Client's Testimonial

"Developers.dev was the perfect partner for our expansion. Their Unity developers were not just coders; they were passionate gamers who understood our vision. They integrated with our team on Slack and Jira so seamlessly, it felt like they were in our Berlin office. Their expertise in cross-platform development and multiplayer engineering was instrumental in our successful iOS launch, which doubled our daily active users."

Katarina Schmidt, CEO

Client Overview

A successful mid-sized game studio based in Germany with a hit fantasy RPG on Android. They aimed to capitalize on their success by porting the game to iOS and simultaneously developing a major expansion pack with new characters and a PvP mode. Their in-house team of 20 was at full capacity, and they faced a critical time-to-market challenge.

Problem

The studio needed to significantly increase its development bandwidth to execute a parallel strategy: porting their existing Android game to iOS while building a feature-rich expansion. Hiring locally would be too slow and expensive, potentially causing them to miss the optimal market window.

Key Challenges

Codebase Complexity

The original Android codebase was not designed with cross-platform compatibility in mind.

Seamless Integration

The external developers had to integrate perfectly with the studio's existing agile workflow, culture, and version control systems (Git).

Multiplayer Expertise

The new PvP mode required specialized backend and network programming skills that the in-house team lacked.

Performance Parity

The game had to perform flawlessly on a wide range of iOS devices, from older iPhones to the latest models.

Our Solution

We provided a "Staff Augmentation POD" consisting of six senior Unity developers and one backend engineer specializing in multiplayer systems. The solution was a multi-phased approach focused on delivering value at each stage.

🔄 Code Refactoring & Porting

Two developers were assigned to work alongside the client's team to refactor the existing codebase for cross-platform compatibility and handle the iOS port.

🎮 Feature Development Team

Four Unity developers formed a dedicated feature "squad" to build the new characters, quests, and systems for the expansion pack.

🌐 Multiplayer Backend

Our backend engineer designed and built a scalable, authoritative server architecture on Azure PlayFab to manage the new real-time PvP mode.

✅ Dedicated QA

We embedded QA engineers who focused specifically on iOS compatibility and performance testing, ensuring a smooth launch on the App Store.

Implementation and Execution

Rapid Onboarding

The team was fully onboarded and contributing code within three days.

Integrated Workflow

Our team joined the client's daily stand-ups, sprint planning sessions, and retrospectives via MS Teams.

Version Control

All code was managed through the client's existing GitHub repository with a strict pull request and code review process.

Parallel Sprints

The porting and expansion teams worked in parallel agile sprints, with progress tracked transparently in a shared Jira instance.

Performance Profiling

We used Unity's Profiler and native iOS tools (Xcode Instruments) to identify and eliminate performance bottlenecks.

Staged Rollout

We assisted the client with a staged rollout on iOS, starting with a soft launch in smaller markets to gather data before the global release.

Positive Outcome

⏱️ On-Time Global Launch

The iOS version and the expansion pack were launched simultaneously and on schedule, maximizing marketing impact.

👥 Doubled User Base

The iOS launch successfully doubled the game's total daily active users (DAU) within two months.

💸 Increased Revenue

The new PvP mode and expansion content led to a 60% increase in average revenue per user (ARPU).

📚 Knowledge Transfer

The client's in-house team gained valuable knowledge in multiplayer architecture and cross-platform best practices.

Why Choose Us

🤝 Flexible Staff Augmentation

Provided the exact skills needed.

🎮 Deep Unity Expertise

Mastered the client's chosen engine.

⚙️ Specialized Backend Skills

Solved the complex multiplayer challenge.

🔗 Seamless Team Integration

Acted as a true extension of the client's team.

⏰ Time Zone Overlap

Ensured smooth daily collaboration.

💰 Cost-Effective Scaling

Provided A-list talent without the cost of local hiring.

✨ Free Replacement Guarantee

Offered peace of mind.

🏷️ White Label Service

The work was published under the client's brand.

📈 Focus on Business Goals

Understood the need for speed and ROI.

Conclusion

Through a strategic co-development partnership, the European studio overcame its resource constraints and achieved its ambitious growth objectives. Developers.dev provided the specialized talent and scalable capacity needed to turn a regional hit into a global success story.

Scaling a Hit Mobile RPG: How Co-Development Accelerated a European Studio's Global Launch

Industry Mobile Gaming