5 things to learn from AAA studios
Game Developer
SEPTEMBER 9, 2024
This article covers five key aspects—production, community, development, storytelling, and updates—valuable for both indie and AAA game developers.
AAA Game Developer Game Development 
Godot for AA/AAA game development - What's missing?
Mircosoft Game Dev
JANUARY 15, 2023
The features offered are also a lot more reminiscent of AAA games, such as far more material options and advanced visual effects (including circle DOF , volumetric fog, AMD FSR, etc.). Is solving these problems enough for Godot to become a top AA / AAA game engine? Rendering is significantly more efficient in Godot 4.0,
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Solo developer Kaighen Finley: “It’s easy to lose myself in game development”
PreMortem.Games
APRIL 17, 2023
Fresh out of school Kaighen Finley started his own web & game development company Team iNtuition. Just to be on the safe side he mainly focused on web development, but his heart was not in it. Initially, I wanted to build games, but invested my eggs in web development first because I thought I was being pragmatic.
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Virtuos acquires British indie game developer Third Kind Games
GamesIndustry.biz
AUGUST 20, 2024
Virtuos has acquired British indie game developer, Third Kind Games. Virtuos says the acquisition will enhance its "AAA co-development capabilities and establish a new foothold for Virtuos in the UK."
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The Top 10 Popular VR Game Development Tools
Logic Simplified
NOVEMBER 7, 2024
Similarly, in a game development setup, various virtual reality tools have become easily accessible to both creators and consumers to create and encounter immersive experiences. 10 Popular VR Game Development Tools There are a range of tools and frameworks that are being used for VR game development projects.
New AAA studio Muddy Robot launches
GamesIndustry.biz
MARCH 18, 2024
A new AAA studio has launched, composed of industry veterans from EA, Sony, Blizzard, Disney, Apple, and Google. Founded in October 2023, Muddy Robot Games is led by former International Game Developers Association president Chris Hood.
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Why You Can’t Objectively Build Great Games
Game Wisdom
NOVEMBER 8, 2024
Why You Can’t Objectively Build Great Games Josh Bycer josh@game-wisdom.com I was reading a piece over on Game Developer that gave me pause for a second about whether this is what game design at the AAA level is about now — focusing on analytics and trying to “math” the perfect … The post Why You Can’t Objectively (..)
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The 7 Stages of Game Development
Starloop Studios
NOVEMBER 24, 2022
The game development pipeline is a lengthy process. In our experience working on everything from AAA titles to smaller-scale projects, a common thread are the stages of game development.
AWS for Games debuts Guide to Generative AI for Game Developers, and more at GDC 2024
AWS Games
MARCH 27, 2024
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries, a seismic shift that was certainly felt at the 2024 Game Developer Conference (GDC) held last week in San Francisco at the Moscone Convention Center. Check it out , and follow the recap below for a full rundown of AWS for Games activities at GDC 2024.
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Shawn Layden's advice on making games faster and cheaper
GamesIndustry.biz
JUNE 18, 2024
It was back in 2020 when Shawn Layden began sounding the alarm around rising game development costs. Now, four years later, we have caught up with Layden as part of our new GI Sprint series of video, podcasts and articles, which is all around lowering the cost of game development. Read more
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What Resident Evil Village on iOS tells us about the future of AAA mobile game development
GamesIndustry.biz
OCTOBER 4, 2023
It feels like alchemy when considering the most recent port of the game to a handheld device was the cloud version on Nintendo Switch.
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Mastering the Art of AAA Game Development: Our Approach
Starloop Studios
AUGUST 17, 2023
AAA game development is a complex process that requires well-oiled teamwork from an experienced team. The AAA game development process is an intersection of art, technical skills, writing, and many more disciplines.
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AWS to showcase tools for breakthrough gaming experiences at GDC 2025
AWS Games
MARCH 13, 2025
Experience first-hand how Amazon Web Services (AWS) for Games helps build breakthrough gaming experiences at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), March 17-21, 2025 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Meet with AWS for Games experts to learn about the transformational power of generative AI and cloud game development.
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PlayStation-backed Deviation Games closes
GamesIndustry.biz
MARCH 9, 2024
New AAA game developer Deviation Games is closing, the studio announced. It was formed in 2020 by Jason Blundell and Dave Anthony, two development veterans best known for the Call of Duty: Black Ops franchise. But the project hit challenges.
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PlayStation to acquire AAA multiplayer developer Firewalk Studios
GamesIndustry.biz
APRIL 20, 2023
PlayStation has agreed to acquire Firewalk Studios, the AAA multiplayer developer that is working on a live service game for PS5 and PC. If the name sounds familiar, it's because Sony had already announced it would be publishing Firewalk's first game back in April 2021.
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Everything to know about AAA Game development
Juego Studio
FEBRUARY 12, 2024
In the simplest form, AAA games have a high development and marketing budget. For avid gamers, subtle nuances beyond the gameplay matter more than anything else. The graphics quality, sound effects, and framerate all influence the gamer’s psyche.
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As a AAA dev, what is a task *outside* of the actual game development that is underrated but super critical to your job? Beyond coding, arting, programming, modeling, and QA…ing. (Obviously aside from hiring people.)
Ask a Game Dev
JANUARY 3, 2025
This might sound contrived, but one of the most valuable skills for any developer will always be communicating effectively. The vast majority of my work is collaborating with other people - people with differing attention levels, goals, personalities, priorities, and internal ways of thinking.
Why external and distributed development is the future of AAA games
GamesIndustry.biz
MARCH 7, 2024
It’s no secret that game development has seen a massive expansion in scope in recent years. What would have once taken a development team three or four years to make now requires much more people, and four to six years to ship.
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Playground Games leaders form new AAA studio Maverick Games
GamesIndustry.biz
JANUARY 10, 2023
Some of the leaders behind the Forza Horizon series have formed a new AAA games studio in Leamington Spa called Maverick Games. The team is led by studio head and creative director Mike Brown, who was previously the creative director on the Forza Horizon franchise.
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Developer cohort unveils Fun Dog Studios
GamesIndustry.biz
FEBRUARY 22, 2024
Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox A team of game developers who have worked on various AAA titles such as Mass Effect, The Witcher, and Doom Eternal have unveiled Fun Dog Studios. The studio is a minority-led and completely employee-owned game developer. Read more
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Firewall studio First Contact shuts down
GamesIndustry.biz
DECEMBER 22, 2023
As an AAA VR game developer, we are just not able to justify the expense needed going forward," the studio said. "[We] The Los Angeles-based studio shared a statement on social media , citing a "lack of support for VR within the industry" as the main reason for closing its doors. "As
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Testronic parent Catalis Group acquires Secret 6
GamesIndustry.biz
JANUARY 11, 2023
Based in Madrid and Manila, Secret 6 is outsourcing firm that provides 3D and 2D art, QA services, and full game development support. It has worked on a wider range of titles, from AAA blockbusters like The Last of Us: Part 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 to mobile hits such as Episode and Monster Train. Read more.
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Top AAA Game Companies in Europe
Juego Studio
DECEMBER 15, 2024
The leading players in the video game industry have consistently been AAA game companies. These major development firms establish innovation, creativity, and player engagement standards.
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ProbablyMonsters unveils Hidden Grove
GamesIndustry.biz
APRIL 9, 2024
ProbablyMonsters has had a long and eventful life for a company that has yet to ship a game.
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Three Minutes to Eight developer Chaosmonger Studio “Multiple stories moving parallel”
PreMortem.Games
OCTOBER 27, 2023
His experience in those fields really helped him in his game development career. Overall, I’d say that coming from the film industry definitely helped the script-writing process for games”, he says. The more you raise the bar, the more you risk disappointing somebody, especially if you don’t have AAA budgets.”
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The Art of 2.5D: How It’s Redefining Game Design
iXie gaming
MARCH 2, 2025
While 3D dominates modern game development, 2.5D This technique isnt just a nostalgic throwback; its a strategic design choice that allows developers to craft visually striking, performance-efficient, and highly engaging experiences. From indie studios to AAA developers, 2.5D merges the best of both worlds.
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Video Game Development Trends That You Should Know
Moonmana
JULY 25, 2022
What are the fresh trends in the gaming industry? The last few years have been motivating the game development field quite actively. Game developers, designers, and artists had to be quite inventive and creative to move it forward. Video games development incorporates PC games and consoles.
How to Create a Game-Ready AAA asset
Logic Simplified
AUGUST 5, 2024
At Logic Simplified , a leading game development company , we created an FPS game Mr. 45. This is the workflow for creating a AAA model of an AK-47, using Maya, Substance Designer, Substance Painter and Marmoset. We are a sought after Unity and Unreal game development company.
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Four ways to build better indie marketing campaigns
GamesIndustry.biz
FEBRUARY 26, 2024
Getting your game noticed isn't easy, and it's particularly tough for indie game developers right now. But even then, indie games have a much harder time cutting through the noise.
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Survey finds more than half of game developers experience crunch
GamesIndustry.biz
SEPTEMBER 5, 2023
A new union survey raised further concerns about crunch culture in game development, with more than half experiencing crunch in the past two years. 57% of those surveyed said they most recently worked on an AAA game. 57% of those surveyed said they most recently worked on an AAA game. Read more
How VFX Streamlines Player Experience
Starloop Studios
JANUARY 12, 2023
Visual effects in modern gaming can be a transformative process that brings a title’s presentation and immersion to the next level. It has become an integral part of game development, from small-scale indie gems to AAA blockbusters.
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AAA Game Development: Creating Next-Generation Games
Starloop Studios
MAY 4, 2023
With every new console generation comes the anticipation of next-gen games and the experiences they can bring to players. The arrival of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S was met with similar excitement and curiosity as to what the new console generation would bring. At Magic Media, we are well-versed in [.]
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Experience the Latest Breakthroughs in Game Development with NVIDIA at GDC
Nvidia
JULY 1, 2021
The Game Developer Conference (GDC) is here, and NVIDIA will be showcasing how our latest technologies are driving the future of game development and. The Game Developer Conference (GDC) is here, and NVIDIA will be showcasing how our latest technologies are driving the future of game development and graphics.
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GTC 21: Top 5 Game Development Technical Sessions
Nvidia
MARCH 25, 2021
Check out our top sessions below for those working in the gaming industry: Ray Tracing in Cyberpunk 2077 Learn how ray tracing was used to create the visuals in the game, and how the developers at CD Projekt RED used extensive ray tracing techniques to bring the bustling Night City to life.
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EA reveals Cliffhanger Games, the new studio working on a Black Panther game
GamesIndustry.biz
JULY 10, 2023
EA has formally announced Cliffhanger Games and revealed its first project. The AAA developer is based in Seattle, and it's creating an original third-person single player game based on Marvel's Black Panther franchise. It follows news that EA's Motive studio is creating a game based on the Iron Man IP.
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Try NVIDIA Game Development SDKs in the Interactive RTX Technology Showcase
Nvidia
APRIL 14, 2021
Executable and Project Files Available to Download For Game Developers and Digital Artists [link] Finding ways to improve. Executable and Project Files Available to Download For Game Developers and Digital Artists Finding ways to improve performance and visual fidelity in your games and applications is challenging.
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How to Seamlessly Integrate Stories Into AAA Console Gameplay
Starloop Studios
AUGUST 29, 2023
With AAA console game developers focusing on ensuring their games are more immersive than ever, intersecting gameplay and narrative has never been more crucial. Though the vast majority of games have a story, very few of them allow for meaningful gameplay and story integration.
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What are AAA Games and Mobile Games?
iXie gaming
FEBRUARY 17, 2023
With the rise of the gaming industry, two distinct categories of games have emerged: AAA games and mobile games. These games offer different gaming experiences, target different audiences, and have unique testing requirements for game QA. Games that require a large budget.
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Code, Creativity, Completion: The Triple C’s of Full-Cycle Game Development Process
Starloop Studios
OCTOBER 10, 2023
The full-cycle game development process is an intersection of many disciplines, including artistic, technical, narrative, design skills, and much more. The bulk of these key aspects can be categorized into one of the three C’s of the game development process - code, creativity, and completion.
Staying Strong in the Game with Jordan Smith
Game Dev Unchained
JANUARY 16, 2025
Recently, I caught up with my old friend Jordan Smith to talk about where things stand and what the future looks like for game developers like us. In just the first half of 2024, over 10,000 game developers lost their jobs, according to GamesIndustry.biz (2024). Every single AAA studio is trying to copy that model.
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Mastering Game Engines: The Key to Full-Cycle Game Development
Starloop Studios
MAY 25, 2023
For most players, hearing the words game engine will conjure up imagery of the likes of Unreal Engine 5, game developers speaking about how useful it is, and promotional material about its array of useful features.
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A bit of a different question, but what does IT do in AAA? I feel like most game developers are pretty tech savvy.
Ask a Game Dev
JULY 8, 2024
While it's true that many game developers are tech savvy, there's more to IT than just keeping a workstation running. IT at game companies does the same thing that IT does at any tech company - they set up, maintain, and make decisions about tech solutions for an organization.
How to optimize AAA games for performance
Juego Studio
AUGUST 22, 2024
AAA games often face performance challenges. CPUs can struggle with complex game logic and AI, GPUs are taxed by demanding visuals and effects, memory is strained by large game worlds and assets, and slow storage can cause lengthy loading times.
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Game Classification: Defining AAA, AA, and III Games
Tiny Hydra
JUNE 17, 2021
Then came the rise of the AAA game. Suddenly a game either was or was not AAA. The post Game Classification: Defining AAA, AA, and III Games appeared first on Tiny Hydra. Inevitably, other classifications followed. In this article, we try to dig into what those are and what they mean.
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