The progression of art in games is an interesting phenomenon as it follows technology, creativity, and gaming culture development. Dating back to simple pixelated 2D graphics and ending in hyper realistic game art, there have been deep and drastic changes in the world of game art. As outsourcing of 3D game artwork becomes the norm in the industry, understanding this evolution enables us to appreciate how far we have come and where we are going. Here’s how the art in games has evolved over the years and A Journey Through the Evolution of Game Art.
The Birth of Game Art: The Pixel Era
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, or the earliest days of computer gaming, the industry was defined by chunky pixelated graphics. This was an age when the available hardware clearly dictated the fidelity and level of detail. Nevertheless, whatever technology the designers did not possess was compensated with bright ideas. Games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders are cherished for both their gameplay features and also for their simple and minimalistic well crafted art design.
This affection for the pixel age has been rendered obsolete, yet the effects can still be seen today in modern indie games that incorporate pixel art in them as an intentional stylistic decision. For instance, In games like Celeste and Stardew Valley, pixel art is used to portray a simple yet beautiful and nostalgic experience that plays with players' emotions whilst still delivering rich narratives.
The 3D Revolution: PlayStation and N64
A new generation was at hand, however-the mid-90s signaled the advent of the 3D revolution. Console manufacturers like the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 provided developers with the capability of creating games in three-dimensional, totally realized, spaces. Releases such as Super Mario 64 and Final Fantasy VII were also ushered into the world of gamers by fully immersive environments and complex character models that were pushing what previously was considered impossible.
However, 3D modeling was still in its infancy. Polygon counts were low and the textures were, but the base for the modern gaming experience had been laid. The role of the 3D game artist began to expand dramatically, entire teams specializing in making more lifelike and expansive worlds.
The Rise of Realism: PS2, Xbox, and Beyond
As hardware went on to improve, game art did as well. More realistic games began to break onto the horizon during the PlayStation 2 and Xbox era. Such as but not limited to Shadow of the Colossus and Halo: Combat Evolved. The novelty with such new power is that large open worlds can be filled up with lots of intricate details and lifelike animations.
Game art outsourcing was slowly phased in during the period as a massive part of the development process. The evolution of game art started to pick up from the second half of the decade on, when high-quality visuals began to be an utmost need for most games, companies were more than willing to begin working with other studios that specialize in 3D modelling, texturing, and animation; thus, this increased collaboration between developers and outsourced art teams led to faster production cycles and more ambitious projects.
The Current Age: Photorealism and Stylization
Game art has never as diverse as it is now. On the one hand, we have games like The Last of Us Part II and Cyberpunk 2077 showing unreal realistic visuals, that completely blur the line between the virtual world and real life with photorealism in environments, 4k textures, subsurface scattering to accentuate each pore on every character's skin, and advanced lighting techniques such as real-time ray tracing. Games like Fortnite and Overwatch, on the other hand, dabbled in stylization for distinctive, instantly recognizable worlds.
Today, 3D game art outsourcing has become an urgent issue for companies looking to develop AAA-level titles under the proper time frame in this era. Studios specialize in 3D modeling, texturing, rigging, and animation to ensure that a game will always hit the high expectations of today's gamers, whether it's photorealistic or stylized.
The Future of Game Art: What’s Next?
In the future, AI and machine learning will certainly play a great role in the evolution of game art. These technologies may help with procedural generation, optimizing assets and even with AI-driven animation. What could be the result is that, in such a case, the focus of artists may be shifted to more creative aspects of development
Virtual reality and augmented reality are increasing in prevalence and border new frontiers on all accounts of immersive environments and interactive experiences. The clear takeaway here is that there is a high demand for quality 3D art, and outsourcing companies may very well play a very significant part in this burgeoning market.
Therefore, for an outsourcing company in 3D game art, there is a need to track such trends and follow them as closely as possible. The latest software and artists' collaboration all over the globe will ensure companies provide leading assets for games, setting par visual fidelity and immersion for players.
GeniusCrate aspires to produce high-quality modelling and game art outsourcing to produce the highest quality games, from retro to hyper-realism. From small indie studios, to large scale creators, GeniusCrate can produce excellent models for all your developing needs. You can check out the brilliant modelling by our talented developers here: Genius Crate Hyper-Realistic Modelling, and here Hyper-Realistic 3D game Models.