Should Video Game Studios Outsource Animation?
Since video game development involves so many processes, it can take years to develop a successful video game. Game concept development, scripting, programming, character design and creation, animation, level creation, and testing are all intricate work that takes time.
With studios having so much on their plates and looming deadlines to meet, animation outsourcing services can come to the rescue.
Outsourcing allows game developers to reduce the time required for game development while reducing production costs. Video game art outsourcing can also be used to achieve certain art styles and levels of quality.
Growing Trends in Outsourcing Animation
Did you know that from $132.34 billion in 2018, the global animation outsourcing market is expected to grow to a whopping $191.99 billion by 2024? That’s a compound annual growth rate of 6.4%!
Because of the increasing pervasiveness of the internet and faster speeds, over-the-top media services or OTT streaming services are growing in popularity and reach. These services bypass traditional distributors (like cable companies and broadcast television) so they can provide direct-to-consumer entertainment.
Entertainment content is thus in high demand. Many of them require advanced tools and visual effects such as virtual reality, 3D, augmented reality, and other cutting-edge techniques.
To help meet this demand while managing costs, studios are looking to lower their production expenses by outsourcing production work to regions where animation services are less expensive. They’re also prioritizing areas that offer tax incentives and tax breaks.
Some of the countries that the US has been outsourcing animation production work to include South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, the Philippines, Australia, India, and Hungary.
Wanted: Skilled Artists and Animators
Animation is painstaking, time-consuming, and extremely technical work for which few people are qualified. Top-rated, multi-million video games, for example, can take over five years and a team of thousands to make.
While most of the top-notch animation schools are in the United States and Europe, other countries that weren’t previously associated with animation have seen animation schools cropping up in their neck of the woods. The National Taiwan University now has a graduate school for multimedia and animation arts. Australia’s RMIT University has a curriculum that focuses on Animation and Interactive Media while Whistling Woods International in India gives students opportunities to earn bachelor’s and postgraduate degrees in animation.
The demand for more and better animation is impacting not just the countries where production houses, agencies, and studios are located. It’s also helping the countries they outsource to by creating demand for local manpower and encouraging them to develop more in-demand technical skills among their people.
Why Are Companies Outsourcing Animation?
Video game creators have countless milestones and tasks to accomplish when they’re building a game. They also need to communicate openly and share decision-making, responsibility, and accountability when developing a game.
However, the amount of work can be easily reduced by outsourcing. Here’s why video game companies should outsource animation.
Boosts Company Capacity
Creating art for a game entails lengthy processes that involve art development, storyboarding, conceptual and visual development, sketches, painstaking frame-by-frame 2D and 3D animations, editing, and loads more.
When game developers outsource animation to a studio, they free themselves of these tasks and have the capacity to do more. They can focus on the code, the programming, and the story of the game.
Reduces Development Costs
Outsourcing video game animation to a studio relieves you of the need for a full-time, in-house artist to whom you pay monthly salaries, expenses for training and vocation, sick leaves, etc.
Today, game art outsourcing is a growing trend in countries like India. It also provides opportunities to work with some of the world’s best creative talents.
Further, you won’t have to purchase any new hardware or software subscriptions for incoming staff.
More Easily Achieve a Specific Art Style
If you’ve already got your eye set on a certain art style or have an idea of what you want your game to look like, you can seek out artists and studios who are experienced with the aesthetic you want.
You might be attracted to work done by certain studios because of their graphic style. This gives you the freedom to focus on the look and feel of your game since you don’t get mired in the nitty-gritty.
Create Quality Products
When you outsource animation, you are entrusting that task to a company or studio. A reputable artist can then execute your task with the results you have in mind.
After all, total immersion is the main experience that gamers seek. Animation is one of the main factors that determine whether or not a game’s immersive capabilities have been successful.
Animation is also the most technical aspect of a game. Users judge the quality of the game based on the quality of the animation. Distinctive art, compelling characters, addictive gameplay, and high-quality animation all contribute to the game’s likability and popularity.
Conclusion: Yes To Outsourcing Game Animation
So, should video game studios outsource animation? Yes, to save time, enhance quality and meet deadlines, outsourcing video game animation is a good strategy. After all, even the most renowned gaming studios like Ubisoft, EA, FoxNext, and more choose to outsource their art for their legendary and chart-topping games.
At NOON22, we provide a full suite of services that encompass not just animation, but also suggest concepts, help you align your creative vision, and provide top-notch consulting services from some of the most skilled animators in the industry.
We’ve worked with entertainment companies that are known for their visual effects such as Disney, Marvel, Universal, and Netflix. Whatever your project requirements, we can deliver impressive, breathtaking results.