# Full-cycle game development

Canonical: [Full-cycle game development](https://strafetheorysoftware.com/services/game-development/)

Locale: en-US

Purpose: End-to-end game development from a US-based studio: roadmap, design, art, engineering, QA and launch for PC, console, mobile and VR.

Content updated: 2026-10-25

Source revision: git 5d523ea + tools/build_seo.py

Maintenance owner: Strafe Theory Software (hello@strafetheorysoftware.com)

[Topic map](https://strafetheorysoftware.com/llm/topics/services.md) · [Complete scoped map](https://strafetheorysoftware.com/sitemap.md)

We take your game from first idea to launch day. One US-based team plans it, designs it, builds it, tests it and helps you ship it, so nothing gets lost between vendors.

## What’s included

You can hand us the whole project, or start with one stage and decide on the next once you’ve seen the work.

- **Discovery and roadmap:** scope, milestones, budget, platform and engine choice, and the technical risks worth tackling first.
- **Game and systems design:** core loop, progression, economy, levels and UX.
- **Art:** 2D concept art and UI, 3D assets, and character and environment modeling.
- **Engineering:** gameplay, systems, tools and platform builds in Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot or Cocos.
- **QA and optimization:** testing on target hardware, performance and memory work, and bug fixing.
- **Launch support:** store pages, submission, and day-one patches.

## How a project runs

1. **Discovery call.** We sign your NDA first, then talk through the idea, audience, platforms and budget.
2. **Roadmap and quote.** You get a written plan with milestones and a price for each stage.
3. **Prototype or vertical slice.** We prove the fun before scaling up production.
4. **Production in milestones.** You see regular playable builds and can change direction at each milestone.
5. **Launch and support.** We help with submission, the launch window and the first updates.

## Platforms and engines

We build for PC, consoles, mobile (iOS and Android) and VR, in Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot and Cocos. We recommend the engine that suits your game and team rather than the one we like best.

Our founder, Syed Muhammad Sayam, is credited in Programming/Engineering on *God of War: Sons of Sparta* (Mega Cat Studios, published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, PS5, 2026). That credit is his personal work before founding Strafe Theory.

## Who we work with

Studios and publishers that need a full production team, brands that want a game built around their audience, and founders with a funded idea who need a team to make it real. We work with clients across the US, Europe, the UK and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

## Common questions

### How much does full-cycle game development cost?

It depends on scope, platforms and art style. After a discovery call we send a roadmap with milestones and a price for each stage, so you know the cost before any work starts.

### How long does it take to make a game?

A small, focused mobile game can take a few months. A larger PC or console game often takes a year or more. The roadmap gives you a realistic timeline before you commit.

### Who owns the game and the code?

You do. Everything we build for you is assigned to you under the contract, and we sign your NDA before the first call.

### Where is Strafe Theory Software based?

We’re a US-registered company (New Mexico) and a remote-first team. We work with clients in the US, Europe, the UK and MENA.

## Start a project

Email hello@strafetheorysoftware.com, use the contact form at https://strafetheorysoftware.com/#contact or book a 30-minute call at https://calendly.com/hello-strafetheorysoftware/30min. We sign your NDA before the first call, you own the IP we build for you, and we reply within two business days.

Other services: [Mobile game development](https://strafetheorysoftware.com/llm/pages/mobile-game-development.md), [Game co-development](https://strafetheorysoftware.com/llm/pages/game-co-development.md), [Game porting](https://strafetheorysoftware.com/llm/pages/game-porting.md), [Game prototyping and vertical slices](https://strafetheorysoftware.com/llm/pages/game-prototyping.md).