The gaming industry is booming like never before, raking in billions each year due to mobile, VR, and cloud-based games. To keep up with this fast-paced growth, studios and startups are increasingly turning to offshore game design teams. Malaysia stands out as a top choice, offering a skilled workforce, cost advantages, and a rapidly growing tech ecosystem.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to build a successful offshore game design team in Malaysia, share practical tips and trusted resources, and even explore alternative solutions like FastLaneRecruit’s EOR services to make the process smoother.
Content Outline
Key Summary
Cost-Effective Talent Solutions
Hiring game developers, artists, and designers in Malaysia can save up to 70% compared to Western markets, allowing studios to reinvest in features, marketing, or team expansion.
Access Specialized Skills
Malaysia offers a diverse pool of talent experienced in Unity, Unreal Engine, 2D/3D art, storytelling, and mobile, console, and VR game development.
Faster Development Cycles
Offshore teams enable rapid scaling, helping studios meet tight deadlines and release timely content to engage global players.
Enhance Creativity and Innovation
Diverse perspectives from offshore talent bring fresh ideas for game mechanics, narratives, and visual styles, creating unique player experiences.
Focus on Core Competencies
Outsourcing routine tasks like debugging, level design, or asset creation allows your in-house team to concentrate on strategic decisions and creative direction.
Key Roles to Hire
Essential roles include game designers, programmers, artists, narrative designers, and project managers; hiring the right mix ensures a cohesive, productive team.
Step-by-Step Offshore Team Setup
Define clear roles, screen candidates carefully, align on project vision, leverage local expertise, and plan for scalable team growth.
Overcome Offshore Challenges
Mitigate risks like unclear project scope, cultural fit, and communication gaps with structured processes, milestone tracking, and trusted platforms.
FastLaneRecruit’s EOR Advantage
Simplify hiring, payroll, and compliance with FastLaneRecruit’s EOR service, allowing you to focus entirely on game development and creative strategy.
Why Consider Offshore Game Development in Malaysia
Building a game development team offshore might sound intimidating at first, but when done right, it can bring enormous benefits. Let’s break down why Malaysia is an increasingly popular destination for offshore game development and what it can mean for your projects.
Cost-Effectiveness
Hiring game developers, artists, and designers in Western countries like the U.S., Canada, or Australia can be very expensive. For example, a senior game developer in the U.S. may earn upwards of $120,000 annually, while a similar professional in Malaysia can earn around $30,000–$40,000 per year. That’s a potential saving of up to 70%, which you can reinvest into improving your game, marketing, or scaling your team faster.
Here’s a rough comparison of average annual salaries for key game development roles:
| Role | United States (USD) | Malaysia (USD) | Approx. Savings |
| Game Designer | $80,000 | $25,000 | 69% |
| Programmer / Developer | $120,000 | $35,000 | 71% |
| 2D/3D Artist | $70,000 | $20,000 | 71% |
| Writer / Narrative Designer | $60,000 | $18,000 | 70% |
| Project Manager | $100,000 | $30,000 | 70% |
Example: Suppose your startup needs a team of one game designer, two programmers, and an artist. Hiring locally in the U.S. could cost around $390,000 per year. The same team in Malaysia may cost only $115,000, saving almost $275,000 annually, enough to fund additional features or hire more talent.
Also Read: Top 10 Software Outsourcing Companies in the Philippines
Access to Specialized Talent
Game development isn’t a one-size-fits-all industry. It requires a mix of skills: coding, animation, UX/UI design, storytelling, and even sound design. Malaysia’s growing gaming ecosystem is home to professionals experienced in mobile, console, and cloud-based games.
Example: If your project requires a programmer skilled in Unity for VR gaming, Malaysia has a pool of talent ready to jump in without months of recruitment delays. Similarly, you can find artists who are adept in both 2D and 3D design, making your game visually engaging and ready for global audiences.
Faster Development Cycles
In today’s fast-paced gaming market, speed matters. Offshore teams allow you to quickly scale resources. If you suddenly need two more developers for a new feature or a designer for a limited-time event, offshore teams can adapt without the lengthy hiring process typical of local markets.
Example: A mobile game studio in Europe outsourced additional developers from Malaysia for a holiday update. The team completed the tasks two weeks ahead of schedule, helping the game release timely content that boosted player engagement.
Innovation and Creativity
Bringing in offshore talent doesn’t just save money; it introduces new perspectives. Diverse teams bring fresh ideas for game mechanics, narrative arcs, and artistic styles that might not surface in a single in-house team.
Example: An indie RPG studio in Australia hired Malaysian writers and artists who suggested a culturally inspired quest system and visual style, which later became a unique selling point in the global market.
Focus on Core Competencies
Managing every aspect of game development in-house can spread your team too thin. By entrusting routine tasks, like coding standard features, debugging, or asset creation, to an offshore team, your core team can concentrate on strategic decisions, creative direction, and innovation.
Example: Your lead designer and in-house team can focus on conceptualizing the main gameplay loop, while the offshore team handles level design, animation, and QA testing. This division ensures the project stays creative, efficient, and on schedule.
Key Roles in a Game Development Team
Building a game is a team effort. Each member brings unique skills to the table, and understanding these roles is crucial when setting up an offshore team in Malaysia or anywhere else. Here’s a breakdown of the key roles you’ll need and some tips for hiring the right talent.
| Role | Responsibilities | Tips for Hiring Offshore |
| Game Designer | The game designer is the creative brain behind your game. They decide on gameplay mechanics, level design, and overall player experience. They also maintain the Game Design Document (GDD), which keeps the team aligned on vision, storyboards, and key features. | Look for someone who balances creativity with practicality. Review their portfolio for a range of styles and projects. Ask how they would adapt the game mechanics if the project scope changes. This shows flexibility and problem-solving skills. |
| Programmer / Developer | Developers turn ideas into playable games. They write the code, optimize performance, debug issues, and ensure your game runs smoothly across different platforms. | Assess both technical ability and problem-solving skills. Practical tests, such as debugging exercises or coding challenges in Unity or Unreal Engine, can reveal how they approach real-world problems. |
| Artist | Artists bring the game world to life. From 2D concept art to 3D models, characters, and environments, their visuals set the tone for player engagement. | Check for versatility in their portfolio. Can they handle multiple art styles? Ask for examples of how they incorporated feedback into previous projects. Collaboration and responsiveness are critical, especially for offshore teams. |
| Writer / Narrative Designer | Story matters. Writers create immersive narratives, compelling dialogue, and story arcs that enhance gameplay. | Look for alignment between their storytelling style and your game’s theme. Ask candidates to walk through a past project where narrative impacted gameplay, or have them draft a short story segment for your game. |
| Project Manager | The glue that keeps the team together. Project managers coordinate tasks, set deadlines, and ensure smooth workflows across all roles. | Prioritize candidates with experience managing remote or distributed teams. Strong communication and organizational skills are key. Tools like Jira, Trello, or Asana are essential for keeping everyone on track. |
Example: Suppose you’re building a mobile RPG game. The game designer will define the quest system and character progression, the developer implements the mechanics in Unity, the artist creates visually engaging environments and characters, the writer crafts the story and dialogue, and the project manager ensures everyone meets deadlines and stays aligned on vision. Together, they create a cohesive game that’s ready for players worldwide.
Tip: When hiring offshore, consider cultural fit and communication style as much as technical skills. Even highly skilled team members need to collaborate smoothly to deliver high-quality results.
Also Read: Front-End Development Outsourcing: Pros and Cons
Steps to Build Your Offshore Game Design Team
Building an offshore game design team can feel complex at first, but with the right approach, it becomes much more manageable. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you hire effectively and get the most out of your team in Malaysia.
1. Define Clear Roles and Responsibilities
The first step is clarity. Before you even start looking for talent, make sure you have detailed descriptions for every role on your team. This includes not just the title, but the specific tasks, required skills, and tools they will use.
Example: If you’re hiring a game designer, specify whether they’ll be responsible for level design, core gameplay mechanics, and maintaining the Game Design Document (GDD). This helps candidates understand exactly what is expected.
Tips & Recommendations:
- Avoid vague descriptions like “handle game design tasks” – instead, be specific.
- Include preferred software skills (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine, Blender) to filter candidates efficiently.
- Clearly state reporting lines and who the team member will collaborate with.
2. Recruitment and Screening
Finding the right offshore talent requires a mix of technical and creative assessments. Beyond resumes, evaluate candidates using portfolios, coding tests, and scenario-based challenges.
Example: For a programmer, you might ask them to optimize a piece of game code or debug a simple level in Unity. For an artist, request concept sketches for a character or environment based on your game theme.
Tips & Recommendations:
- Conduct interviews to assess problem-solving and adaptability, not just technical knowledge.
- Review previous projects to understand their experience and style.
- Consider small trial projects before committing to long-term contracts to gauge compatibility.
3. Align on Project Vision
Even with an offshore team, maintaining oversight is crucial. Your team should understand the vision, goals, and creative direction of your game. Using project management tools helps keep everyone aligned.
Example: Use Trello or Jira to track tasks, milestones, and feedback loops. Set up weekly video calls to review progress and clarify priorities.
Tips & Recommendations:
- Share a comprehensive Game Design Document (GDD) to keep everyone on the same page.
- Establish clear deadlines and measurable milestones.
- Encourage open communication and feedback from the offshore team; they often bring fresh ideas that can improve your game.
4. Leverage Local Expertise
Malaysia has a growing pool of talented game developers familiar with regional and global gaming trends. Tapping into local expertise can save time and provide insights that enrich your project.
Example: Local developers may understand Southeast Asian mobile gaming trends, helping your game resonate with a wider audience. Universities and professional recruitment agencies can be great sources for discovering emerging talent.
Tips & Recommendations:
- Partner with local recruiters or agencies to access top talent quickly.
- Attend local gaming conferences or online communities to network with developers.
- Consider hiring a local consultant to help navigate cultural and market-specific insights.
5. Plan for Scalability
Game development needs can fluctuate; sometimes you need more artists, other times more developers. Building a team that can scale up or down efficiently is key to staying agile.
Example: If your project suddenly requires additional 3D artists for a new expansion pack, an offshore model allows you to onboard them quickly without the delays of in-house hiring.
Tips & Recommendations:
- Start with a core team and gradually expand as the project needs grow.
- Use flexible hiring models like dedicated teams or contractors.
- Ensure contracts clearly define the scope and duration of work to avoid misunderstandings.
Pro Tip: If managing an offshore team seems daunting, consider FastLaneRecruit’s EOR service. They handle hiring, compliance, payroll, and HR logistics for Malaysian employees, allowing you to focus purely on project creativity and game development.
Also Read: Malaysia: A Rising Hub for Offshore Front-End Development Talent
Tips and Recommendations
Building an offshore game design team is exciting, but it also comes with challenges. Here are some practical tips and recommendations to ensure your offshore setup runs smoothly and efficiently.
1. Use Trusted Recruitment Platforms
Finding the right talent starts with sourcing from reliable platforms. For Malaysia, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) is a great resource for discovering skilled professionals in tech and game development. Other verified job portals and professional networks can also help you identify candidates with proven experience.
Example: You might use MDEC to find developers who have worked on Unity or Unreal Engine projects, ensuring they already meet international gaming standards.
Tip: Partnering with local recruitment agencies or platforms can speed up hiring while reducing the risk of mis-hires.
2. Portfolio Screening
A candidate’s past work often speaks louder than their resume. Reviewing portfolios allows you to assess both technical skills and creativity.
Example: An artist’s portfolio can reveal their versatility whether they excel at 2D characters, 3D environments, or both. A programmer’s GitHub or previous game contributions can show coding quality and problem-solving ability.
Tip: Look for consistency and attention to detail. If possible, reach out to previous clients or employers to verify their work ethic and reliability.
3. Start Small, Scale Gradually
It’s tempting to hire a full team at once, but starting with key roles and expanding as your project grows is often more effective.
Example: Begin with a game designer, one or two developers, and an artist. As the project progresses, you can bring in additional specialists like animators, writers, or QA testers.
Tip: This approach minimizes upfront costs and allows you to test how well your offshore team collaborates before committing to a larger scale.
4. Set Clear Milestones
Even with a skilled offshore team, clear goals and measurable milestones are essential. They keep the team accountable and ensure that progress can be tracked.
Example: Define milestones such as “Core gameplay mechanics implemented by Week 4” or “Level 1 environments fully modeled by Week 6.” Tools like Trello, Jira, or Asana can help you visualize progress and coordinate tasks across time zones.
Tip: Regular check-ins and milestone reviews help prevent misalignment and allow adjustments before small issues become big problems.
5. Consider Alternative Models
Managing an offshore team can be complex, especially when dealing with payroll, local labor laws, and HR compliance. An Employer of Record (EOR) solution like FastLaneRecruit can simplify the process.
Example: With FastLaneRecruit, you can hire Malaysian developers directly while they handle employment contracts, tax compliance, and payroll. This allows you to focus entirely on the creative side of game development without worrying about administrative headaches.
Tip: Even if you plan to manage your team independently, consulting an EOR service can be a safety net to ensure legal compliance and smooth operations.
Also Read: Hiring Front-End Developer Teams in Malaysia
Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Offshore game development brings many advantages, but it’s important to be aware of potential challenges so you can address them early. Planning ahead helps you avoid delays, cost overruns, and miscommunication.
1. Project Scope Clarity
One of the most common pitfalls in offshore projects is unclear or overly broad project specifications. When team members aren’t sure what’s expected, it can lead to wasted time, duplicated effort, or misaligned features.
Example: Imagine you ask an offshore team to “design characters and levels for an RPG game” without specifying style, number of characters, or level complexity. The team might deliver work that doesn’t match your vision, requiring time-consuming revisions.
Tips & Recommendations:
- Clearly define tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines for each role.
- Use visual aids like storyboards, wireframes, and mockups to communicate your vision.
- Break the project into smaller milestones with measurable goals.
2. Finding the Right Fit
Hiring the wrong person, even for a single role, can slow down your project and increase costs. Offshore recruitment requires careful assessment of both skills and cultural fit.
Example: A talented programmer may have excellent technical skills but poor communication or a rigid working style that clashes with your in-house team. Similarly, an artist might produce beautiful visuals that don’t match your game’s style.
Tips & Recommendations:
- Use competency tests, portfolio reviews, and scenario-based tasks to evaluate candidates.
- Leverage trusted recruitment platforms or professional agencies in Malaysia to access verified talent.
- Start with short-term contracts or trial projects before committing to long-term hires.
Also Read: Front-end Developer Salary Guide 2025
3. Communication and Oversight
Working with offshore teams means collaborating across different time zones and locations. Without structured communication, misunderstandings can arise, slowing down the project.
Example: If your team is in Europe and your offshore developers are in Malaysia, scheduling ad-hoc meetings without planning can delay feedback and approvals, leading to missed deadlines.
Tips & Recommendations:
- Set up regular check-ins using video conferencing tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
- Use project management software like Jira, Trello, or Asana to track progress, assign tasks, and document updates.
- Encourage open communication and create clear channels for questions, feedback, and problem-solving.
- Assign a project lead or coordinator to oversee alignment between in-house and offshore teams.
Pro Tip: Many of these challenges can be mitigated by partnering with an EOR service like FastLaneRecruit. They help manage legal compliance, payroll, and HR logistics for your Malaysian offshore team, giving you more time to focus on project goals and creative strategy.
Also Read: Payroll & Compliance Guide for Hiring Malaysian Front-end Developers
How FastLaneRecruit Can Help
Building an offshore game development team can be complex, especially when navigating hiring, payroll, and local compliance in a new country. That’s where FastLaneRecruit comes in. With our expertise in sourcing top Malaysian talent and managing offshore employment, we make it easy for companies to focus on creativity and game development, rather than administrative headaches.
FastLaneRecruit’s EOR Service
One of the biggest advantages FastLaneRecruit offers is our Employer of Record (EOR) service. With EOR, you can legally hire and manage Malaysian employees without setting up a local entity. FastLaneRecruit becomes the official employer, handling all HR, payroll, tax, and compliance requirements, while your team maintains full control over project direction and daily workflows.
Key Benefits of Using FastLaneRecruit’s EOR Service:
- Simplified Hiring: Quickly onboard skilled Malaysian developers, designers, artists, and writers.
- Compliance Assured: FastLaneRecruit ensures all employment contracts, statutory contributions, and local labor regulations are met, reducing legal risks.
- Payroll Management: Employees are paid accurately and on time, with all taxes and benefits managed on your behalf.
- Focus on Development: With administrative tasks handled, your in-house team can concentrate on creative strategy, design, and project management.
- Flexible Scaling: Easily scale your offshore team up or down based on project demands, without the delays of traditional recruitment.
Example: Suppose you need to hire five game developers in Malaysia for a six-month project. Instead of setting up a local company, managing contracts, and navigating local tax laws yourself, FastLaneRecruit’s EOR service allows you to onboard the team quickly and legally, while we handle all employment logistics. This ensures you get the talent you need without unnecessary complications.
With FastLaneRecruit, offshore game development becomes seamless. You gain access to top talent, reduce operational risks, and accelerate project timelines, all while maintaining full creative control.
Also Read: DevOps Engineer Salary Guide 2025
Conclusion
Building an offshore game design team in Malaysia is a strategic move for companies looking to reduce costs, access top talent, and accelerate game development. By clearly defining roles, leveraging local expertise, and using proven recruitment or EOR solutions, businesses can create efficient, innovative teams that drive project success.
Simplify Your Offshore Game Development with FastLaneRecruit
Managing offshore hires can be time-consuming and complex, especially when dealing with local labor laws, payroll, and HR compliance. That’s why FastLaneRecruit’s EOR service is the perfect solution for companies looking to focus on what truly matters: creativity, innovation, and delivering amazing games.
With FastLaneRecruit, you can hire skilled Malaysian game designers quickly and legally, while we take care of all employment logistics. From contracts and compliance to payroll and statutory contributions, everything is handled seamlessly, so your team can focus on game design, development, and growth.
Why Choose FastLaneRecruit EOR:
- Onboard talent without setting up a local entity
- Ensure full compliance with Malaysian labor laws
- Pay employees on time with complete payroll management
- Scale your offshore team up or down as project needs evolve
- Focus on strategic and creative priorities instead of administrative tasks
Explore FastLaneRecruit’s EOR services today and start building your offshore game development team with confidence. Hire top game designers, artists, and developers in Malaysia, and bring your game visions to life faster and more efficiently.
Build your offshore game design team with FastLaneRecruit, your partner for seamless, compliant, and scalable talent solutions.
