Top-tier Mobile Game Publishers Spend Millions on Internal Backend Technology
A recent survey by Metaplay has shed light on the significant investment made by top-tier mobile game publishers in building and maintaining internal backend technology. The survey, which involved 125 senior executives from large mobile game development companies in the U.S., found that these publishers spend an average of $21.6 million on internal backend tech and take approximately 36 months to develop it.
This substantial financial investment comes with a human cost, as 74% of respondents reported that game programmers were redeployed from gaming content development to work on internal tech. This shift negatively impacted game development, resulting in slower game production, increased working hours, and higher employee turnover.
Metaplay, a company based in Helsinki, is seeking to address this issue by offering a specialized backend solution for game companies.
Key Takeaways
- Top-tier mobile game publishers spend over $21 million on internal backend technology.
- The deployment of game programmers to internal tech affects gaming content production.
- The average salary for an internal tech employee is $138,864.
- On average, 52 employees primarily work on internal tech at major game publishers.
- The construction of internal tech is becoming increasingly costly and disruptive for game developers.
Analysis
The survey findings underline the financial and human resources invested by top-tier mobile game publishers in internal backend technology. This investment not only affects the companies' bottom lines but also detracts from their core gaming content development, fostering a culture of longer developmental periods, increased crunch time, and higher employee turnover.
Consequently, the industry may witness a shift toward third-party backend solutions, like the one offered by Metaplay, as well as a potential reprioritization of resources toward game innovation and development. Stakeholders such as game publishers, developers, employees, and investors will be impacted by these changes. The survey emphasizes the need to explore cost-effective and efficient approaches to backend technology in the gaming sector.
Did You Know?
- Backend Technology: In the context of gaming, backend technology encompasses the servers, databases, and infrastructure supporting a game's online features, like multiplayer modes, leaderboards, and in-app transactions. While crucial for modern mobile games, building and maintaining this technology can be intricate, time-consuming, and costly.
- Redeployment of Game Programmers: The survey revealed that 74% of respondents reported the redeployment of game programmers to work on internal tech instead of gaming content. This shift can lead to slower game development, increased overtime, and higher employee turnover.
- Metaplay's Backend Solution: Metaplay, established in 2019, aims to combat the challenges of costly and distracting internal backend technology by offering a backend solution for game companies. This pre-built infrastructure allows game developers to power their online features without the need to build and maintain their own servers and databases. Using a backend solution can help game companies save time, money, and resources, enabling them to focus on their core competency: creating exceptional gaming content.