Naughty Dog’s relationship with


Sony is a long-standing one, but its evolution is noteworthy. What began as third-party support eventually matured into a deeper, more strategic partnership — culminating in full acquisition. It’s a case study in what long-term collaboration can look like when mutual goals and creative vision align. Activision’s Call of Duty franchise


offers another example. While public attention often focuses on headline studios like Infinity Ward or Treyarch, much of the real development work is distributed. Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, and Beenox all play crucial roles — from multiplayer balancing and engine work to seasonal content and environmental storytelling. In parallel, outsourced art and animation work is often handled by trusted studios that have become embedded parts of the production pipeline. This distributed model is increasingly common in AAA


development. It reflects not a dilution of creative vision, but rather a new way of realising it.


A GROUND-LEVEL PERSPECTIVE At Airship Interactive, we’ve seen this transition up close. Our ongoing collaboration with HB Studios on PGA TOUR 2K25


is a good example of how co-development has evolved beyond asset delivery. While our team contributed high-fidelity character and environmental assets — including player models, costumes, clubs, and accessories — the partnership extended well into technical integration and creative iteration. This wasn’t a case of working in isolation. Our artists worked


closely with HB’s internal team in Unity, embedding directly into their pipeline to allow for rapid visual feedback and consistent iteration. As an external partner, our role was to stay agile — adopting their workflows, meeting performance benchmarks, and supporting the visual and experiential goals of the game. Character animation and design were significant aspects of the


project. Recreating real-life figures such as Tiger Woods and Matt Fitzpatrick required not only accuracy, but also the careful balance of realism and visual consistency — particularly in moments when player characters are viewed from behind. Details like costuming and silhouette fidelity were essential to keeping players immersed throughout gameplay. In this project,as in many others, the work wasn’t just about art; it


was about working in sync. Regular stand-ups, open communication across time zones, and a mutual understanding of goals helped both teams stay aligned. The process was collaborative at every stage — from technical problem-solving to artistic decision-making. That sense of shared ownership made a difference. It’s what


distinguishes a co-development project from a typical outsourcing engagement. And it’s increasingly what studios are seeking in their external partners.


WHY CO-DEVELOPMENT WORKS There are several reasons why co- development is gaining ground: • Capacity and flexibility Development timelines are tight, and internal teams are often running at full tilt. Co-dev provides the flexibility to scale resources up or down as required — without long-term commitments. • Specialised skill sets


As game engines become more powerful, they also become more technical. Whether it’s real-time lighting, hair simulation or animation retargeting, external partners often bring deep expertise in areas that might otherwise be niche internally. • Parallel production With multiple teams working across different aspects of a game — narrative design, level building, systems programming — co- development allows those streams to run concurrently, keeping momentum high. • Risk mitigation By distributing work, studios reduce bottlenecks and create room for flexibility. If one stream hits a snag, others can continue — keeping the project moving forward. • Global talent access Co-development breaks down geographical limitations. Great teams exist all over the world — and the technology now exists to make collaboration seamless, no matter the distance.


That said, this model isn’t without challenges. It demands high levels of communication, robust processes, and technical integration. But when done well, the results are clear: higher quality, faster delivery, and healthier teams.


A MORE COLLABORATIVE FUTURE The future of AAA development won’t be defined by any one studio or platform — it’ll be shaped by the networks of people working together behind the scenes. The industry is moving towards more distributed,


decentralised, and collaborative production — and that’s a good thing. It reflects a maturity in how we think about scale, specialism, and creativity. As teams become more global and projects more ambitious, co-development isn’t just a workaround — it’s a competitive advantage. Importantly, this isn’t about replacing internal teams. It’s about


complementing them — allowing studios to focus on what they do best while trusted partners bring expertise, bandwidth and innovation to the table. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: to make


games that players love. And increasingly, that means building them together.


June/July 2025 MCV/DEVELOP | 23


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