Tattoo Artist BooksThe game development process has six stages: concept, prototype, production, testing, store launch and post-launch updates. If you are wondering how mobile games are made, the short answer is this: write the core of the game in one sentence, build the smallest playable prototype, and do not commit to full production until you have seen that it is fun.
This guide is for people with a game idea, or people thinking of hiring a team to build one. It focuses on the decisions at each stage, because projects rarely slip because of code. They slip because a decision was made late.
1. Concept: the game in one sentence
Everything starts with a sentence like: "The player does this, earns that, and comes back for this reason." If you cannot write it, it is too early for a prototype. During the concept stage, answer these questions:
- Who is the player and how old are they? For kids' games this shapes the whole design.
- How long is one session? Most mobile games are built around short sessions.
- What brings the player back: levels, a collection, progression, a pet to take care of?
- How will it earn money: free start plus subscription, a one-time purchase, ads?
You do not need a long design document. One or two pages covering the core loop, the list of screens and the revenue model are usually enough. If you are starting from scratch, our guide on how to get a mobile game made goes into the planning side.
2. Prototype: check the fun before the polish
A prototype does not need to look good. Boxes and placeholder shapes are enough to tell whether the core mechanic works. The goal is to test the riskiest assumption as cheaply as possible: do the controls feel right, is the difficulty balanced, does a player understand what to do without an explanation?
The prototype answers "should we build this?" If the answer is no, you changed direction at the cheapest possible moment. If yes, you have a solid base for production.
3. Choosing an engine: the Unity mobile game route
Unity is one of the most common choices for mobile games. A single project can ship to iOS and Android, there is a large ecosystem of tools and assets, and it handles both 2D and 3D. Alternatives exist, such as Godot, Unreal or lightweight Flutter-based setups. The right pick depends on the genre, the team and the target devices. For 2D puzzle, memory or card-style games, a Unity mobile game is often a fast and flexible route. Whatever the engine, write the choice into the proposal so there are no surprises later.
4. Production: art, sound, code, content
Once the prototype is approved, four tracks run in parallel: game code, art and animation, sound and music, and level or content creation. Healthy projects tend to share these habits:
- A vertical slice: one section of the game finished to final quality. It tests both the style and the technical foundation early.
- Weekly builds: a version you can try on your phone every week. Progress is visible and wrong turns show up early.
- Smart use of ready-made assets: licensed assets save time in version one. Customize the parts that need to be unique later.
- Content kept separate from code: levels and text that live outside the code make later updates and translations easier.
5. Testing: real devices, real players
A game that runs in a simulator can stutter on a real phone. Testing covers different screen sizes, older devices, memory use, battery drain, lost connections and returning to the app after it was in the background. One more thing matters as much as the code: testing with the target player. Short sessions with friends, or with parents and kids for a children's game, often teach more than dozens of hours of internal testing.
6. Launch and after launch
A store launch involves more work than people expect: icons, screenshots, descriptions, age ratings, privacy declarations and the review process. It also matters whose developer account the game is published under, because it decides who owns the listing. After launch you still need bug fixes, new levels and updates for new operating system versions, so do not budget only for version one.
The stages at a glance
| Stage | Main output | Decision question |
|---|---|---|
| Concept | One-page game summary | Who is it for and how does it earn? |
| Prototype | Playable rough version | Is the core mechanic fun? |
| Production | Art, sound, levels, code | Is the scope fixed, and what did we say no to? |
| Testing | Bug list, balance pass | Is it smooth on real devices? |
| Launch | Game live in the stores | Are accounts, ratings and privacy ready? |
| After launch | Updates | What do we measure, what do we add? |
What affects time and cost?
Giving an exact duration or price without seeing the game would be guesswork. The factors that matter: 2D or 3D, the number of screens and levels, original art or ready-made assets, whether it needs multiplayer or a server, whether it has accounts and payments, and how many languages it supports. A simple 2D game and a project with accounts, payments and a backend do not finish on the same timeline. A sound approach is to keep the first scope small, launch it, and grow based on how players behave. For the app side of the timeline, see the app development process.
Frequently asked questions
How are mobile games made if I cannot code?
As the idea owner you do not need to code. Your job is to define what the game is, who it is for and how it makes money. A development team can handle the prototype, production and launch.
Which game development stage is skipped most often?
The prototype and testing with real players. Both feel like lost time, but they are the stages that catch expensive mistakes.
Is Unity enough for both iOS and Android?
One project can target both platforms. Platform-specific parts such as notifications, purchases and privacy declarations are handled separately and must follow each store's rules.
Can someone steal my game idea if I share it?
Ideas alone are hard to protect; the value lies in execution and timing. You can still ask for a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before the first conversation. For legal specifics, talk to a lawyer.
OdenaVerse is the software brand of Odena Bilişim Teknolojileri Ltd. Şti. in Istanbul. We build our own games, and we also develop games for people who bring an idea. We work through a clear process: intro call, a written scope and proposal, design sign-off before coding, weekly builds you can try on your phone, then testing and launch. Our own children's game is still in development, and you can read about it on our games page (in Turkish). Tell us about your idea at [email protected].