Over the past few years, there has been a surge in the success of indie and AA games that have demonstrated remarkable creativity, innovation, and player engagement. These studios often punch above their weight by strategically partnering with outsourcing studios and freelancers.

In today’s ever-changing game development landscape, many studios are recognizing the value of maintaining a lean in-house team while strategically leveraging external development partners. This hybrid approach allows studios to keep overheads low such as reducing costs related to staffing, software, and hardware, while still accessing the skills needed to create high-quality games.

External development is not a new concept in game production, but as games become more complex and costly to make, the demand for flexible, budget-conscious solutions continues to rise.

As a result, the global market for game outsourcing services is expanding year over year, with estimates projecting it to reach USD 1,955.6 million by 2030.

Of course, leveraging external talent is not without its challenges. However, when done right, outsourcing empowers indie studios to stay lean while still being able to create innovative, and creative new games.

We’re exploring both the benefits and the potential pitfalls of using external development for indie teams, and how the right outsourcing strategy can be a powerful tool for success in todays turbulent market.

The Modern Indie Studio

In 2024, VG Insights reported that, for the first time ever, indie games were rivaling AAA titles on Steam. Breakout successes like Manor Lords and R.E.P.O set new records in both downloads and sales, proving that smaller teams with strong creative visions can compete at the highest level.

Despite this, indie teams typically start with limited resources and are often composed of remote collaborators spread across the globe. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work has become more normalized across the industry. What was once a logistical challenge has now become a competitive advantage reducing the need for costly physical office space and enabling teams to stay ambitious, global, and cost-effective.

In 2025, the industry’s focus has shifted toward sustainable, lean, and agile development. These aren’t just buzzwords they represent a necessary evolution in how games are made. It’s increasingly vital for studios of all sizes, not just indie developers, to embrace this mindset in order to stay competitive and resilient in a rapidly changing environment.

Manor Lords has sold over three million copies worldwide since it was first launched in April 2024.

What AAA Studios Have That Indies Don’t

One of the biggest challenges indie studios face is operating on a tiny fraction of the budget available to AAA developers - if they have funding at all. While indie teams are often self-funded or reliant on modest investments, AAA studios may work with budgets exceeding $40 million. In the case of Rockstar Games’ upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI, estimates suggest a staggering development and marketing budget between $1 - 2 billion!

AAA studios also benefit from expansive internal support networks. These include large-scale art, audio, QA, and marketing teams with access to industry events, media partnerships, and global platforms which allows them to build massive pre-launch awareness while indies have to rely on word-of-mouth or going viral in a crowded market. AAA studios often have developed proprietary tools and high-end technology, supported by veteran talent with decades of industry experience which is a luxury that most indie studios simply can't afford.

In contrast, indie developers must remain highly resource-conscious. Every decision whether it's hiring talent, choosing tools, or planning marketing has to be made with sustainability and survival in mind. But this constraint can be a strength. Indie teams are often more agile, creative, and willing to take risks. Their freedom allows for experimentation and innovation that larger studios might avoid, and this has resulted in some standout success stories. Lethal Company, for example, offered fresh, innovative gameplay and went on to sell an estimated 10 million copies, proving that indie titles can be fun for players, and achieve massive commercial success rivalling AAA studios.

Indie studios continue to demonstrate that creativity, flexibility, and bold design choices can rival even the biggest titles. Indie studios are not to be underestimated!

The Indie Advantage

While AAA studios consistently outpace indie developers in terms of budget, indie teams have a powerful advantage: the ability to be lean, agile, and highly creative in ways that large studios often cannot.

One of the most effective strategies for indie developers is leveraging external, specialized resources through outsourcing. By hiring freelancers or external development teams on a short-term basis, indie teams can gain access to expert skills without the long-term costs of full-time staff. This approach allows them to focus their in-house team on core tasks, such as game design, narrative, or gameplay systems while outsourcing non-essential or highly specialized roles like concept art, asset creation or marketing.

This model offers the flexibility to scale up or down depending on the project phase. External partners can hop in and out of development, helping indie teams with quick iteration, while keeping to tight deadlines without permanently increasing the teams size or budget. It’s a strategy that helps indie studios stay nimble and focused, while still achieving their goals.

A great example of this in action is the team behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive. They maintained a core team of around 30 developers and relied on outsourcing to fill critical gaps, maximizing their creative output while remaining budget-conscious. By embracing a flexible development model, they were able to maintain momentum, reduce overhead, and produce a polished, high-quality title without putting their core team at risk.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive maintained a core team of around 30 developers and relied on outsourcing to fill critical gaps

Key Areas Where External Teams Make a Difference

In game development, it's impossible to know or to excel at everything. One of the most important things a studio can do is help its core team to focus on what they do best. Outsourcing isn’t about replacing talent; it’s about supporting your internal team by offloading areas that are outside your expertise, capacity, or focus.

What to outsource and when varies from developer to developer. It depends on your team's strengths, the scope of your project, and your available resources. Sometimes it’s about bringing in highly specialized skills, other times, it’s about lightening the workload so your team can stay focused on the creative core of the game.

Here are some key areas where external development can make a meaningful impact:

• Art & Animation - Whether you're dealing with thousands of assets or complex character animations, outsourcing to an experienced art team can take the pressure off your internal artists. This lets your team focus on larger sections of your game without getting into the weeds - for example having your team making hundreds of barrels when you need them on large architecture models is a great example of when to outsource.

• Audio & Music - Hiring full-time composers or sound designers often isn’t feasible, especially for smaller studios. Bringing in external audio specialists allows you to achieve a professional soundtrack without committing to long-term hires.

• QA & Testing - External QA partners can help ensure your game meets platform requirements and catches critical bugs which is especially useful when you are close to release which in turn frees up your team to focus on polish and iteration.

• Porting & Localization - Expanding to new platforms and languages is essential for reaching a wider audience, but it requires technical know-how and regional expertise. Outsourcing porting and localization lets you expand your reach without pulling your core team off key development tasks.

• Marketing & PR - Getting noticed is one of the toughest challenges for any indie studio. Whether it’s managing a Kickstarter, building pre-launch awareness to get you Steam wishlists, or handling press outreach, outsourcing your marketing efforts can provide the visibility your game needs to succeed.

Strategic outsourcing isn’t just a cost-saving measure, it’s a way to make your studio more resilient, efficient, and focused. When used wisely, it helps small teams deliver big results.

Studios like Athena Productions offer concept art, visual development and UI/UX support on projects in a flexible way to help keep overhead costs down.

Tools Enabling Seamless Collaboration

When working with external development partners, having the right tools and systems in place can make a huge difference in how smoothly your project runs. Fortunately, these tools can be as flexible as you like. They don’t have to be expensive or complex, just effective and something that you enjoy working with.

For project management you can use a wide range of tools, such as Trello, Notion, Jira, ClickUp, or ShotGrid. If you're a smaller team looking to keep costs down, even something as simple as a shared calendar or spreadsheet can be used to track hours and deliverables.

A reliable outsourcing partner will often have their own producer to manage the project on their side. Don’t hesitate to ask for support or clarification as collaboration is key, and you don’t have to handle everything alone.

We say this a lot, but clear communication is vital. Whether you prefer email, phone calls, Slack, or Discord, choose the channel that fits your team best. The important thing is to maintain regular and transparent updates between you and your external development team.

Asset sharing should slot neatly into your existing pipeline. Tools like Git, Perforce, Miro, or even Google Drive can be perfectly suitable, just be sure to set expectations with your outsourcing partner about where and how assets will be managed and delivered from the start.

For remote teams, whether they are your own team or an outsourcing studio, version control and build systems are essential. They help ensure consistency, prevent data loss, and make collaboration much smoother. Implementing proper tools and processes early on will save you time and trouble later.

Challenges and Risks

As with any external collaboration, working with outsourcing partners comes with its own set of challenges. However, these risks can be effectively mitigated with the right approach, clear communication, and thoughtful planning. Here are some common concerns, and how to address them:

Communication & Time Zone Differences

Time zones and communication gaps are among the most common hurdles in remote collaboration. The key to overcoming this is consistent communication. At Athena Productions, we prioritize being available across different time zones and staying closely aligned with our clients.

You don’t want a partner who disappears with the brief and returns a week later with the wrong work. It will only waste time, budget, and trust. Instead, look for a team that keeps you regularly updated and involved throughout the process.

Quality of Deliverables

Poor-quality work can derail a project, especially when budgets are tight. To avoid this, vet your outsourcing partner thoroughly. Look for studios that have:

• Strong portfolios
• Case studies
• Testimonials from previous clients
• Proven experience on your genre, or has similar examples

While low-cost options might be tempting, they can result in delays, stress, and ultimately higher costs when you need to rework subpar assets. It’s important to invest in an external studio who you are confident will deliver quality from the start.

Legal & Intellectual Property (IP) Concerns

A reputable outsourcing studio understands the importance of contracts and NDAs. Always ensure you have:

• A signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• A clear, robust contract that outlines the ownership of the IP, copyright transfer and rights and usage terms for the work produced.

This protects your studio and clarifies expectations from the beginning.

Cultural Alignment & Vision Cohesion

While it might seem secondary to technical quality, cultural fit and shared vision are often the difference between a smooth or strained collaboration. You want partners who "get" your project, who align with your values, are easy to communicate with, and feel like an extension of your team.

If you wouldn’t feel comfortable hiring them full-time, they might not be the right external partner either.

When vetting a studio, it's important that you trust their expertise and they have proven experience on projects.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to go it alone, but you also don’t need a hundred-person team to make a great game. In today’s market, building sustainable games and studios has never been more important. By adopting a lean, agile workflow, studios can focus on what truly matters: creating games that are innovative and polished, with a studio that is built to last.

Outsourcing isn’t a shortcut, nor is it a reckless budget drain. It’s a strategic, smart decision that studios of all sizes, from indie to AAA are embracing to stay competitive, efficient, and focused. It allows developers to bring in specialized skills when they’re needed most, reduce overheads, and maintain flexibility throughout production.

A new kind of game development is on the rise: it’s lean, sustainable and agile, but still remains creative.

At Athena Productions, we’re proud to support indie studios on this journey. We specialize in Concept Art, Visual Development, and UI/UX design, offering tailored outsourcing solutions that fit seamlessly into your workflow. Whether you need short-term support or long-term creative collaboration, our experienced team is here to help you bring your vision to life efficiently, affordably, and without compromise. Get in touch today!