adminVideo game co-development can help studios deliver increasingly complex projects, but success takes more than adding external developers to a team. NeoBards Entertainment, the Taiwan-based studio behind much of the development work on Silent Hill F, says strong partnerships rely on trust, communication and choosing collaborators carefully. Its experience with Konami, Capcom and Square Enix offers practical insight into how co-development relationships can work.
Image credit: NeoBards Entertainment/Konami
Although NeoBards has worked on well-known franchises for years, its collaboration with Konami on Silent Hill F brought the Taipei-based studio greater public attention. Konami originated the game’s concept, while NeoBards took on most of the programming, production and design. The title sold more than 2 million units and reached 6 million players, putting the studio in a stronger position while also raising expectations for its next project.
Executive chairman Jean-Marc Morel notes that a successful release can create pressure: partners and players expect a studio to maintain the same standard rather than rely on a one-time success.
Video game co-development begins with trust
NeoBards has worked across ports, remasters and original development. Its projects include work on Capcom franchises such as Devil May Cry and Onimusha, as well as Resident Evil: Resistance and Resident Evil: Re:Verse. It also collaborated with Square Enix on Marvel’s Avengers and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Morel says the Japanese market has been comparatively stable against conditions in the United States and Europe, helping support the studio’s long-standing partnerships there.
Co-development is not a new model in large-scale game production. However, Morel emphasizes that publishers need the right internal processes to manage external teams. Project owners must communicate expectations, coordinate decisions and understand how to integrate work from people outside their own organization. Without that preparation, a project can run into serious difficulties.
NeoBards’ chief operating officer, Wonder Lin, recommends beginning a first partnership with a smaller project when possible. This gives both teams a chance to learn how they work together before committing to a larger production. She also stresses the importance of involving creative staff, not only business representatives, because teams need to understand the project’s creative direction.
Image credit: Crystal Dynamics
For Morel, trust means partners can rely on NeoBards to meet schedules, avoid unexpected problems and deliver the agreed quality. That confidence takes time to establish, particularly when an internal development team is initially uncertain about working with an external studio.
Why in-person communication matters
NeoBards makes a point of meeting partners in person, either by visiting their studios or inviting them to Taiwan. Lin says these visits help teams understand the people behind a project, discuss creative ideas directly and resolve friction that can be harder to address through formal meetings alone. Morel adds that meeting colleagues face to face can make later discussions more efficient.
The studio used this approach while co-developing Marvel’s Avengers with Crystal Dynamics, sending team members to spend time with the partner studio. The practical takeaway for other teams is simple: arrange opportunities for people to build working relationships early, especially when a project involves frequent collaboration.
Choose partners carefully and respect the project
NeoBards sees partner selection as a two-way decision. A publisher needs a studio that appears dependable, while a development partner should also consider whether the client and project are stable enough for a productive relationship. Morel says the studio avoids rushing into very large projects and treats selectivity as sound business practice.
That approach is easier for an established studio with a track record and returning clients than it is for a small company trying to secure its first contracts. Lin says NeoBards aims to make each collaboration a positive experience, since satisfied partners may choose to work together again.
Morel also emphasizes respecting a client’s intellectual property and creative authority. A co-development partner can offer suggestions, but it should understand its role and avoid disrupting the project’s direction. Clear responsibilities and mutual respect help keep feedback constructive.
“When doing co-dev, you’re on a train that you’re not driving.”
Keeping teams engaged across different projects
Partner satisfaction is only one part of a sustainable development model; staff morale matters too. Lin says working on projects that connect with developers’ interests can help keep teams engaged. Silent Hill F, for example, gave staff the opportunity to contribute to a series with a dedicated following and a long history.
NeoBards also aims to work across different genres, including horror, action and multiplayer games. Morel says varied projects can help employees build a broader range of skills and prevent the studio from being defined by just one type of game. Its work includes live-service multiplayer titles as well as larger role-playing games such as Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
Resident Evil: Resistance | Image credit: NeoBards Entertainment/Capcom
Growth, capacity and the future of video game co-development
Most of NeoBards’ partners are based in Japan, although the studio has relationships in China and a satellite office in Suzhou. Lin says there have been opportunities to discuss collaboration in the region, but no projects have been officially confirmed. She also notes that outsourcing is more common than co-development in China.
NeoBards has around 300 employees, and the leadership team is cautious about growing beyond what it can manage while maintaining quality. Lin says the studio may expand when a particularly suitable opportunity arises, but it does not want growth for its own sake. Morel says full development is the model the studio ultimately prefers because it has greater control over the final result. In co-development, outcomes also depend on the partner leading the project, making careful selection essential.
For studios considering video game co-development, NeoBards’ experience points to a few practical priorities: start with a manageable scope, involve creative teams in communication, meet partners when possible, define responsibilities clearly and assess whether both sides are a good fit. Trust is built through consistent work, and those foundations can make complex collaborations more dependable.
