How You Can Speed Up Development On Your Indie Game

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Making an indie game takes time, and when you’re handling everything—coding, level design, testing, and marketing—art can slow you down. But what if you could speed up the process without sacrificing quality? 

Hiring freelance artists on demand is one of the fastest ways to complete your game without stretching your timeline.

Finding the right artist used to take weeks, but with Fusion, you can connect with pre-vetted game artists in minutes. If you need concept art, environments, or a video game character, freelance artists help bring your ideas to reality while you focus on your indie game development.

 

Why Speed Matters in Indie Game Development

The indie game market is growing rapidly, with its size expected to reach $5.42 billion in 2025 and nearly double to $10.71 billion by 2030, growing at a 14.60% CAGR. With the competition increasing, finishing your game efficiently is more important than ever. The faster you complete your game, the sooner you can get it in front of players and start generating revenue.

According to Mordor Intelligence, Asia Pacific currently holds the largest share of the market and is also the fastest-growing region, making it a key area for indie game success. With major players like Supergiant Games, Team Cherry, Zachtronics, Noodlecake Studios, and Raw Fury AB leading the way, indie developers need to move fast to stay competitive.

What Slows Down Indie Game Development?

Before we get into the solution, let’s take a step back. If you’ve ever wondered how long does it take to make an indie game, the answer depends on many factors. Some small projects take a few months, while others take years. One of the many major reasons for delays? Art.

Here’s why:

Limited resources Many indie teams don’t have dedicated artists.
Finding the right style Searching for an artist who fits your vision can take weeks
Time-consuming asset creation Designing a game character, environment, or UI takes hours—even longer if you’re doing it alone.
Revisions and changes Adjusting artwork mid-development can push deadlines back.


But all of this changes when you bring in freelance artists on demand. You’ll cut down on delays and speed up production without sacrificing quality.

How Freelance Artists Help You Speed Up Your Indie Game Development

Instead of spending weeks searching, hiring, and onboarding an artist, you can instantly connect with indie game artists who specialize in exactly what you need. 

Here’s how it helps:

✅ Skip the Long Hiring Process

Hiring a full-time artist is a commitment. You need contracts, onboarding, and long-term planning. With freelance artists on demand, you can:

 

  • Find artists instantly
  • Hire only for what you need
  • Scale up or down anytime

If you need one video game character or a full set of assets for your indie game, freelance artists give you flexibility without slowing you down.

 

🕵️ Find the Right Artist in Minutes with Smart Search

Searching for an artist used to take weeks. Fusion’s Smart Search lets you:

 

  • Upload a reference image to match styles instantly
  • Search by keywords like “low-poly 3D environments”
  • Filter by skill level, location, and rates

This reduces your search time from weeks to minutes so you can start working faster.

 

🎨 Get High-Quality Art Without the Wait

You don’t have to do everything yourself. Instead of spending weeks making art, a professional artist can complete assets in a fraction of the time. This applies to:

 

  • Concept art for early development
  • Environments and props for world-building
  • Game characters with animations
  • UI elements for menus and HUDs

Letting an expert handle art for games speeds up production while keeping quality high.

 

⚡️ Indie Games Move Faster Than AAA

When comparing indie games vs AAA, big studios have teams of hundreds working on a game for years. Indie teams don’t have that luxury. Speed matters because:

 

  • Quicker release = earlier revenue. The sooner your game is done, the sooner you can start selling it.
  • Competitive market. The indie space moves fast. Delays can mean missing trends or opportunities.
  • Avoid burnout. Long development cycles make it harder to stay motivated.

 

🧘 Less Stress, More Focus

Instead of stressing over every detail, you can focus on what you do best: designing and building your game. A freelance artist takes care of the visuals while you handle the mechanics, narrative, and polish.

 

How Long Does It Take to Make an Indie Game?

The timeline depends on your scope. Simple projects take a few months, while ambitious games can take years. But no matter your timeline, freelance artists on demand help speed things up. Instead of spending weeks on one game character, you can get high-quality assets quickly and move on to the next phase.

 

Speed Up Your Indie Game with Fusion

With Fusion, you don’t have to spend weeks searching for the right artist. Our platform connects you with pre-vetted freelance artists who specialize in art for games, helping you complete your game without delays.