Game apps generate more revenue than any other app category or niche. From when the first video game was launched, game apps continued to remain the most popular digital interface. Building games also went through several twists and turns and evolved through several groundbreaking technologies and approaches. As a result, it is now a multi-billion dollar industry.
Now any mobile game development company looks forward to outsourcing projects by offering competitive cost benefits and access to skilled developer talents. But this outsourcing approach has its demerits and shortcomings. Mobile game development lately raised several ethical and security concerns. Here we are going to explain these concerns and ways to address these concerns.
Data Security and Privacy
In-game projects where developers are outsourced, there is less control enjoyed by the game producer on intellectual property and data security attributes. Less control on the game development is likely to result in more compromises in the security and privacy of game data. Of course, only a certain percentage of outsourcing companies are responsible for data security breaches and compromise with protecting users’ privacy. But still, outsourcing exposes a game project more to these risks and vulnerabilities than an in-house project.
Now that these security and privacy concerns seem real, game publishers should only choose game development studios with great track records for complying with the security policies and privacy protection requirements established in the industry. Furthermore, game publisher companies should take care of these concerns with utmost seriousness simply because any security breaches and threat to data privacy can seriously ruin their reputation.
Not Nourishing Local Talents
As the development scene is now more global in character, the outsourcing of app projects can also result in a lack of opportunities for the developers at home. This is particularly true for the post-COVID scenario in which many countries are facing record-high unemployment.
For cost-competitive development and getting onboard industry best developer talents, many companies have no option but to outsource their app development projects. But this can have a serious negative impact on the employment and engagement of homegrown talents. Moreover, this appears to be an ethical concern and a moral constraint for development companies to pursue their business interests.
Evading Taxes and Duties
Many development companies outsource game development projects to destinations with more financial room, such as India, China, and Countries in South East Asia. The principal reason for targeting these outsourcing destinations is the cost benefits and not tax evasion, as wrongly perceived by many people.
The companies who are flouting all norms of ethics just open shell companies in various island nations such as Panama or Cayman are the companies who should be bracketed as tax evaders. Though it is still an ethical concern for IT outsourcing projects, development companies with reputed track records and constant project flow generally do not fall in this category.
Unethical Production Environments
Another key reason for many people to detest the outsourcing of production is the unethical working conditions in many countries. The low-cost production advantages have mainly resulted from the low-paid workers and derogatory working conditions devoid of many standard employee benefits. For example, app developers India offer the most competitive development rate while many pay low wages to professionals compared to their counterparts in developed countries.
Unfortunately, even many big companies in their third world facilities flout the ethical employment rules and norms they follow in their own countries. Moreover, the sheer cost competitiveness and market competition make many development companies withdraw from their commitment to ethical and employee-friendly work culture.
Despite these excesses of the ruthless effects of globalization in bringing inequality on the table of the companies as an opportune factor for pushing their growth, there are also companies who, irrespective of the location of their operations and production facilities, strictly adhere to a consistent and employee-friendly policy for nourishing talents.
Breaching Business Secrets
In the app development world, unique ideas and creative inputs in shaping those ideas to perfection matter for any development company’s success. These ideas and execution processes, and monetization strategies are part of the trade secrets that a development company needs to protect and keep secret. For game projects, this need to maintain secrecy is even bigger simply because game concepts always strive to be more unique to stand apart from the competition.
Game outsourcing can often result in broad breaches of these trade secrets and breaching of intellectual properties. To ensure necessary safeguards against such practices and vulnerabilities, it is important to make the development companies sign an elaborate Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) equipped with all the legal provisions and necessary checks and balances.
Cybersecurity Threats
The outsourcing of the game development projects also faces another serious security concern corresponding to cybersecurity attacks. Outsourced app projects are more exposed to malware and critical security issues just because the original game publishers have the least control over the IT hardware and environment of the remote development company.
As necessary safeguards against such cyber security threats, it is important to get onboard development companies who follow global security protocols and standards widely accepted by the industry. On top of that, while hiring the development companies, it is essential to evaluate the security standards and protocols followed by the company in-game and app projects. Make sure they have a stringent security control process and dedicated professionals in pace.
Conclusion
While outsourcing app projects are still irreplaceable, businesses should prioritize ethical outsourcing norms instead of adhering to an aggressive and no-holds-barred competitive mindset that can flout all ethical norms just to win the market competition. Ethical outsourcing ultimately will add more value to your brand and make people love it.
