Game development is a complex process. Any typical game development process starts with creating the idea and then with the actual development. Even a simple game needs a lot of development efforts at the backend, the reason why any game development company should have substantial resources, which means investment and manpower.

Before full-scale production begins, the development team produces a design document, which describes the concept and major elements in detail. Design documents may also include preliminary sketches of various aspects of the game. These are sometimes accompanied by functional prototypes of some sections of the game. Design documents generally incorporate all or most of the material from the initial pitch. Design documents are always "living documents"—it is never truly complete while the game is in development. It often changes weekly or even daily. So, while the design document needs to exist in some form before full-scale production begins, it is almost never a complete design, though most elements of the projected game are described (in varying level of detail).

Once the design is approved, the team usually starts working on the game. This team typically includes graphic artists, developers, and visualizers. Initially, a prototype is developed to highlight the features and analyze how these would be incorporated in the actual game. Once a satisfactory result is obtained, work begins on developing the technical framework for the game. Once the technical framework is being developed, graphic artists start developing the sketches as a springboard for that would be used in the final version of the game. Producers may also get involved on the game at this point to give the finishing touches to the development process.