How Much Does It Cost to Make a Game Like Lords Mobile?

Developing a game like Lords Mobile requires a well-thought-out plan before any coding begins. The pre-production phase plays a critical role in determining how much time, effort, and budget the entire development process will take.

Game Concept and Pre-Production Costs The first step in creating a game involves brainstorming ideas, storyboarding the gameplay, and creating a Game Design Document (GDD). The GDD outlines everything from game mechanics and storyline to the game world and player interactions. At this stage, costs arise from hiring game designers and concept artists to draft the initial designs and map out the game’s core features.

Game Design Document (GDD) The GDD will include:

• Detailed storylines and world-building elements
• Core gameplay mechanics and features
• Monetization strategies (in-game purchases, ads, etc.)
• Key technical requirements (multiplayer, cloud infrastructure)

The estimated cost for pre-production ranges from $20,000 to $50,000, depending on the complexity of the game and the amount of market research required.

To build a game like Lords Mobile, you need to understand what makes it unique. Some of the core features that make the game stand out are its:

• MMO mechanics: Large-scale battles and multiplayer interactions in real-time
• World-building: Players can build kingdoms, train armies, and conquer territories
• Social gaming elements: Alliances, guilds, and multiplayer coordination
• In-app purchases: A well-established microtransaction system for players to enhance gameplay

Developing these features will significantly impact the cost, as each requires its own set of assets, coding, and backend systems.

Game Engine Costs

One of the first major decisions in game development is choosing the engine. Popular choices for mobile games are Unity and Unreal Engine, both of which offer robust toolsets for building MMO games. Each engine has different licensing fees based on the revenue of your game, but typically Unity’s free tier is sufficient for small-scale games, with premium licenses costing around $1,800 annually.

If a custom game engine is required, the cost will increase dramatically. Developing a custom engine could add another $100,000 to $300,000 to the budget.

Art and Animation Costs

• 2D/3D Character Design: Creating high-quality characters for Lords Mobile involves 2D concept art and 3D modeling. This can range from $500 to $5,000 per character, depending on the level of detail.
• Environmental Design: Building interactive and visually appealing environments (castles, battlegrounds, and landscapes) can cost around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on complexity.
• Animation: To make these characters and environments come to life, animators are required. A single animated character could cost between $1,000 and $10,000, depending on its intricacy.

In total, for a mid-level game like Lords Mobile, you can expect art and animation to cost $100,000 to $500,000.

Game Development Team

Creating a game like Lords Mobile requires a team of developers, artists, animators, sound designers, and project managers. The cost of building such a team can vary greatly depending on their experience, location, and the size of the project. A small, experienced team might cost around $50,000 to $150,000 per month.

If you choose to outsource certain aspects of the development (e.g., art or animation), costs can be lower, but may still require $30,000 to $80,000 per month.

Here’s a sample table with estimated game development costs from various countries for a game like Lords Mobile. These are rough estimates based on general industry data and can vary based on the specifics of the project.

One of the key features of Lords Mobile is its MMO element, which allows thousands of players to interact in real-time. Building and maintaining the backend for a multiplayer system requires significant investment.

• Scalable Server System: To handle large-scale real-time multiplayer gameplay, a scalable server system is essential. This includes server setup, cloud infrastructure, and database management. AWS and Google Cloud are popular choices for hosting games, with monthly costs ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, depending on traffic and player volume.
• Matchmaking and Real-time Communication: Building a stable matchmaking system, along with real-time player communication tools, adds to development complexity and cost.
  The backend infrastructure costs could total $100,000 to $500,000.

Monetization is a critical part of any mobile game’s success. A game like Lords Mobile heavily relies on microtransactions and in-app purchases to generate revenue.

• Integrating In-App Purchases: The cost of integrating payment gateways and ensuring a seamless user experience can range from $10,000 to $30,000.
• Balancing the Economy: Creating an in-game economy that is balanced yet encourages players to spend money is a task that requires the input of game designers and economists. This can add $5,000 to $20,000 to your budget.
• Legal Considerations: Compliance with regional laws and regulations surrounding in-app purchases will also incur legal fees, which can cost up to $10,000 to $30,000.

Building a game is only half the battle. Once developed, you need a marketing strategy to attract users and keep them engaged.

• App Store Optimization (ASO): Optimizing the game for app stores (Google Play, App Store) involves creating appealing store pages, crafting descriptions, and choosing the right keywords. This process can cost around $5,000 to $10,000.
• Digital Marketing and Ads: Mobile game marketing can be expensive, especially if you’re targeting global audiences. Paid ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads can quickly add up to $50,000 to $300,000, depending on the size of your campaign.
• Influencer Collaborations: Partnering with influencers to promote your game can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000.

Post-Launch and Maintenance Costs

Once the game is launched, the work doesn’t stop. Continuous maintenance, bug fixing, updates, and customer support are essential to keep players engaged.

• Patches and Updates: Regular updates with new features, events, and bug fixes are a must to keep the player base active. This can cost $20,000 to $100,000 annually.
• Live Events: Hosting live events and seasonal updates can cost another $10,000 to $50,000 per event.
• Server Maintenance: Keeping the servers running smoothly is a continuous expense, typically around $5,000 to $20,000 per month.

The final cost of developing a game like Lords Mobile depends on various factors, including the scope of the game, the size of the development team, and the quality of the assets.

• For a simple version: $200,000 to $500,000
• For a mid-level game: $500,000 to $1 million
• For a high-end, AAA mobile game: $1 million to $3 million