Eastern Europe is becoming one of the most desirable outsourcing locations in the world due to its large pool of IT specialists, high-quality education, remarkable IT expertise in different fields, and inexpensive software development outsourcing and IT expert outstaffing costs. This is why many American and Western companies are considering outsourcing their software development to Eastern Europe.
Eastern European Developers are in high demand for the Western markets nowadays, and one of the main reasons is the growing IT talent shortage in the US.
Because of differences in economic conditions and foreign exchange rates, software developer salaries in Eastern Europe are lower than those in the United States, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. In addition, Eastern European programmers are known and valued for their solid educational backgrounds, experience with the most recent technologies, dedicated approach to work, and excellent communication skills.
Game development occupies one of the most important places in software development.
Unlike many modern technologies, games do not discriminate between generations and bring joy to all ages, genders, and demographics. Games require continuous updating on smartphones and computers. Furthermore, the game development sector continues to thrive. Given this popularity, businesses should be all the more interested in investing in game development long-term.
This article discusses the pros and cons of hiring game developers in Eastern Europe, the top countries to find highly qualified programmers, and how to hire the best Eastern European developers.
Eastern Europe Game Development Market Overview
Over 1.3 million developers are employed in the software development industry in Eastern Europe, which will continue to rise in the coming years. In addition, Eastern Europe has between 4,500 and 6,500 software development outsourcing providers.
Due to the vast talent pool and affordable costs, leading technology firms frequently outsource to Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Bulgaria.
The region has well-known technical universities, like:
The National Technical University of Ukraine “KPI”
AGH University of Science and Technology in Poland
University Politehnica of Bucharest
Warsaw University of Technology
For instance, computer science education in Ukraine is regarded as one of the best in Europe. Notable is the fact that up to 40,000 students graduate annually from Ukrainian universities. According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, nine universities have the best IT programs in this country. These universities provide high-quality education, practical experience, relevant knowledge, and the opportunity to improve their skills.
This region's software industry is expanding due to the favorable investment climate. Low taxes make it an attractive outsourcing destination.
The excellent command of written and spoken English possessed by developers from Eastern Europe guarantees accessible communication. Strong educational background in technology, high English proficiency, and willingness to work hard make Eastern Europe a preferable global organization choice.
There is a talent shortage in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, so searching for qualified professionals in European nations is a suitable solution for filling open positions. Eastern Europe is home to an abundance of skilled game developers.
Who is who in the Eastern European game development world? You’ll see names like Orbital Knight (formerly Tabasco Interactive), the Farm 51, ATGames, Amanita Design, NeocoreGames, Invictus Games, and Bohemia Interactive. 11 Bit Studios, Infinite Dreams, Tequila Mobile, Artifex Mundi, and Vivid Games round out the list.
These studios are based in Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and other countries. There are both large studios and smaller independent offerings today, many of which have dozens of popular games. There are numerous game development studios in the region. You've probably heard of Illusion Softworks, Take-Two, 1C: Maddox Games, and GSC Game World; if not, you should research them.
Game Development is a niche industry, but as recruiters that work in different countries, we rarely have difficulty finding the ideal game developer for our clients. The following are some of the largest game development companies based in Eastern Europe:
4A Games: the Metro series;
Crytek: the Crysis series, CryEngine;
GSC Game World: S.T.A.L.K.E.R., Cossacks;
Nival: Rage of Mages, Etherlords, Blitzkrieg, Silent Storm, Heroes of Might and Magic V, Allods Online;
Ubisoft: Watch Dogs, Assassin’s Creed, Prince of Persia, the Far Cry series, Anno 1800;
Wargaming: World of Tanks, World of Warships, World of Warplanes.
Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania are the most well-known outsourcing destinations for game development. These locations are popular among startups, IT professionals, programmers, and developers. It's also a great place to find discounted outsourced talent, which brings us to our final point.
With nearly 3 billion gamers worldwide, the gaming industry is projected to generate over $250 billion by 2025. The demand for Game Developers will continue to rise over the next decade.
In 2022, the gaming industry will have generated $196 billion in revenue. The video game industry has made enormous strides over the years. For now, millions of dollars are being invested in complex game development with a return of two to three times the initial investment.
Major tech companies are getting involved as well. In late 2020, Microsoft started offering cloud streaming services through its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate memberships. Google launched Stadia, a cloud gaming service, in late 2019. Many companies discovered that the gaming industry is larger than the combined music and film businesses.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Game Developer?
Game development is currently one of the most lucrative fields. However, the salary of a game developer will depend on the level of experience they have and their location.
Based on our experience, the average game developer's salary is $2,750 (net). $500 is the average entry-level wage, and $4000 – $11000 is a senior/architect game developer's average monthly salary (remember that all the figures featured here are valid for Eastern Europe countries).
Game creators earn less than software engineers working on enterprise projects for outsourcing firms. However, employers must continue offering competitive salaries to attract and retain essential professionals.
If an engineer plays an important part in engine development and knows everything there's to know about the development part of the game, their net salary will vary between $4,000 and $7500 a month. Mid-level specialists typically make $2,000 – $4,000, and Entry-level engineers agree to lower wages of $500 – $1,500 a month for the experience.
The disparity in pay based on specific technologies is slight. Below is an average salary breakdown based on a developer's C++ and Unity (C#) experience level.
Software Developer Hourly Rates (Source: PayScale)
Job Title | Eastern Europe | Latin America | Asia | USA |
Junior Developer | $25-42 | $20-40 | $18-24 | $33-47 |
Software Developer | $30-56 | $35-52 | $24-35 | $48-74 |
Senior Developer | $45-70 | $45-55 | $30-42 | $57-82 |
Tech Lead | $50-70 | $50-61 | $30-42 | $53-85 |
Software Architect | $50-77 | $60-72 | $35-48 | $64-94 |
Remember that in addition to salary, you must consider the additional costs associated with each employee. This is primarily the purchase of equipment for work (a laptop, drawing tablets, and a headset), recruiting and corporate expenses, renting an office where an employee will work (if office required), and spending on legal and accounting support for cooperation. Also, depending on the country, various taxes will apply, and it will be necessary to pay for the services of an accountant.
Usually, these expenses are $1000 - 2000 per month (except for the net salary). If you cannot afford to pay all further fees, you can use an outstaffing agency services to get turnkey game developers. In this case, savings per employee can be 5-10 thousand dollars annually.
Outsourcing vs. Outstaffing Game Development
Game development studios often face challenges with the resource limitations and management of game dev teams to meet deadlines or fix bugs before the release, so increasingly, they are using services by outstaffing or outsourcing agencies.
For the efficient application of outsourcing and outstaffing, it's crucial to comprehend the distinction between them.
Why are outsourcing and outstaffing in game development alive in the remote work era?
Recruiting game developers is a time-consuming and resource-intensive process involving recruiters, staff managers, team leads for tech interviews, hardware support, and more.
Game development studios often require additional resources for short periods, usually around six months. However, after this time, finding new tasks or terminating the contracts of these developers can be difficult due to employee social protection laws.
Game dev outstaffing and outsourcing services can provide the flexibility and access to top game developers that studios need. These services offer a cost-effective solution to augment the studio's existing team and complete projects on time. By utilizing these services, studios can avoid the burdensome process of recruiting new talent and ensure their projects are completed to the highest standard.
Consider these recent statistics from Grand View Research, Inc. The company’s market analysis concluded that the global expenditures for outsourcing and outstaff will reach $936.6 billion by 2027 – a rate that is expected to grow by 7.7% year over year until then.
What is an IT Outsourcing Model?
In general, outsourcing is when you have an idea but cannot implement it on your own. You don't want to bother setting up an entire IT department; instead, you want to present your idea to another company and have an application or website ready in exchange for a fee.
For instance, if you already have a firm, hiring an outside expert for a one-time job or assignment may be more cost-effective than hiring an entire IT department for continuing assistance.
Benefits of Outsourcing Game Development
The key to business success is determining which activities to perform personally and which to outsource. It can vary from industry to industry and even throughout the life of a corporation. Initially, most entrepreneurs perform all business tasks themselves, especially if they are short on funds. However, when a business grows, it is typically more cost-effective to outsource some tasks.
You may have heard about outsourcing game development to offshore software businesses if you work in the gaming industry. Is this an effective strategy? The answer depends on the specifics of your organization, but this is a viable choice for many small business owners. Here are some of the most significant advantages of outsourcing, so you can decide if it's good for your business:
1. Financial Savings & High Level of Efficiency
One of the most frequently touted benefits of outsourcing a piece of a company's work process is its cost-effectiveness. Hiring an offshore company to develop part or all of a game might be substantially less expensive than employing full-time developers in-house.
If you have an in-house development team, they will likely be working on multiple corporate projects, which may result in ineffective work procedures, confusion, and duplication of effort. However, when you outsource your development, your offshore staff may focus solely on your project without being distracted by other areas of your business. You may quickly organize your tasks so that each section has specialized teams, eliminating errors and delays.
2. Access to Advanced Technology
Software development, especially for games, can necessitate sophisticated tools and hardware. Purchasing all required resources for an internal staff might be relatively inexpensive, particularly for small organizations. Game development outsourcing can give your business access to expert developers with top-of-the-line equipment for a fraction of the cost. You can obtain cutting-edge gaming technology without sacrificing a significant portion of your operating budget.
3. Market Expansion
Working with an offshore development company might help your business enter a new market. Your project can become more available to various gaming markets worldwide. You may also acquire ideas for further projects or discover new techniques to advertise your game to a larger audience.
4. Diverse Opinions
Keeping your development work in-house may feel safe, but it can result in circular thinking and a need for more innovative insight. Outsourcing, especially to an offshore provider, can give you access to fresh perspectives on your products. Your outsourced team will likely be creative, and various views can also drive your in-house team to be more daring.
5. Expertise Without Training Requirements
If you want your game to be successful, quality is essential. However, due to perks, minimum pay laws, and the present state of the software development job market, it might be challenging to find competent developers ready to work within your budget constraints. You could train entry-level workers, but doing so could significantly lengthen your time to market. Outsourcing gives you immediate access to top-level developers who don’t need additional training.
6. Better Compliance
There are several outsourcing options available that can facilitate the establishment of a fully automated compliance management system. This can reduce the frequency of errors and allow you to spend less time monitoring compliance concerns directly.
7. More Time for Company Management
You may have to perform most of the effort to produce your product, promote it, establish your following, and continue making changes when you initially launch your business. In addition to handling the business side of your company, which includes requesting permits, keeping financial records, filing taxes, and managing staff, you must also perform the abovementioned tasks. Typically, it becomes impossible to maintain executing these tasks as your firm expands.
Outsourcing your software development can free up a substantial amount of time, allowing you to concentrate on the most vital elements of your business. You will have more time to accomplish administrative work and sufficient resources and energy to create new game concepts and market your business to your target audience.
If your company is a competitive game development market member, you must do everything possible to distinguish your business and its products. By outsourcing your development work, you can improve product quality and minimize time to market significantly cheaper than if you hired a whole development staff in-house.
What is an IT Outstaffing Model?
Have you ever pondered the meaning of "outstaff"? Typically, IT professionals and entrepreneurs use the term "outstaffing" to refer to remote employment in which a corporation is responsible for all or nearly all of an outstaffed employee's time. Therefore, according to the definition, an outstaff team member would be dedicated to one customer rather than working on multiple projects.
This enables the client to "employ" a member of the IT game development outstaff team. Simultaneously, the IT services company is the official employer, paying benefits, bonuses, equipment, holiday pay, and employer taxes.
When you compare outstaffing vs. outsourcing, you’ll find that outstaffing can feel like you’ve expanded your staff without issues of taking on long-term employees.
What does this work arrangement mean for your business, and how is your outstaff project handled?
In an outstaffing model, the customer pays an IT services provider a set rate for a part-time or full-time member of their outstaff team. With this price, the company providing information technology services pays the team member's salary, benefits, bonuses, equipment expenses, etc., all at once.
The amount an employee gets paid, either for salary or any benefit extras, is usually not disclosed to the client, as the information technology services provider can disburse that money as it sees fit. The advantage is that you may avoid the administration problems associated with managing an outstaff team and always know the actual monthly payment amount.
Our company pays for your outstaff team member’s salary, buys their computer equipment, pays bonuses and overtime, and costs benefits.
Benefits of Outstaffing Game Development
1. Flexible Hiring Model
Outstaffing is preferable to having your auxiliary staff. The vendor handles payroll, and staff resources are dedicated to you and your IT requirements.
When you outstaff your work, adding and disconnecting employees from the project is simple. For instance, if you require a designer for a month, you are provided with one; if you need an additional developer till the completion of the project, you are provided with one. Everything is resolved swiftly and efficiently through cooperation with a single outstaffing company.
In addition, it is to choose from a wide range of experts in various sectors, including front-end developers and crypto specialists. You do not need to hire an employee or do internal training; our professionals will simultaneously address these issues.
Additionally, it implies that you won't need to bother about the legal issues associated with firing people — no employment contracts, perks, or other commitments. Without consequences or responsibilities, you can inform someone that they are no longer required.
2. Development Process Daily Control
Outstaff development is the greatest option if your company needs extra staff but cannot afford to hire them. You can connect with and train your vendor resources daily, hardwiring them into your development process with your personnel, just as you would your team.
3. Lower Costs
The hourly rate of the outstaff team members is typically lower because the customer is doing so much of the heavy labor for management. Your vendor often adds the estimate if you eliminate the hours of the project. The savings could be significant if you're willing to put in the extra effort.
4. The work is done quickly
When you employ a professional to perform your programming, you don't have to wait for them to learn your business and become proficient. The developer can construct programs compatible with your system, allowing you to easily integrate the new application into your website or other applications.
5. You can be sure of the technical expertise of your contractors
The quality of code provided by outsourced developers is far higher than that of amateur programmers. This is because firms are concerned about their reputation and therefore recruit only seasoned programmers with superior knowledge and abilities. If there is a problem with a particular employee, you can fire them. In the case of an outstaffing company, however, the company loses its reputation, the trust of its clients, and its business as a result. So, you receive considerably more guarantees.
Outstaffing also allows you to avoid hidden expenses: instead of renting an office, recruiting personnel, and paying for their insurance, bonuses, etc., you may organize everything remotely and pay only for the project development itself, not for the employee as well.
Difference Between Outsourcing and Outstaffing
It might be difficult for a business to evaluate its IT project options. To outstaff versus outsource - which path should you choose?
At Global Teams, we frequently request that our clients consider carefully the kind of outstaffing initiatives required.
Do you have sufficient work to employ one or more individuals full-time, 365 days a year?
Do you have the capacity to bring that person in as a “vendor worker” or “contract worker” within your company?
Do you wish to have access to this work as a manager, collaborating with them and managing their daily workflow as if they were a permanent member of your IT staff?
Then perhaps the outstaffing model is for you.
Outsourcing occasionally comes out on top when comparing it to outstaffing. If you occasionally need IT support, whether to create a new app or guide the business through significant software outsourcing and outstaffing transformations, outsourcing will be the best choice. In this case, your IT services vendor can quote you what it will cost to work with their IT resources for the duration of your project. They manage all team resources, and a client liaison works with you to develop a business plan.
How to Hire Top Game Developers
LinkedIn and Clutch are excellent platforms to begin your search for a reputable offshore development partner. They are common search points for foreign companies seeking to relocate their IT services to nearshore Eastern European regions. They can provide information on the company's location, workforce capability, and past projects.
Remember that if you're searching for a game designer, ArtStation and Behance are the places to go. Designers and artists display their portfolios on these websites but rarely publish resumes. DeviantArt, Pinterest, and Instagram are a few additional sites you may explore.
Companies that decide to use outsourcing as a way of expanding or enhancing their business operations usually take one of the following routes to hire developers in Europe:
- Check Freelance Marketplaces
You may hire qualified Eastern European developers for your project on many online platforms. Upwork, Guru, and Fiverr provide access to a vast talent pool of game developers with various backgrounds, expertise, and technology stacks.
Employing freelancers may be advantageous for small tasks with a limited budget. It is also a fantastic option if you intend to outsource only some activities or require more expertise. You incur the risk of employing an unreliable developer because freelance platforms typically don’t provide skill assessment testing to determine the abilities of their users.
- Partner with Local Recruiters
Working with local consultants who are attentive to the specifics of the local market can save you a lot of trouble. Partnering with HR experts from your selected offshore destination is an excellent option since they can scan all the relevant sources, perform background checks, and analyze resumes and portfolios to identify people that meet your requirements.
Keeping you in contact with qualified game developers or offshore game development teams is the key focus of recruiters. However, you must participate in the process and assess the prospects yourself. This method necessitates your personal participation and a significant financial investment because the agency will charge you a fixed fee for each IT professional they recruit for your project.
- Team Up with a Reliable Service Provider
If you search for safety and stability in a business partnership, you should work with a reputable software development company. They take an individualized approach with each customer and provide extra benefits.
- Engage a recruitment agency that has experience filling game development vacancies
A recruiting agency has better capabilities than a single recruiter; therefore, if time is the issue, it is preferable to pay more to an agency. Using the same logic, hiring an agency with industry-specific experience is likewise optimal.
- Find online game development communities
There will be game developer groups on Facebook and Telegram, and Skype chats, regardless of where you choose to hire game developers. These are some of the best places to hire game developers.
Where to Hire Software Developers?
GlobalTeams helps businesses find suitable developers with sufficient experience and skills in the most popular IT outsourcing destinations. We hire remote game developers in Eastern European countries such as Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Czech.
In this way, we offer our clients access to a broader talent pool and higher chances of finding employees that will significantly reinforce their teams.
Conclusion
The gaming industry is developing quickly, and business owners are trying to keep up with changes in the game development market. The best option for the project's successful development would be to hire an employee or a game development team.
Global Teams is an international company that provides high-end IT professional outstaffing services to companies worldwide. With dozens of loyal clients, including large-scale Western companies, we at Global Teams believe that the highest quality of IT benefits and dedicated solutions are the keys to the business's success. If you want to hire game developers in Eastern Europe, our skilled recruiters will find the right programmers with a relevant skillset and tech stack so that you can reach your business goals and get the maximum of IT expert outstaffing.
Let Global Teams help you find the right Game Developer for Your Business. Hiring a new team player for your dev team requires a high level of expertise and commitment to deliver. As a business, your project is an essential part of your growth, and to make your next game a success, you need to hire the right game developers.
Remote work environments can change your game for the better, and that’s why Global Teams is here to help you find the best game developer talent at affordable rates.
Contact Us if you have questions about how to profitably hire a game developer for the unique needs of your business and users.
Today, Global Teams has expanded to include over 150 Experienced Software Developers and other professionals in Ukraine, Serbia, Hungary, Poland, Moldova, Romania, and other countries in East-Central Europe. We have more than seven years of experience in mobile application development.
The goal is to connect business owners with the professionalism and expertise they need to staff their teams at the best possible price. Our experts understand your needs well.