From 1 to 2,000: How Many Developers Does It Take to Build a Video Game?

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A developer essay explores the wide range of team sizes behind notable video games, comparing titles such as Stardew Valley, built by a single person over 4.5 years, with Final Fantasy VII Remake, whose credits list over 2,000 contributors. Skyrim took approximately six years and a team of 100 to complete, while Stardew Valley's main campaign actually runs longer than Skyrim's despite the stark difference in workforce. The piece highlights that factors such as budget, technology, market demands, and era all influence development scope and team size. The author also notes their own solo indie project, Programmatura, has been in development for over six months with limited progress, underscoring the personal challenges of solo game development.

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