Cross-Platform Game Deployment and Development
Cross-Platform Game Deployment and Development
Have you ever played your favorite game on your phone and then picked it up on your PC or console without losing progress?
That’s thanks to cross-platform development.
The gaming industry is becoming more connected, and players now expect to move fluidly between devices. Cloud gaming, mobile-first players, and the rise of multi-device households demand the need for uninterrupted play.
In such a market, failing to prioritize cross-platform development means limiting the game’s potential both in terms of player retention and market reach. In fact, according to reports, launching your game on multiple platforms such as PC, mobile, and consoles can increase your revenue by 20-40%. That’s why understanding cross-platform development is no longer optional for developers.
Consider this blog your go-to guide to cross-platform development. We’ll cover the challenges you may face, solutions that work, and the tools that make it easier! Let’s start with the basics.
What is Cross-Platform Game Development?
Cross-platform game development is the process of creating games that are compatible with various devices and operating systems and are deployed with minimal modifications using a single codebase across different platforms. It ensures a consistent experience for players, even when they switch between multiple devices.
With cross-platform game development, it’s possible to save time, cut costs, and broaden the game’s reach without compromising quality.
Though it sounds like an advanced concept, cross-platform development has been around for a while.
Here’s a quick recap of how it has evolved:
- Early games were designed for single consoles, making porting difficult due to unique software and hardware architectures.
- The seventh generation (i.e., from the year 2005) of consoles, with hardware similar to personal computers, made cross-platform development easier through modern software frameworks and scripting languages.
- These frameworks allowed for fewer code changes when releasing games on multiple platforms.
- Cloud computing enabled easy data syncing for a consistent player experience.
And today, cross-platform game development has become a defining characteristic of modern gaming. Driven by a demand for games that are accessible everywhere, cross-platform games are giving developers more freedom and players more options than ever.
Benefits of Cross-Platform Game Development
As per the survey conducted by Bain & Company, 95% of game development studios with more than 50 people are now working on cross-platform games. Have you wondered why such a large part of the industry is adapting cross-platform gaming solutions, so quickly?
Here are the top reasons.
- Increased Audience Reach
By making your game accessible on various devices, cross-platform games can reach a broader audience. It helps to increase the player base and create opportunities for greater engagement and community building.
- Better ROI Potential
Reaching a broader player base across devices improves revenue opportunities. Cross-platform games maximize returns without additional investment in platform-specific versions.
- Simplified Maintenance and Updates
A single codebase for cross-platform games means developers write the game logic once, and it works across different platforms like PCs, mobiles, and consoles.
When updates, bug fixes, or new features are needed, developers can update the shared codebase, and the changes automatically apply to all platforms. This keeps everything consistent and up-to-date without extra effort.
- Cost and Time Efficiency
With a single codebase, developers save time and money by maintaining consistent performance and functionality across multiple platforms without additional effort or expenses.
The benefits of cross-platform game development apply to a wide range of gaming genres, from casual mobile games to AAA console titles. The mobile, console, and PC gaming worlds are seeing the clear benefits of cross-platform development, which includes greater reach, efficiency, and higher returns.
As exciting as the benefits of cross-platform game development sound, it takes implementing some important strategies to achieve them. In the next section, we’ll walk you through exactly what you need to know.
Key Strategies for Cross-Platform Development
Creating a successful cross-platform game isn’t just writing codes that work on multiple platforms but also developing an immersive gaming experience for players across devices.
To achieve this, developers need the right tools and thorough planning to make sure that the game remains compatible and provides smooth gameplay.
Here are the key strategies:
- Choosing the Right Development Tools
Game engines are important software frameworks designed for the game development process. Unity and Unreal Engine are popular choices, offering the ability to create games that can run across PCs, consoles, mobile devices, AR, VR, MR, and WebGL platforms. These engines are widely used due to their flexibility and broad support for different platforms.
However, the right engine for your game will depend on the platforms you’re targeting. Here’s what to keep in mind when making your choice:
| Platform | What to Consider |
| Mobile | Look for mobile optimization and cross-platform support. |
| Console | Choose engines that support multiple consoles and online features. |
| PC | Focus on graphics, performance, and compatibility with different hardware. |
Xpress Gaming offers expert Unity and Unreal Engine game development services to bring your game ideas to life. The team of experts helps you streamline development, ensuring smooth gameplay across devices. Learn more here!
In addition to game engines, some frameworks assist developers with cross-platform game development. These tools provide essential functions allowing developers to write and deploy a single codebase across platforms.
- Unified Input Handling
Unified input handling refers to a system that allows your game to work with multiple input devices (controllers, touchscreens, keyboards) without needing separate setups for each one. It means your game can handle inputs consistently across all platforms, making development more efficient.
Unity’s input system lets you create input actions that simplify device-specific controls. By abstracting the inputs, developers can map actions (like jumping or moving) to any device’s input events, making it easier to manage cross-platform compatibility.
- Integrating Middleware And Server (API’s)
Middleware in cross-platform game development is a bridge that ensures consistent functionality across platforms, simplifying complex tasks like networking, audio, and physics.
By integrating middleware, developers can avoid redundant work and ensure that a game’s core mechanics are uniform across devices. On the server side, APIs manage communication between the game and backend services, enabling multiplayer interactions, cloud saves, and real-time updates.
Together, middleware and APIs free up time for more focused development, helping maintain quality while reducing platform-specific tweaking.
Popular middleware solutions for game development include:
| Middleware Solution | Description |
| PlayFab | A complete backend platform for game developers, offering cloud-based infrastructure, real-time analytics, player data management, and live operations support. |
| AWS | A leading cloud computing platform providing scalable infrastructure, AI-driven services, and extensive development and monitoring tools for enterprises across multi-cloud environments. |
| SmartFoxServer | A multiplayer game server that easily builds and scales online and mobile games. It offers fast networking, real-time messaging, and flexible cloud support for smooth gameplay experiences. |
- Thorough Testing Across Platforms
Emulators and simulators are good for catching early problems and quickly testing different platforms. But to really check how the game performs and works on various devices, testing on real smartphones, PCs, or consoles is a must.
Real-world conditions like device-specific quirks, hardware limitations, and performance under load can’t always be replicated accurately in emulators. By testing across platforms, you can fine-tune the experience!
- Continuous Integration and Deployment
Set up automated pipelines for building, deploying, and testing your game across platforms. Frequent testing ensures platform-specific bugs are caught early, streamlining the development process. To set up these pipelines, you’ll need tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, or CircleCI to automate builds and testing.
Xpress Gaming provides DevOps solutions that integrate continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. These pipelines automate repetitive tasks and improve workflow efficiency, allowing developers to focus more on coding and less on manual testing or deployment.
- Adopting a Modular Architecture
Building your game using a modular approach means breaking it into smaller, independent components that handle specific tasks. Separating core gameplay mechanics from platform-specific code makes the game easier to maintain.
This approach allows you to update or replace components without affecting the entire system, offering flexibility and reducing the chances of introducing errors when changes are made.
- Preparing Your Game for Global Players
Get your game ready for a global audience by translating text, tweaking cultural references, and adjusting graphics for different regions. Localizing your game helps it connect with more players and grow its reach.
These strategies lay the groundwork for successful cross-platform game development.
Popular Examples of Cross-Platform Games
Some of the biggest games today are bridging the gap between platforms and uniting players worldwide. These cross-platform games are leading the charge in delivering unmatched experiences to players across devices.
Let’s discuss some of the most popular examples that showcase the success of cross-platform game development.
- Fortnite
A battle royale game where 100 players fight to be the last one standing. Fortnite supports cross-platform play between PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices, allowing friends to play together regardless of the platform.
Market Success: Fortnite had amassed around 650 million registered players as of 2024 and generated over $9 billion in revenue within its first two full years after launch.
- Minecraft
A sandbox game where players can build and explore virtual worlds. Minecraft allows players to connect on different platforms (PC, consoles, mobile), sharing their worlds across devices.
Market Success: Sold over 300 million copies worldwide as of 2023, making it one of the best-selling games of all time.
- Rocket League
A hybrid of soccer and vehicular mayhem, where players control rocket-powered cars. Rocket League offers cross-platform play across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, so players can team up and compete no matter their device.
Market Success: Released in 2015, it generated $110 million in revenue within a year and surpassed 50 million players within two years.
- Among Us
A social deduction game where players must identify the imposter while completing tasks. It supports cross-platform play on PC, mobile, and Nintendo Switch, letting players connect across devices for a shared experience.
Market Success: Reached roughly 500 million players globally by November 2020, with the free-to-play version accounting for 97% of its audience.
- Dead by Daylight
A multiplayer survival horror game where one player hunts others while they try to escape. Dead by Daylight enables cross-platform play on PC, PS4, Xbox, Switch, and mobile, letting players join games from various platforms.
Market Success: Released in 2016, it sold more than 5 million copies by May 2019 and reached 60 million players by November 2023.
These are some of the most-played cross-platform games that deliver a seamless experience across different platforms.
Key Challenges in Cross-Platform Game Development
Game developers often run into challenges when deploying cross-platform games, from performance issues to platform-specific requirements. Understanding these obstacles is crucial for managing the complexities during the development process.
With this knowledge, you can better prepare for potential roadblocks, making sure your game delivers a consistent experience across all platforms.
Here are some challenges you should look out for:
Console Development Complexity
Building games for consoles like Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch isn’t the same as building games on PC or mobile. Each platform has its own set of performance benchmarks, hardware specs, and even restrictions on how games interact with their ecosystems.
Console games often require custom code, optimized graphics, and gameplay adjustments to meet strict platform standards.
Knowing the ins and outs of these platforms helps avoid costly delays and ensures your game runs smoothly.
Third-party Integrations and Compatibility
When working with cross-platform development, third-party libraries can be a hurdle. Not all of them work across every platform, which can limit your choices and force you to find alternatives that support specific platforms.
Another challenge is system integration. Features like push notifications, GPS, or device sensors often require platform-specific code to function properly. This means additional work is needed to ensure these services work across iOS, Android, and other platforms.
Ensuring Consistent User Experience
Differences in screen sizes, UI/UX design principles, and device capabilities can confuse users. You need to find a balance between maintaining a clean, intuitive layout and ensuring it looks good across all devices, from phones to desktops.
While using certain game engines like Unity and Unreal unifies the experience, achieving consistent gameplay often requires significant effort. This is where testing becomes crucial—what works on one device might not translate well to another.
While the challenges of cross-platform development can seem daunting, implementing some best practices can help you overcome these obstacles effortlessly.
Tips for Successful Cross-Platform Game Development
Cross-platform game development involves careful planning and execution. Here are some best practices to help you sidestep common challenges:
- Reuse Components
Reusing components such as code, UI elements, libraries, and frameworks across multiple platforms is a key practice for saving time and resources. It ensures consistency, simplifies maintenance and reduces redundancy.
- Maintain a Unified Art Style
A consistent art style across all devices makes sure that the game’s graphics, animations, and aesthetics remain coherent. It reduces the need for platform-specific adjustments, simplifies development, and enhances the player experience.
- Design to Scale
Designing your game with scalability in mind means you’re prepared for growth. As your game gets more players or adds new features, it won’t fall apart under pressure. Modular components make updates and fixes more manageable, so the game remains responsive as it expands.
And with that, you’re ready to build a game that works smoothly across platforms.
Wrapping Up
At Xpress Gaming, we offer services like Unreal Game Development and Unity Game Development that ensure the best cross-platform gaming experience.
Our team of developers has years of experience in coding and pushing boundaries to meet clients’ requirements technically and creatively.
With 17+ years of experience, we prioritize your vision and work towards the best possible solutions.
Got a game idea? Want to make it accessible to a broader audience?
Reach out to us, and our team will help you to create an immersive gaming experience.
