project? We’ll apply our extensive expertise (8+ years in the industry) to estimate it and pass through all stages smoothly so that you could be proud of the best possible outputs. Just inform us about your needs!

Each type of animation has its own supporters who willingly find the advantages of their favorite and the disadvantages of the opposite side. And then, when the entire Internet is full of arguments in favor of the victory of this or that type of animation. When separation occurs. When a contradiction is born.When two camps collide. It’s a question of honour for us to kindle the peace pipe and say that there is no battle, which would immediately refute our own title. What is happening and what is one to make of this? Move on and you will understand everything. 2D Animation or 3D Animation: No Confrontation or Destination Peaceful Coexistence Competition or confrontation always adds piquancy and drive to any even the calmest comparative analysis, which was not initially aimed at identifying an imaginary winner. But the drive is felt only for the time being, or rather until the moment when the reader does not realize how subjective the reasoning of the author of the article is and how obvious his or her adherence to a particular side is, despite attempts to disguise everything as objectivity. What we are definitely not going to do is butt heads of 2D and 3D animation adherents. We’ll just talk about these two fundamental types of animation in a soft narrative form and explain why both the flat (almost like Terry Pratchett’s Discworld) and volumetric worlds have equal rights to exist. Which is Better, 2D or 3D Animation? None is better or worse. Each of these types of animation is self-sufficient and has its own niche in modern film, advertising and video game production. Comparing 2D and 3D animation is initially a large-scale and challenging task, since they differ in almost all aspects. 2D animation is an art style based on creating movement of objects and characters in two-dimensional space, focusing only on length and width. This movement is depicted using drawings, mainly pencil sketches, showing the change in the position of the object. They are arranged in sequence to create the illusion of fluid movement. 3D animation is an art style that deals with the creation of 3D models and their movement in the digital environment using special computer software. 3D was originally aimed only at computer processing, it never existed in the form of pencil sketches, as in the case of 2D. 3D animation requires much more attention to modeling, rigging, anatomical nuances and rendering. Many experts and fans of the animation sphere say that the era of 2D has already passed, and soon it will be ousted from the market. Adding depth to the standard height and width is considered sufficient to substantiate such a statement. But this does not stand the test of facts: the appearance of 3D did not in any way affect the viability of 2D, from which we can conclude that this is not at all a matter of the number of dimensions. The simplest and most visual option will be to show the differences between 2D and 3D animations in the form of a comparison table. And here it is: Comparison parameter 2D animation 3D animation Time of appearance the late 1800s the late 1900s Dimensions length and width length, width and depth Realism level low high Method of creation hand-drawn (early stages) computer-based Space for creativity boundless limited by software capabilities Learning time rather quick rather slow Production time rather short rather long Main focusgameplay and story design Costlower compared to 3D higher compared to 2D Reusability every project requires new drawings the model can be used in different projects Rotation capabilitya separate drawing required for each viewing angle 360 degrees Application area films, cartoons, websites, learning courses, advertising, product video, video games films, cartoons, video games, medicine, biotechnology, aerospace 2D Animation is Dead: Fact or Fiction This is a rather provocative question that worries many people. The wave of doubts and disagreements started from the moment when such a giant animation studio as Disney (the founder of the style) announced the closure of its 2D department and the end of the era of hand-drawn animation. Everyone was excited about what this meant for the future of traditional animation. Will it not exist anymore? Many modern specialists have a heart for 2D animation, but they work in 3D. When asked where this contradiction comes from, they say that 2D animation has no future. So, the opinion that 2D animation, if not dead, is at least at deaths door and nothing will save it has penetrated deep enough into the masses and a solid factual basis is needed to try to get it moving. But let’s try. The first thing we have to do is get rid of misinterpretation of terminology. 2D animation and traditional animation are two completely different concepts, although they are often used interchangeably. 2D animation is a type, it’s about a direction: flat, two-dimensional animation. Traditional animation is about technique: working on an animation table using Disney’s 12 principles. And 2D animation is not the only prescription in the world of traditional animation. 12 fundamental principles of animation: Squash and StretchAnticipationStagingStraight Ahead and Pose to PoseFollow Through and Overlapping ActionSlow-In and Slow-OutArcSecondary ActionTimingExaggerationSolid DrawingsAppeal Traditional Animation ≠ 2D Animation At this point, a major misunderstanding of the issue was born. Since 2D animation was mercilessly confused with traditional animation, and this is still happening, people attribute the qualities to one another and, referring to traditional animation, they put on the black cap on 2D animation. First-class substitution of notions, agree? For many years, animation has been created on animation tables. Things pass into the category of traditional if in due time they were fundamental for a certain new direction. This is exactly about animation using 12 principles. Evolution does not stand still, technologies are being improved, but when creating something new, animators invariably use the accumulated experience. The fact that there are no animation tables now does not mean that traditional animation is dead. It just underwent changes, keeping pace with the times and adapting to the requirements of a new generation of viewers. To say that 3D animation has replaced 2D means absolutely not to understand the issue. Look at various cartoon projects: rarely at the very beginning of a project, a studio knows whether to use 2D or 3D for the final result. First, testing is done and it is analyzed in which direction of animation the idea will be most understandable, easiest and fastest to create. And only then, based on the results of numerous tests, a decision is made regarding the technique. For example, “Klaus”, a Spanish animated feature film directed by Sergio Pablos. It is created in 2D animation style, but no one will guess about it without a hint or a close study of the smallest details. It looks like 3D and this is entirely due to the effects of light in the creative hands of 40 animators who have been working on this project for over two years and completed it under the wire just a month before the premiere on Netflix. The director wanted his film to have the nostalgic flavor of ’90s Disney animations, but also aimed to spice it up with the up-to-date features of the latest animation advances. And he succeeded in this. Sergio Pablos, animator, director and screenwriter “I never looked at 3D as an evolution of 2D. I looked at it as a split, like there’s a new way of making animation now” These words perfectly illustrate the answer to the question of whether 2D animation is dead. Not only did we realize the substitution of notions, we also saw that now there is no critical confrontation as such. There is a place for both 2D and 3D in making any good film. And there are a lot of such examples. Traditional techniques such as squeezing and stretching, exaggeration, body movement and even the general look of cartoons are used by modern animators. In addition, a huge number of drawn storyboards are now being created, which are essentially animatics, that is, almost animations. Yes, now is the era of digital animation. Nobody uses tables anymore: it is unprofitable for the studio. Where there used to be one animation table, you can put 2 Cintiq tables, because this significantly speeds up production. Pay attention to the number of animated films released annually. “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” keep pace with millions of viewers around the world. In order to be able to work even faster, animators began to combine the transfer technique and traditional animation. Therefore, all kinds of programs that allow combining these 2 styles flourish, for example, Adobe Animate CC and Photoshop. So of course, 2D animation is not dead. It’s just that the traditional animation style has been transformed. Something new has evolved from the animation table technique and the past era of the animation industry giants. So now 2D animation is flourishing and transforming, acquiring modern eye-catching forms. And at Kevuru Games, we take an active part in this process. 2D Animation or 3D Animation: Which is Easier? 3D animation is easierIt is enough to master some software and you can already start animating 3D objects. 2D animation is easierIt is enough to understand the frame by frame principle and be able to draw on a piece of paper. Where is the truth? The truth is that asking a question like this is not correct. None of the types of animation are more complicated or simpler, it all depends on the project and the desired result. Both 3D and 2D can be simple and technically complex and it makes no sense to try to compare them in terms of simplicity. Behind the seeming simplicity of 2D animation, there is a huge time-consuming work. Keyframing helps automate object movements on a timeline, and software advancements sometimes relieve the animator from the need to draw each frame (24 in 1 second), but it doesn’t free the animator from painstaking work on details. Matching the character to the perspective of the background is another tricky task of 2D animation: usually a different artist is responsible for creating the background, and adding a character to the environment can be quite a challenging task. In addition, we have already mentioned that it is now quite possible to make 2D animations look like 3D thanks to lighting tricks. Therefore, it would be a big mistake to say that it is simple. Take a look at this adorable mouse. Do you think this is 2D or 3D animation? For the uninitiated, the answer is not so obvious. In 3D, the relationship between character and background is easier to set up through a referencing process. The background is simply loaded into the finished animated character file. 3D animation is actually a “revival” of virtual puppets. And it all depends on their complexity and level of detail. Your project could be a bouncing ball, and then adjusting the physical and dynamic attributes along with the ground plane will be a matter of a few steps. Next comes lighting, texturing, computer simulation of the ball’s movement, and rendering of the sequence. By the way, even such a project will be a good challenge for a beginner. What if you want to animate a dancing person or fighting people? This is a completely different level. A few words about the statements at the beginning of this section. Drawing is a really useful skill for a 2D animatorThe faster and more efficiently hand-drawn objects are created for animation, the easier it is to work, because the more frames, the smoother and more accurate the result will be. The ability to draw allows the animator to think about the movement of characters in advance and quickly navigate the change in the position of their body to ensure high-quality animation.Modern technology has relieved the animator from the need to draw each of the 24 frames per second. Working with animation just got easier. At the same time, this did not in any way affect the freedom of imagination and fantasy, which is provided to the animator when creating 2D animation. Software mastering is a really important skill for a 3D animatorIn 3D animation, you do not need to bother with every frame: you have animation software at your disposal that allows you to use tweening. This is a very cool and handy feature of computer animation, which consists in creating intermediate frames between a given start and end position. It allows to painlessly and quickly create the appearance of a smooth transition from the first frame to the last, due to which, as a result, we see what is called movement.But not everything is so simple, because when working with 3D, you have to take into account many other factors besides the animation itself. This is the angle of view, the nuances of lighting, rigging, rendering, and the need to adhere to the anatomical details of the body structure. A higher level of realism requires a deeper dive into the details. 2D vs 3D Animation Cost: Major Pricing Factors We’ve already discussed enough pros and cons of 2D and 3D animation and determined that none of them can be considered simpler or more complex. Then what about cost? There is an opinion that 2D animation is cheaper to produce and more affordable than 3D. In general, this is true, but it must be understood that we are considering the issue of price from the point of view of a generalized abstract comparison. In fact, any kind of animation is complex and, accordingly, expensive work that requires a customized approach to each project and a lot of time and resources. So what are the factors that affect the cost of an animation? Resource Intensity The main pricing factor is the use of expensive and resource-heavy software. This is exactly the case for 3D animation: it requires special programs and a lengthy rendering procedure. The software for 2D animation is less resource-intensive and the compilation procedure itself is much faster. This, however, does not devalue the work, especially if each frame was manually drawn. The more manual labor involved in creating 2D animation, the more expensive it will be. Animation Complexity It takes into account the number of objects needed and the general appearance of the background. Every detail needs time and attention to create: the more details, the more resources are spent on making the animation and, accordingly, the higher the price. The level of realism, complex changing background, special effects – all this directly affects the cost and determines the final appearance of the animation. Animation Length The longer the animation, the higher its cost. But even here everything is not so simple. For example, for the same budget, a studio can create a more detailed short animation or a longer one with less detail. Therefore, length is considered in conjunction with style, detail and complexity and cannot affect cost in isolation from other factors. Character Presence The presence of a character in 2D or 3D animation also affects the cost. This greatly complicates the process and makes it more time-intensive: it is necessary to develop and illustrate characters from scratch, think over their image and characteristics, model and rig them for movement in the case of 3D animation. Characters are the most difficult aspect of animation, as each part of their bodies must act independently, but at the same time, when moving, they must portray a harmonious and balanced picture. Required Deadline On average, the time to create a minute 2D or 3D animation ranges from two weeks. If the customer is satisfied with this term, then the price will be adjusted taking into account the above factors. If the project is needed earlier, the cost of the product will rise. This is due to the involvement of more specialists, the need to work overtime and an increased load on equipment. It is difficult to talk about a specific price, since everything depends on the project – we will not be original in saying that. On average, we can talk about a price of about $5,000 per minute of 2D animation and $10,000 for the same duration of 3D animation. Price options 2D animation 3D animation 60 seconds $5,000 $10,000 The Last Frame Congratulations, you now know much more about animation than you did before reading this article. Now you will definitely not say that 2D animation is dead or that 3D animation is more complicated. And if you plan to go even further and contribute to the world of animation by creating your own project, we are ready to become a creative performer of your aspirations: tell us what you want to achieve and together we will be able to find the best way to your goal.