Though the gaming industry is booming and is now bigger than both the music and film industries combined, the expenses that go into video game development can often be incredibly high and daunting. Video game development teams – especially small indie studios – often have a lot on their plate when developing their games and many times have to wear multiple hats. Because of the rising costs and hours required to develop modern games, many times, certain things fall by the wayside during the development process. One of those often forgotten or neglected aspects is historical research – and if you’re developing a video game rooted in history, this can be a costly mistake.
That’s where historical research companies come in handy. With a research company’s large team of writers and historians, they can help iron out the fine details in your game so you can focus your remaining resources on things like gameplay and story. In case you’re on the fence regarding the value of a company like Epoch Xperience, here are just a few reasons why you would want to consider hiring us for your historical game development.
It Saves Resources & Money
Probably the most obvious reason for outsourcing your game’s historical research to a third-party company is the fact that doing so will save your own indie studio resources and, ultimately, money. Most indie studios have a relatively limited budget, so this is a huge deal. Historical research companies like Epoch Xperience can help your business with all of the necessary research, so that your resources can be better spent on more important things – the game’s actual development. If you happen to be operating on a limited time frame, this is especially important as it will help your studio save valuable time that could be better spent elsewhere.
We all know the more time you spend on development, the more money you’re losing. Speed up the creation of your historical world with our help, and you may actually save money in the end.
Create a More Historically Authentic Game
One of the biggest positives of hiring a historical research company is for the additional resources – companies that specialize in historical research have access to more historical records and info, much of which is not readily available to the public. Therefore, the benefits lie further than simply saving time and in-house resources. And with more research tools, the resulting product will naturally be more historically authentic.
Authenticity is important when it comes to video games that are heavily based within history, as it helps the player stay engaged and immersed within the game’s world. Even if every other aspect of the game is great, lacking any sense of authenticity is one of the quickest ways to turn players off to your game.
Educates and Entertains Players
Historical research companies can also help improve your game by making it more entertaining or even educational for players. Games with heavy historical roots have the potential to be educational, with modern hits like the Civilization series or even old classics like The Oregon Trail providing enough historical facts to make it educational for the player. While educating is obviously not the primary reason for most gamers to play your game, many history lovers do enjoy playing historical games for that reason. There is a real market for games that are educational, as well as fun and entertaining.
If you’re an indie studio staring down at the daunting task of historical research, don’t hesitate to contact us. Epoch Xperience can help with the research for your historical game, with a team of researchers and writers that can help with whatever research work you may need. We offer competitive rates and promise high-quality work to achieve a finished product that’s immersive and engaging.
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At Epoch Xperience, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch Xperience’s service on our parent site, SJR Research.
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(This article is credited to Ben Price. For as long as he can remember, Ben has always loved playing, discussing, and writing about video games. Since receiving his B.A. in English, he now writes about them for a living.)