Four engagement models, each designed for a different kind of project, team, and risk appetite. Compare them, understand the trade-offs, and choose the one that fits.
A side-by-side view of the key dimensions, so you can make the right choice for your project before reading further.
| 📋 Fixed Price | 👥 Dedicated Team | ⚡ Staff Augmentation | 🤚 Co-Development | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget predictability | High | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Scope flexibility | Low | High | High | Medium |
| Team control | Low | Medium | High | Shared |
| Management overhead | Minimal | Low | Medium | Shared |
| Time to start | 1–2 weeks | 2–3 weeks | 72 hours | 2–4 weeks |
| IP ownership | ✓ Yours | ✓ Yours | ✓ Yours | Negotiated |
| Minimum commitment | Project scope | Monthly | None | Agreed per deal |
| Best for | Well-defined features, ports, art packs | Ongoing development, live games | Filling skill gaps, milestone ramp-up | IP partnerships, revenue share deals |
The full picture on each engagement model, what it is, when to use it, and its trade-offs.
Fixed price is exactly what it sounds like, you agree a scope, we agree a price, and we deliver to that scope within that budget. No surprises, no scope creep, no time-and-materials invoices that grow every month.
It works best when the deliverable is well-defined upfront, a game port, a specific feature set, a batch of art production, or a complete game with a clear GDD. The more ambiguous the scope, the less suitable fixed price becomes.
You know what you want, you have a budget limit, and you need a firm commitment on delivery. You’re comfortable spending time upfront on a detailed spec.
A dedicated team is your extended studio, engineers, artists, QA, and a Team Lead working exclusively on your project in two-week agile sprints. You set the product direction; the team executes it and reports to you weekly.
Unlike staff augmentation, you’re not managing individuals: the Team Lead handles standups, coordination, and sprint planning. You get studio output without the hiring, HR, and management overhead of building internally.
You have ongoing development needs, you don’t want to manage individual contractors, and you need a team that can move fast without heavy client-side management.
Staff augmentation places individual pre-vetted developers directly into your existing team. They use your tools, attend your standups, follow your process, and report to your lead. You direct the work; we handle contracts and payroll.
This is the fastest model to activate, most developers can start within 72 hours of an engagement being agreed. It’s ideal for filling a specific skill gap, ramping up for a milestone, or adding capacity without committing to a full team.
You have an existing team and process, you know exactly what role you need to fill, and you want a developer who integrates into your workflow rather than adding management overhead.
Co-development is a partnership model where Nine Pixels contributes development capacity in exchange for a share of the game’s revenue or IP. We take on development risk alongside you, reducing your upfront cash requirement in exchange for long-term participation in the game’s success.
This model is not right for every project, we evaluate each co-development opportunity individually and take on very few per year. The game concept, market opportunity, and team quality all factor into our decision.
You have a compelling game concept, an experienced team, but limited capital. You’re willing to share the upside in exchange for a committed development partner who has skin in the game.
Answer these four questions to find your model.
Do you have a complete spec, asset list, or feature document that won’t change significantly during the project?
Do you have the bandwidth and process to direct individual developers, run standups, and manage delivery yourself?
Is there an existing internal team that could benefit from one or two additional specialists filling a specific skill gap?
Do you have a strong concept and experienced team but limited upfront capital, and are willing to share the long-term upside?
Still not sure? Talk to us, we’ll recommend the right model based on your specific situation, honestly.
The engagement model matters. But so does the partner. Here’s what you get with Nine Pixels regardless of which model you choose.
We’ll tell you which model genuinely suits your project, even if it’s a smaller engagement than we could otherwise sell. The wrong model damages projects; we’d rather get it right.
Projects change. We can switch engagement models mid-project if circumstances change, from fixed price to time-and-materials if scope expands, or from dedicated team to staff aug as the project matures.
Plain-language contracts that specify exactly what you’re getting, what we’re committed to, IP ownership terms, payment schedules, and notice periods. No ambiguous clauses, no hidden obligations.
Fixed price projects are quoted with clear milestone breakdowns. Dedicated team and staff aug engagements use transparent day rates with no hidden management fees. You always know what you’re paying for.
Common questions about how we work and which model to choose.
Tell us about your project and we’ll recommend the right engagement model, honestly, even if it’s a smaller commitment than we could otherwise suggest.