​Pixels to paperwork at eXplore Studio

As a video game studio, one would imagine our sole focus is developing video games - which of course, does come with the territory. However, starting a small business also presents logistical and operational issues which one might not even think of at first glance. This definitely introduced its own challenges, such as figuring out our ethics, legal and compliance matters. It may sound totally unrelated to game design, but it is equally necessary to succeed in the long-term. There is so much behind the scenes work which our colleagues do to make sure we can keep moving forward. We have found having colleagues own different areas means we can each provide expertise and develop specific parts of the business with our unique skill sets. Additionally, we see that working together and regularly checking in is key, especially if we work on vastly different parts of the business. This means we can all stay on the same page and assist each other in a collaborative way. 

Another example of how we have managed this balancing act is our recent development of a Code of Conduct for eXplore. Although we are only small and independent, we felt it was good to embody our values and which behaviours we would like to promote an early stage. Codifying a document with the principles we stand for and training our colleagues on this has put us in good stead for the future by defining our foundations.

One element which unites all of us at eXplore is how much we have all grown - from marketing to artistic design, it has been a learning curve. At that, it is one we are grateful for because we have been given the chance to develop an abundance of new abilities. We also see the huge advantages of keeping colleagues looped in with one another, so we can provide fresh eyes and feedback. Recently, a colleague of ours even led a session on the importance of feedback, and how we can most respectfully deliver and accept it. It was a great moment to reflect on how effectively we already do communicate as a team, and allowed us to focus on the positives of remaining transparent and kind. 

We are curious to hear from fellow small indie game companies about how they have found balancing video game development with business functions. Please do feel free to reach out to us and discuss your journey or any insights! We are always open to learning from others and connecting with fellow game developers.