Busy start to 2025 (and for that matter, end of 2024).
Glad to see so many new projects kicking off, excited for what’s shaping up to what looks to be a rebound year in gaming.
Not counting that one - because, hey, who’s not excited for a rebound year? - here’s what I believe will be coming our way in the next twelve months:
1. Indies ❤️ ExDev
To date, external development has been strongly associated with AAA, while independent studios tend to prefer doing everything in-house or via freelance (save for audio and end of production cycle services such as QA, loc and porting).
More and more indies are realizing the enormous benefits of building via partnership: keeping their core team lean while accelerating their roadmaps. This shift is empowering teams to do more, while still maintaining unique charm and creative independence that define indies games today.
2. AI Is Finding Its Place
AI isn't going to replace your creative team, but it's definitely carving out its own space in production pipelines. In 2025, we’ll start seeing discrete AI process steps in production schedules, especially in early concept work, and AI-dedicated personnel in resourcing plans. Teams will figure out how to use AI to accelerate while still owning the human magic that makes games special.
3. The Tools Are Getting Really Good
Service studios are tired of dealing with clunky workflows, so they're building their own solutions - and you'll benefit from the added efficiency. Devoted Studios has Fusion by Devoted, Share Creators is working on Blueberry AI... these aren't your typical tech tools. They're built by people who actually know the pain points of production because they live them every day. Watch for these tools to help exdevs deliver even more value in 2025.
4. Service Studios Stepping Into the Spotlight
This one's fascinating – those "work-for-hire" studios? They're not just making other people's games. Take Teravision Games – their Tera Creators team has absolutely crushed it on Fortnite, racking up over 1.3 billion minutes played on their Havok Hotel series. Skymap Games got a VR Game of the Year nomination for Starwave VR. Even service stalwarts like Blind Squirrel Games are jumping in with their own project, Cosmorons.
These studios have spent years mastering the art of efficient, high-quality development, and now they're putting those skills to work on their own creative visions. Pretty cool to watch.
5. The Growth Just Keeps Coming
No surprises here – external development is going to keep growing. Two big reasons why:
- Service studios continue to get better and better at what they do
- Collaboration processes and tools are improving rapidly, driving down the costs and barriers of remote work.
All of this points to external development becoming an even bigger part of how games get made than it already is.
There's a lot more to talk about for all of the predictions above, so stay tuned! Happy 2025!
