Depending on your scale as a developer or game design studio, you may come under one of these three categories: Indie, AA, and AAA.
This categorization is a balancing act between production value and creativity in a game. It depends on the budget, size, scope, etc. of the game.
Although each one is a distinct level in game development, altogether they bring tremendous diversity to game creation.
In this article, we will take a look at what distinguishes these tiers and how they add to the game development services.
But first, a quick look at the numbers:
95% of all games on Steam are indie. In 2023, they accounted for $12.6 billion in revenue. Despite what the name suggests, the average budget for an indie game falls between $100,000 to $500,000.
With AA and AAA, only about 200 games are released each year on Steam. For AA, their average budget lies between $10 million to $50 million. It goes to $50 million to $150 million for AAA.
AAA games accounted for 45% of the revenue in 2023.
Now, with the numbers down, let’s dive right in!
Indie Games: The Realm of Creative Freedom
High on the creativity, low on the funds. Indie game development is conducted by smaller studios or individual developers.
They do not have the backing of a large investor or publisher. With that said, as they are not beholden to the investors, game devs feature a unique vision, innovative game mechanics, and niche appeal.
They do not need to follow along with mainstream ideas. They can use unconventional methods and take creative risks. This means they push boundaries and challenge the established rules.
Some examples of these games include Celeste, Undertale, and Hades. All three have gained critical acclaim for their distinct aesthetics and narrative styles. If you also like anime games so you can also play Gacha Games like Gacha Cute or even you can play it for free in just one click on Now.GG Gacha Nox.
The indie game devs are at a disadvantage when it comes to resources and exposure. Without large budgets or a big marketing team, they depend on word-of-mouth and community support to gain visibility.
Nevertheless, the indie game scene is flourishing. Platforms like Steam, itch.io, and Xbox Game Pass allow them to reach a wider audience.
AA Games: Bridging the Gap
Double-A games rank as the middle ground between small indie projects and AAA blockbusters. They employ a larger team and have a bigger budget than indie games. At the same time, the production value is still not large enough to be a AAA title.
The process for AA games aims to strike a balance between creativity and commercial appeal. Hence, polished gaming experiences sprinkled in with some creative risks.
The games are characterized by a dedicated fan base as well.
Even with a large financial backing, they still might be self-funded. This means the studio can still exercise some control over the game.
Some examples include Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Disco Elysium, and Divinity: Original Sin 2. Even though not classified as AAA, they rival the scope, polish, and success of AAA games. AA games have all the qualities to be a commercial and critical success.
AAA Games: The Blockbuster Experience
Triple A games represent the best of the best in terms of scale, budget, production value, team size, etc. These are developed by large studios backed by publishers with a budget that could easily go in the millions.
AAA games push the boundaries of the gaming experience by using cutting-edge technology to deliver immersive experiences with cinematic quality audiovisuals. The teams include programmers, artists, screenwriters, and more, alongside 3D game modeling services. These games have the ability to reach a wide audience through name recognition alone.
Some examples of AAA games include Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, The Legend of Zelda, and Red Dead Redemption.
AAA game development involves higher stakes and massive investments, making the process more risk averse. In such a case, it seems natural for the studio to employ proven methods and established IP for their goal of commercial success.
Moreover, there is more pressure for the development team to meet deadlines and deliver a very polished final product.
Conclusion
Each game development tier provides a unique experience and targets a different audience. Indie games deliver high creativity and unique gameplay, AA games strike the middle ground with some creativity and commercial appeal, and AAA games aim to be a commercial success through incredibly immersive gaming experiences.
It is important to embrace this diversity to push the boundaries of game development. This way the gaming industry offers an avenue to everyone to build a game, no matter what tier it might be.
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