In fact, visuals are one of the primary reasons why a video game brings in lots of cash. Despite the focus on play mechanics and narrative, graphic identity is one of the primary reasons consumers first pay attention to the game and is the factor that lets the title make itself noticed in the highly competitive crowd.
The designs of modern games are important in our society. Due to the constant addition of new experiences available on Steam, or new games in the mobile app stores, every day, there’s less and less that one game can stand out for, at least visually, without having amazing art and production design.
This is why large mainstream game studios risk so much on the visuals for their heavy-hitting main series. Franchises such as CoD, Battlefield, or Assassin’s Creed exist and thrive or fail on their ability to deliver the visuals and moments that appeal to player’s desire.
Independent developers eager to find another financial hit are put even more under pressure to create a visually striking experience for peanuts. The good news is that the opportunities such as game art outsourcing studio’s have the access to exquisite graphical production without having to overreach financially.
Now let’s look at why game visuals affect the revenue capacity so significantly and how art outsourcing helps indie game designers bring parity to the battleground.
Psychology of good game art and its influence on increasing sales
In a bid to explain why artistic presentation is so influential to the commercial success of a game it is easier to think about people. When we are impressed by the eye catching images in the readily available media over the internet, specific chemistry in the brain is triggered making one likely to interact with displayed media.
Blinking and attracting light colors, an inspiring color range of characters who are easy to captivate the synthesis of dopamine and oxytocin. These chemicals help to give feelings of pleasure, joy, and interpersonal connection to the visual stimuli before us.
Company developers leverage this psychological reaction with graphical display and other promotional tools such as trailers. They engage consumer interest with unique styles, and show the title’s personality. The technique can make them unknowingly purchase the game.
Further, some players may be drawn in by conformity to some degree of cultural pre-set art expectations. For instance, thousands of indie platformer games apply a hand drawing technique that refers to Nintendo games such as Super Mario for gamers with nostalgic tendencies.
In total, games that have more contrasting colors or more popping colors literally pop out at the consumer just plain sell better because they appeal to their basic emotions. It is important now to look at how such artistic presentation translates into gains that are financial in nature.
Measuring The Benefit and Extra Sales Due To Powerful Visuals
It only makes sense that where there is an emphasis on graphics, this signals increased sales and, by extension, revenues. Information obtained suggests that such titles are up to 3 or 4 times more effective than other games, when they boast of new graphics or a distinctive art work.
For instance, all entrants with significantly higher graphic quality than previous part of Call of Duty have 30 to 50% higher quantity of first month’s sales. Ubisoft, the developers of Assassin’s Creed also highlighted high revenue years where the series saw more graphical advancement compared to its previous version.
The same applies to some indie games revenue distribution that veers towards games that have better pixel art as opposed to cog terms more crude art. A similar study conducted in 2019 on more than 7000 Steam games put forward the fact revealing that games with above average graphics have almost doubled the gross than games with below average graphics.
Developers sometimes feel that investing in graphics may be to the detriment of the game play. The data does show that while better graphics promote direct sale, it also generates improved critical response and word of mouth.
The big picture is that while strong core mechanics are still a core element, begging the graphical question can potentially leave out some revenues during launching. This is even more relevant in such densely populated niches as battle royale and games similar to MOBA since here the primary looks do matter.
How Outsourcing Helps to Find Triple-A Game Art Talent
Generating excellent construction visuals in the gaming facilities industry demands tremendous artistry and capital. While open ended companies would allocate dozens of the staff graphic artists to accomplish the goal, indie devs with low funding are left with no choice but to struggle with the issue.
Fortunately, getting art outsourcing services from overseas therefore enables the otherwise less endowed teams access highly competitive graphical artists without having to necessarily blow their development budget. By collaborating with specialized art teams developers enhance their in-house capabilities.
The primary reason for outsourcing game art is the reduction of expenses in the process. Presumably, the artists in such areas as Eastern Europe and South Asia can be paid as much as 60-80 % less per hour compared to the designers in the USA or Canada. This means scaling up graphical competency by a factor of ten for a small portion of the normal price.
Third, outsourcing has access to a pool to numerous designers worldwide rather than the designers available locally. This cultivates the linking together of specific art disciplines and artistic designs that fulfill the needs of unique games.
This is especially good news for developers who want to reach photorealism or triple-A standards with limited resources – outsourced 3D assets are a valuable asset. Character models, environment artwork, and animation are parts of a game and these building blocks can assist a game to convey the stand of such famous franchises in the industry.
On the other hand, if indie studios are to go for a 2D or retro art style, getting illustrators and animators who are outsourced are very helpful. These artists can then set up and sustain the graphical image which defines the appeal of the game in question.
Outsourcing Risks and Specifically Identifying an Art Partner
Outsourced art can be an effective way for game developers to source visuals, but they should remember some of the concerns that come up when implementing art contracts. Based on these works of art, the following aspects can be said: Transmitting artistic concepts may be tricky in case this is made over the connection, and there may be some problems with communication while working in another country.
Probably most importantly, outsourcing art production shifts the quality control responsibilities to the developer rather than outsourcing partners. As a result, ensuring that asset deliveries fit the expectations as to the specifications, style, and timing reverts to the developer.
Fortunately, by partnering with the right outsourcing provider you can manage these risks with a proper collaboration framework. Professional studios are always very cautious when it comes to issues of portfolios, pipelines and how they work out their processes.
Ideally developers should search for outsourcing teams that are focused exclusively on the video game artwork and not the general creative services. These dedicated game art studios have a significantly better context of the necessary restrictions such as the technical limitations, assets optimization and the target platform.
Overall insights point out that when providers are selected wisely, feedback mechanisms established and project management actively managed risks related to graphic design outsourcing can be limited while developers profit from working with outside design teams.
Increasing Games Popularity And Sales Through Artistic Design
When development costs increase and competition in the market becomes even greater, opportunities that provide developers with a noticeable cost-effectiveness advantage such as graphical outsourcing. But even more importantly, shouldering art direction offers the most likelihood of a hit.
An abstract approach constitutes the initial barrier in trying to differentiate oneself from virtually limitless game choices competing for attention. Where large franchise companies depend on brand recognition and marketing expenses, new entrants that come from the indie camps often survive or fail on art direction alone getting consumers’ attention.
Graphics outsourced appear the most sustainable way for developers to create visually appealing and aesthetic and technically refined graphical spectacles without compromise on action core mechanics. Outsourced art studios take responsibility for increasing graphical intensity so the in-house team can focus on the game’s mechanics and usability.
In the end, for modern games which seek to achieve new levels of profits, it is through visuals that discovery is made, so as to allow for revenue generation.
With the help of capable art outsourcing partners, developers now have the tools to achieve colorful and unique art directions which were previously conceivable solely to major publishers. Deploying graphics unleash the eye and mind appeal in the short term but in the process feed long term brand equity necessary for sustainable market relevance in the future.
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