Why Are 47% of Game Studios Not Fully Happy With The Results of Outsourcing?

Even though outsourcing is a common practice, some game development companies are faced with poor quality services. In this article, the 80 Level Research team provides insights into the level of gaming companies’ loyalty towards their outsourcers and explains why about half of them have experienced unsatisfactory results from these partnerships.

Game Studios’ Loyalty to Outsourcers

The NPS score measures customer loyalty by looking at their likelihood of recommending a business service to others.

Among 80 Level survey participants who worked with outsourcing companies, the aggregated NPS score was negative (-24%) (0-6 out of 10). Almost half (47%) of respondents didn’t have a very positive experience of working with outsourcers. Around 30% fell into the passives category (7-8 out of 10) and only 23% (9-10 out of 10) were extremely satisfied with their partnerships with external professionals.

What Are The Main Reasons For a Negative Experience?

The majority of people who weren’t fully happy with outsourcers mostly emphasized the low quality of services provided (57%). Besides, 30% of game studios suffered from unnecessary complications in the communication processes and 19% of surveyed companies didn’t receive services aligned with the obligations promised by outsourcers. Fewer respondents reported instances of not adhering to the original contract's pricing terms (10%) and outsourcers failing to meet deadlines (2%).

Comparing 80 Level data with the XDS report, poor communication was also the second biggest challenge faced by game studios working with outsourcers in 2023, bypassed only by the lack of outsourcers’ capacity. 

But where to find skilled outsourcers who can provide top-notch service? How should you communicate with them to achieve anticipated results? Stay tuned for our upcoming article on outsourcing.