For anyone looking to enhance their career by studying game development courses, there are myriad paths available.
When starting out, you may have ambitions to work for indie studios or AAA studios – and there are some key differences in the way they operate, from smaller budgets to enhanced professional development and working as part of larger teams or in specialised roles.
Your career path could mean needing to choose between indie developers and AAA game studios – and the route you take via game development courses will depend on your career goals, risk tolerance, and creative aspirations for developing final products.
Triple A studios offer greater job security, specialised roles and the opportunity to work on well-known titles and high profile projects with commercial viability – for example, Rockstar Stars and its Grand Theft Auto franchise. Indie studios tend to provide more creative control, high ownership and the chance to don multiple hats in game design. However, the opportunity for innovation could also come with high financial and some professional risk.
Studying Game Design and Development can act as a gateway into the video game industry – but the direction you take depends on how you like to work, the types of teams you want to be part of and the projects you prefer working on.
Read more in our blog – and if you’re looking to join a course to kick off your gaming career, then get in touch with our team now.
Indie game development
Indie game developers usually involve game creation by small teams or individuals without the financial backing or marketing budget of a major publisher.
These developers often have more creative freedom and can experiment with unique gameplay mechanics and art styles. Indie games are typically characterised by their innovative ideas, artistic expression, and personal touch and there will usually be direct communication between all levels of the whole team. They often take risks with gameplay design that AAA games may be unwilling to take, resulting in fresh and original experiences for players.
Assassin’s Creed is an example of a successful indie games franchise that was originally developed by a small team back in 2007.
AAA game studios
The AAA experience will usually involve developers working as part of large studios with access to more resources. The main differences between working for an indie and a company like Nintendo or Electronic Arts is how these bigger businesses are now known for their large-scale productions. As a designer or developer, you will be part of a wider team of artists, writers, testers, and marketers coming together to create a game.
Many of the responsibilities will be the same – so designing the game’s mechanics and developing the storyline – but you will have more colleagues all aligned on delivering a gaming experience of AAA quality.
AAA vs indie
If you’re studying game development courses, you will have choice to make on your direction when you complete your studies. Here are some elements to compare and contrast…
Team size
Indie – Small, from a single developer to a team of less than 50 people.
AAA – Large, with hundreds or even thousands of employees spread across multiple departments, studios and even regions around the world.
Creative freedom
Indie – High. You will usually have more personal influence and can pursue unique, innovative ideas without too many restrictions. So there is room to develop your own ambitions but with more risk.
AAA – Lower. Decisions can be made by committee and focused on minimising risk to appeal to a mass market. Your vision is often a small part of a larger, highly structured project.
Budgets and resources
Indie – Sometimes limited funding, often self-financed or crowd-funded. You must be resourceful and creative to work within these constraints.
AAA – For big projects, developers will have access to massive budgets for both game design and marketing. Studios can afford cutting-edge technology, top talent, and extensive marketing promotions.
Roles and responsibilities
Indie – Often versatile. You will likely wear many hats, from design and coding to marketing and business management.
AAA – Usually more specialised. You will likely focus on a specific discipline or aspect of the game, such as level design, character art, or AI programming.
Financial stability
Indie – Can be volatile. Financial success is not guaranteed, and you may face some challenges around money during the early stages of your career.
AAA – Relatively stable with a reliable salary and benefits, such as health insurance. However, sometimes there is the threat of redundancy if a project fails to take off.
Professional recognition
Indie – Potential for high visibility and recognition if your game is a hit. The game’s success is your success.
AAA – Recognition is often tied to the studio brand, not individual developers. Your name will be in the credits, but you are a small part of a much larger machine.
Risk-taking
Indie – Risk-taking for high rewards. You can experiment with unconventional genres and mechanics. One mistake can sometimes be the difference between success and failure.
AAA – More risk-averse. The large investment means studios often stick to established, market-tested formulas, such as sequels.
Consider the indie route if you value:
Many indie developers want to deliver their artistic vision and enjoy working independently without having to compromise. Also, working as part of a smaller team means you will be exposed to different parts of a business and able to flex diverse skills, from design to marketing too.
You will have the chance to get hands on experience across a variety of aspects of the game development, meaning you can take more ownership for a game’s success.
It is also likely you will have more control over your schedule – although this means you will need to be disciplined when meeting deadlines and prioritising tasks.
Consider the AAA route if you value:
Job stability and resources are valued by developers at AAA companies. You want a steady income, benefits, and access to the best technology and talent while you will also have the chance to become an expert in a specific part of game design, such as top tier graphics or character modelling.
You are motivated by being part of a team that creates high-profile, globally-recognised games while you will also be surrounded by colleagues and report to a manager. This more structured working environment should offer AAA developers clear career paths and the opportunity to share experiences with leading professionals.
The Future of Indie and AAA Game Development
The future of indie and AAA game development is constantly evolving as the gaming industry continues to grow and change. As the gaming industry is driven by innovation, nothing ever stays the same.
However, as with other sectors, the gaming industry is an increasingly accessible one, meaning there are more opportunities for indie and DIY talent to stand out. Distribution platforms such as Steam are enabling individuals and smaller teams to create and release their own games while mobile platforms are also increasingly popular too.
Many developers gain experience in the AAA world before venturing into indie development later in their career. Or vice versa, with newer developers getting their first experiences with indie developers, before embracing bigger studios later in their working life. Ultimately, studying game development courses can open up both options, which can be equally fulfilling and rewarding. Good luck!
STUDY games at SAE
Whether you want to study Games Programming, Game Design or Game Art and Animation, our Gaming faculty has an array of courses to suit you and your ambitions.
Our state-of-the-art facilities and expert tutors are well placed to give your career the best possible start in exciting and creative sector.
