If you want to develop a quality game, you need two things. One is a good idea, and the second is a good team of professional game developers.
After you have created a clear vision of the game you want to build, the next step is finding the right dev team to help bring it to life. Finding quality game developers who are passionate about video games and game design is challenging.
Perhaps you are searching for a game developer who can:
Here, you can learn about the top 9 sites where you can find and hire game developers for your next project.
Now, let's dive in…
Toptal is a site that connects businesses with talented freelancers in the realm of software and game development. Here you can find talent from across the globe.
The company touts it can provide users with access to the top three percent of freelance video game developers by carefully screening applicants before allowing them to be listed on their site.
The screening process used by Toptal includes a personality and language test, technician screenings conducted by other Toptal designers, algorithm testing, a test project, and an ongoing commitment for the freelance developers to keep a perfect track record when working with clients through the site.
While the process is tedious for developers, for those, who are searching for a game developer, finding the right person is much easier than it may seem. Potential clients can let the site know what they are looking for and the type of technology they are working with.
Once all information is provided, Toptal provides a list of possible matches. It is possible to begin working with the site 100% risk-free.
Online Jobs is a Philippines-based job board that has over 250K members across the nation. With the membership numbers on this site exceeding six-figures, it is considered the most popular and largest job site in the entire country.
The site was originally founded in 2008 by John Jonas and, while he intended it to be just a side hustle, this site is not one of the top locations to find the freelancer you are searching for.
By hiring a game developer from this site, you can get the experience and skills that you are looking for, at an affordable price. Now is the time to consider the freelancers here to ensure you find someone who can handle the job you need to have done.
With this site, it is easy to find freelancers who are interested in an array of projects, including both short-term and long-term gigs. With the search features available, you will find you can get who you need, without wasting a lot of time. Also, compared to many of the other sites, here you can find more affordable rates.
Fiverr's goal is to help reduce the options you have to choose from by segmenting the freelance marketplace. You will find profiles made by game developers (and other freelancers) that highlight the services they offer on this site. Some even include an introductory video.
You can search for the game developer you need by typing in a keyword or going into specific, predefined categories, such as "game developers."
Just as the name implies, most Fiverr freelancers are going to have smaller services they offer for $5; however, you can also find "Gig Extras," which are available for higher fees.
Upwork is one of the best-known freelancing sites available today. Here, people of all skill levels congregate to find new opportunities for freelance work – including game developers.
Using Upwork is simple. You can sign up for an account and then enter the specifics of the job. You will instantly receive a shortlist of candidates who fit your criteria. You can also have freelancers interested in the position reach out to you, or search for them using the platform yourself.
If you sign up and pay for Upwork Pro, you have access to a huge talent of individuals who can help with your search, premium freelancers, and an array of other beneficial features.
With Upwork, you have a mix of pros and those new to developing, so it is up to you to sort through the applicants to find someone who suits your needs. While this site may take longer to find the right person for the job, the huge pool of talent makes it work considering when you need a freelance game developer.
At Triblebyte, you can find a huge selection of talented and skilled individuals who are still in the early stages of their careers. The site helps to create an even playing field by assessing the abilities of each person, rather than relying on the credentials and prestige of what’s on their resume.
Freelancers must go through a multiple-choice coding quiz to be accepted to the platform. Once you have signed up for an account, you can begin sorting through the more than 200K options of engineers and programmers on the site to find the one that best suits the needs of your job.
Lemon.io is the rebranding site of Coding Ninjas. This site was known for being a reliable resource for finding and hiring extremely skilled software, web, and game developers.
On this site, you can easily find the right programmer for your needs, and the prices are affordable compared to many of the other options available. While the site’s setup is similar to many of the other popular freelance platforms, there is a bigger emphasis put on speed. This site guarantees to help you find the right freelancer in just 24 hours.
The site works by connecting startup founders and entrepreneurs with vetted software developers. Once you have outlined your needs, the site will search to help you find the right candidate. If the candidate presented does not seem like a good fit, Lemon.io will start over and present you with new options until the right person for the job is found.
Some of the biggest perks offered by using Lemon.io include free estimates, four tiers of vetting, fixed rates, and fast turnaround times. Even if you sign up for the free estimate, there is no obligation to move forward and hire the individual.
Stack Overflow Jobs is considered one of the largest communities of developers and other types of tech talent. People worldwide use this platform to discuss problems, share software, and help one another.
If you are searching for a quality game developer, Stack Overflow Jobs can help you find the right person for the job. You can post a description of your project and specify that you want a game developer with prior experience.
You can also add other specifications for the project, such as if you need a full- or part-time freelancer. Thanks to how diverse the community is on Stack Overflow, finding the right freelancer is easier than it may seem.
X-Team is made up of freelancers from across the globe. Before being accepted to the site, the freelancers must complete specific tests and a deep and thorough evaluation of their resume is done. This ensures that the developers available on this site are considered the “best and brightest” in the field.
You can hire from this team of skilled, accomplished, and trained developers through the X-Team website. There is a priority put on the freelancer’s skill set, which means you can feel confident that when you hire from this site, you have found someone who fully understands the scope of your project and what you are looking for and need.
When using the site, you can search for the perfect developer by setting your preferred criteria. Some of the search filters available include budget, culture fit, time zone preferences, availability, and others.
Also, this site encourages freelancers to work with them for a longer time than most other sites before accepting jobs. This will help ensure you get talented, committed individuals who are ready to handle your project.
The Gigster platform is designed for providing you with the development talent you need to create the game you have envisioned. Along with finding quality game developers, you can also find individuals who specialize in project management to help ensure your development process runs smoothly.
Unlike other platforms that just provide freelancers, Gigster provides you with access to freelancers along with experienced individuals who have worked with some of the biggest companies in existence, such as Amazon and Google.
With this site, you gain access to a dedicated project manager for your development process too, which serves as a liaison between you and the rest of your team.
Here you can find some of the most common questions about hiring a freelance game developer.
Freelance game developers are self-employed developers who design games using programming languages like Java, JavaScript, Python, and PHP. Freelance game developers will work with clients to design, develop, and maintain games.
Game app developers need to understand technical code, design principles, and gameplay to create an easy-to-use, interactive game.
As you can see from the information above, there are several platforms where you can find and hire freelance game developers. The 9 platforms we have included above will help connect you to the top freelance game developers who have the years of experience and game programming knowledge needed to bring your visions to life.
When you use the freelance hiring platforms mentioned above, you can find just what you need in a game designer or development team. Some of the platforms we reviewed above offer things like project managers, vetting services, and more.
The cost to hire a freelance game developer depends on where you hire them and their skillset. On some platforms, you can find game developers who charge $25 to $50 per hour. However, others may charge flat rates for complete game development services.
Finding and hiring a professional and quality game developer is more challenging than hiring other developers with more basic skills.
However, if you keep the information above in mind, it will be easier for you to find the best game developers for any upcoming project. Remember, take the time to review your options and do not just focus on the skill level of the developer. It would help if you also considered how well they could meet and match your needs.
According to Salary.com, most video game programmers make between $27 and $35 per hour. The average wage is $31 per hour.
However, some estimates are higher. CareerExplorer estimates that the average wage for a video game designer in America is just over $43 per hour.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average is even higher. They estimate that game developers in the United States make an average of $49 per hour.
According to Glassdoor, game developers in the United States average an annual salary of nearly $51,000.
However, some estimates are higher. According to CareerExplorer, the average salary for a game designer is just over $90,000 per year.
Similarly, ZipRecruiter estimates that the national average salary for game developers in America is over $101,000 per year.
Here are 10 skills you might consider looking for in a game developer:
Here are 10 interview questions you might consider asking when hiring a game developer: