Business Startup Instructions
Opening a Game Development & Design Business
Opening a game development and design business is an excellent entrepreneurial opportunity if you have the creativity and tenacity necessary to be a successful entrepreneur. We offer nuts-and-bolts information to improve your startup process.
Wondering how to start a game development and design business? We take you step-by-step from start to success.
Marketing Game Development & Design
Game developers and designers create games for use on a broad spectrum of electronic devices. The skill set that is required to enter the world of game development and design is substantial. In addition to creating game concepts and programs, designers are required to devise game content, rules, storylines and other features.
Although most game development and design entrepreneurs hope to create the next "Angry Birds", profitability often requires them to take a slightly different tact. For many brands and private companies, the development of a proprietary game offers a unique marketing opportunity.
The right game attracts visitors to company websites, encourages consumer interactions and promotes brand recognition in the marketplace. Subsequently, new game development and design firm owners need to approach their startup with the skills and outlook of a first-rate B2B marketer -- as well as a games developer willing to ride the cutting edge in game creation and design.
Areas of Concern for Game Development & Design Entrepreneurs
Game development and design entrepreneurs need to successfully address several areas of concern, both during the company's initial startup phase and throughout the ordinary course of business.
Proprietary Rights
Games -- whether they have been developed for a client or for the marketplace -- are proprietary assets. Protecting the ownership value of these assets is a priority, so you will need to become versed in copyrights and the legal details of proprietary software rights.
Workflow Process
Your startup's ability to acquire and retain high value clients will hinge on more than the quality of the games you develop. Process is just as important as the final products for many brands. To encourage positive word of mouth about your firm's design capabilities, you will need to devise a rock solid workflow process that impresses current and prospective clients.
Project Management
Game design and development firms fall into the category of companies that rely on the role of project managers. But hiring reliable project managers can be more difficult than it seems -- the best project management candidates must understand the entire design and development process, and have the people skills to work with both internal stakeholders and clients. As a startup, project experience is a must; look for workers with a successful track record of game project management under their belt.
Creating Business Plans for a Game Development & Design Business
Does your game development and design business have a business plan? If not, your company is lacking a critical business tool. With the right ingredients, your game development and design company's business plan will serve as a blueprint for success.
To assist your efforts, you may want to consider enlisting the aid of a professional business plan writer.
Time and time again, the best entrepreneurs we see rely on professionally crafted plans to guide their decision making. However, outsourcing doesn't completely eliminate your responsibilities in the writing process.
As the primary stakeholder in your game development and design business, you will intentionally need to insert yourself in various stages of the plan's development.
Investigate Competitors
Before you open a game development and design business in your area, it's essential to see how many competitors you have. Try our link below to get a list of local competitors in your city. Just enter your city, state and zip code to get a list of game development and design businesses in your community.
Gain a knowledge of how existing firms have positioned themselves in the marketplace, and then design your business in a way that sets you apart from the others.
Getting Advice from Experienced Entrepreneurs
Once you've finished assessing the competion, it's a wise move to learn from folks who are already in business. It's very unlikely that the local competition will talk to you. Why would they want to educate a future competitor?
On the other hand, an individual who has a game development and design business in another town may be more than happy to give you a few tips, once they realize that you are not going to directly compete with them in their community. In that case, the business owner may be more than happy to discuss the industry with you. It can take a while to find an entrepreneur who is willing to talk, but it's well worth the effort.
How does one quickly and easily locate a game development and design business owner in another city who you can speak with?
Simple. Let your fingers do the walking by using the link below.
Should You Buy or Start a Game Development & Design Business?
Tough decisions are what business ownership is all about. And one of the first decisions you'll have to make is whether to start a business from scratch or buy an existing game development and design business.
In general, purchased game development and design businesses fare better than startups, at least during the initial few years. When you buy an established game development and design business, you gain access to a functional business operation with a customer base and a steady revenue stream.
If you can't find a suitable game development and design business-for-sale, you'll need to start a new business. But whenever possible, we recommend carefully surveying the business-for-sale marketplace before committing to a startup approach.
Is Franchising the Right Option?
Recognize that your chances of doing well with your venture are substantially improved if you go the franchising route and leverage their successful brand and track record.
Before opening a game development and design business, it's worthwhile to check out whether franchise opportunities in your space might make your life much easier.
The link below gives you access to our franchise directory so you can see if there's a franchise opportunity for you. You might even find something that points you in a completely different direction.
Entrepreneur Interviews
These interviews should be of interest to you.
- Interview with Creo Ludus Founder Dylan A. Tredrea
- Interview with Donald W. McNeill, Founder of McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds, Inc.
- Interview with Marcie Jacobs, Founder of StoryClub Games
- Interview with Sholeen Lou-Hsiao, Founder of Kingka LLC
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