Game development stages are the sequential steps that each project goes through from the initial idea to the product implementation and its subsequent support and updates.
The typical game project development stages include:
1. Evaluation - studying source materials, references, competitors and goals. The result of this stage is the formation of an understanding of the scope of work, technical specifics and budget of the project.
2. Planning - distribution of the scope of work and construction of a project timeline to determine the sequence of implementation, stages of pre-production and production, and the timing of the project development.
3. Pre-production - a preparatory stage before full-fledged development, often includes more detailed planning before production, or the development of a cut-down version (MVP).
4. Production - includes technical and game design stages that are interconnected and aimed at implementing the project from the preparation stage to the final product. This is the longest stage, which is divided into intermediate iterations for the convenience of tracking results, making changes if necessary and gradual implementation.
5. Testing - the stage of checking the final project for compliance with the original requirements, performance, compatibility with target platforms and devices, user feedback and other criteria. There are many testing options, and each project has its own methods. However, the most common is manual testing of the product (carried out by QA testers), which includes creating test cases, manual testing, interaction with game developers to eliminate bugs.
6. Release - launching the final project on target platforms. Includes uploading the product to stores, and all related actions to ensure a successful release.
7. Post-release - as a rule, after launch, the product requires some improvements and bug fixes. This is due to the fact that the product has already been tested by a real audience, and more data appears on performance, user experience and shortcomings. This phase usually lasts from 1 to 3 months.
8. Support - subsequent support of the product, which includes the creation of updates, new content and functionality, and further development of the product.
The titles of the stages may differ in each video game development company, but the structure is generally the same for all full-cycle development projects.