How Long Does It Take to Make a Computer Game?

Ever asked yourself how long it takes to make a computer game? If you haven’t, that’s fine — most people only start wondering this after falling down a YouTube rabbit hole about indie developers spending five years on a pixelated frog simulator. But trust me, the answer to this question is one developers both dread and passionately defend.

In this article, we’ll break down how long it takes to make a video game, including all the major stages of game development: concept, design, pre-production, production, testing, launch, and post-launch support. We’ll explore timelines for AAA games, indie titles, mobile games, and solo projects, and we’ll answer the big questions you’re really wondering:

• ⏱️ How many hours to make a game?

• 👾 Can you release a game in under a year?

• 💸 Does bigger always mean slower?

• 🧠 Is game development faster today than 10 years ago?

Let’s hit start and dive in.

What Does “Making a Computer Game” Even Mean?

Before we answer how long, we have to define what we mean by “making a computer game.” Game development isn’t just typing code and pressing play. It’s a complex, multi-stage process that can include:

• Game concept and ideation

• Design documentation

• Programming

• 3D modeling and animation

• Audio creation (music + sound effects)

• Level design

• QA testing

• Marketing and publishing

All of these parts contribute to the total development timeline — and each can vary wildly in duration depending on the project’s scope.

Timeline Breakdown: From Concept to Launch

1. Idea & Concept (1–6 Weeks)

Every game begins with an idea. Some ideas take days of brainstorming; others take years of writing, rewriting, and arguing with teammates about whether the protagonist should be a cat or a robot.

Key activities:

• Concept art and story outlines

• Market research

• Pitch documents

⌛ Typical duration: 1–6 weeks
💡 Tip: Don’t rush this phase; many projects fail simply because the idea wasn’t clear from the outset.

2. Pre-Production (1–3 Months)

Pre-production is where developers create the game’s blueprints. It doesn’t make the game yet, but you won’t get far without it.

Key outputs:

• Game Design Document (GDD)

• Technical Design Document (TDD)

• Prototype of core features

• Initial art and sound concepts

This stage helps teams answer the real question: Can we actually build this?

⌛ Typical duration: 4–12 weeks
📌 A solid pre-production can save months later by avoiding redesigns.

3. Production (6 Months – 3+ Years)

This is the core of actual game creation. The production phase is where everything gets built — art, levels, audio, programming, and systems.

📌 Production length depends heavily on:

• Team size

• Game complexity

• Platform(s) (PC, console, mobile)

• Tools and technology

• Budget

Let’s look at how production length differs by game type:

Average Timeline by Game Type

🎲 AAA Games (Triple-A Titles)

AAA games are the cinematic, blockbuster titles with massive budgets — think Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, or Elden Ring.

Typical development time:
➡️ 2–5+ years
➡️ Some AAA games take 7–10 years

With hundreds of developers working on dozens of features, AAA timelines reflect the scale, polish, and technical ambition expected by players.

Indie Games

Indie games vary the most. Some are small pixel art projects; others are sprawling worlds created by tiny teams.

Typical development time:
➡️ 6 months – 3 years

Examples:

• A simple 2D platformer can be done in 6–12 months.

• A narrative adventure with custom art and music may take 2–3 years.

Mobile Games

Mobile game timelines generally tend to be shorter, especially for casual or hyper-casual titles.

Typical development time:
➡️ 3–12 months
➡️ Some quick prototypes can be built in weeks

However, more ambitious mobile titles with online components or live services may take 1–2 years.

Solo Developer Projects

Solo game developers — especially hobbyists or first-timers — will spend way different amounts of time depending on skill level and scope.

Typical development time:
➡️ 6 months – 4+ years

Some indie sensations like Undertale, Stardew Valley, or Fez were built by solo developers over several years.

Why These Timelines Vary So Much

Game development time depends on several factors:

✔️ Team Size

A larger team can do more work in parallel — until management, communication overhead, and coordination start slowing things down again.

✔️ Game Complexity

Is it a 2D puzzle game or an open-world RPG with real-time multiplayer? The scope matters.

✔️ Game Engine

Using engines like Unity or Unreal Engine can significantly reduce development time because they come with built-in tools and systems.

✔️ Art Style

Hand-drawn animation and bespoke art take longer than procedural art or low-poly styles.

✔️ Budget

Money buys time. Lack of funding can stretch schedules out as developers juggle other work or rely on volunteers.

Has Game Development Become Faster?

The short answer: yes… and no.

Faster Because:

• Game engines are more powerful and accessible than ever

• Asset stores let developers reuse art, audio, and code

• Tools like animation middleware cut production hours

Slower Because:

• Player expectations are insanely high

• Games are more complex than 10–15 years ago

• Multiplayer, online services, and live updates require ongoing work

In other words, modern tools make parts of development faster, but modern players expect more content, polish, depth, and stability — which adds time.

Real Developer Testimonials (What Pros Actually Say)

Here’s how actual developers describe game development time:

🎮 “Our first prototype took a month, but polishing took another year.”
📱 “We thought it’d take 6 months. It took 16.”
👨‍💻 “Solo dev here — 1500+ hours over 2 years.”

Game development is rarely linear. There are:

• Breakthrough moments

• Technical setbacks

• Feature creep

• Bugs that refuse to die

This means release dates shift often, and many projects ship later than originally planned.

A Closer Look at Key Game Development Stages

Prototyping

This is where ideas get tested. It might be a simple playable version without art or sound — just mechanics. Depending on complexity, this can take weeks or months.

Core Development

This is where most of the work happens:

• Programming systems

• Creating assets

• Building levels/scenes

• Integrating sound and music

Often, this stage runs in parallel across departments.

Quality Assurance (QA)

Testing, bug fixing, and polishing. Many developers say QA takes longer than expected. Bugs are like digital gremlins — fix one, and two more pop up.

Launch & Post-Launch

Releasing the game is just the beginning. Post-launch updates, patches, and community support are now essential — especially for live service games.

Some games support players for years after release — adding new content, balance patches, seasonal updates, and expansions.

Words of Wisdom From Game Developers

Here are real lessons learned from people who actually build games:

💡 Start small

Big ideas are exciting, but small prototypes help you learn faster.

💡 Plan, but stay flexible

Schedules matter — but plans always change.

💡 Polish beats quantity

A short, polished game often outshines a long, unfinished one.

💡 Expect setbacks

Technical challenges and unexpected bugs are part of life.

🤔 So… How Long Does It Really Take?

If you want a simple rule of thumb:

• Small indie games: 3–12 months

• Mid-tier indie games: 1–3 years

• AAA games: 2–7+ years

• Solo developer projects: 1–4+ years

But remember — these are averages. Every project is unique.

🧠 How to Shorten Development Time (Without Ruining Quality)

Here are proven ways to speed up game development:

✔️ Use a powerful game engine

Unity or Unreal provide tools that cut manual work.

✔️ Reuse assets

Asset stores let you buy models, sounds, and plugins instead of building everything yourself.

✔️ Prioritize features

Start with the must-have gameplay, and do nice-to-have later (or never).

✔️ Get testers early

Find bugs sooner — not later.

✔️ Work in sprints

Break development into small milestones so progress stays visible.

What About Burnout?

Game development is fun — but it’s also intense.

Crunch culture (long periods of overtime) has become notorious in the industry because deadlines slip and pressure mounts. This is an important factor in development time that doesn’t show up on spreadsheets but definitely affects project timelines and developer health.

Final Thoughts: There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Answer

The length of time it takes to make a computer game depends on three big things:

1. Scope – How big is the game?

2. Team – How many people are building it?

3. Tools – What tech are you using?

In the end, game development is a journey — one filled with creativity, frustration, wins, resets, and learning. Whether you’re planning your first indie game or studying to enter the industry, understanding the timeline helps you set realistic goals.

If you walk away with one truth from this article, let it be this:

Good games take time — but smart planning and realistic goals make that time worthwhile.