Video game development, especially for top-tier titles, has become more complicated. Many studios use outsourcing to make their games, but Sea of Thieves has taken a different approach. Co-development partnerships keep up with the demands of live service but preserve the team’s creative visions.
This approach involves close collaboration between studios, integrated teams, and shared ownership over features. It’s a shift from the traditional outsourcing model, where a studio would be responsible for a specific, standalone deliverable. The distinction is important in Flix Interactive’s work on Rare’s popular game, Sea of Thieves. Flix joined the project a year before its launch and took on a collaborative role, as CEO John Tearle explained in an interview with Gamedeveloper.
“Co-development is far more ingrained. We work hand in hand with the team over at Rare with everything that they do. A lot of the design leadership turn around and actually work with our team on our side to be able to ascertain features, which can be anything from front facing through to infrastructure… There would be some creative input from our side, there’ll be a lot of creative input and direction from their side as well. It’s basically like working as part of an extension of that arm.”
John Tearle
Flix’s team has become an extension of Rare’s, working on specific components or features while remaining integrated into the larger development process. They cite the introduction of fire damage in Sea of Thieves as an example of shared ownership. While Flix took the lead on its development, collaboration with Rare’s engineers ensured efficient implementation on older hardware.
It’s weird to hear about but it makes a lot of sense, and is probably why Sea of Thieves does so well even though Rare is handing off a good portion of development. Flix believes in working together and adapting to their partners’ needs. They are experts in Unreal Engine but also have experience in backend infrastructure, allowing them to fit into different projects easily.
The team also understands the importance of having a wide network. When they encounter a technical challenge outside their main expertise, like particle effects, they use their network to find the right partner for the job. It sounds beneficial to everyone involved.
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