After years of helping game studios build successful partnerships, I've noticed some recurring pitfalls that can turn promising collaborations into costly setbacks. It's crazy how common these are, but at least they're all avoidable if you do things right.
1. Rushing Into Requirements
One of the most common issues is studios diving into partnerships without clearly defined requirements. It's tempting to skip the foundational work when you're eager to get started. At best, though, this leads to scope creep and budget overruns; at worst, you misjudge the capabilities required and end up hiring the wrong partner for the job.
The solution? Invest time upfront in creating detailed project charters and evaluation criteria. Yes, it takes longer initially, but this upfront work saves countless hours (and cash) down the line.
2. The Trust Gap
Recently, I worked with a CEO who wasn't involved in the partner search process. From day one, there was zero trust in the partnership. This created a toxic cycle: lack of trust led to micromanagement, which eroded the relationship further, eventually putting the entire project at risk.
Building trust starts before the first line of code. Include key stakeholders early, establish clear communication channels, and create opportunities for teams to align on goals and expectations.
3. The Desperation Dive
I've seen overwhelmed studios bring on large external teams to deliver "quick fix solutions" for bandwidth issues. But without proper infrastructure and support systems in place, these solutions often compound the original problems with a mountain of code or assets that aren’t property spec’d and now can’t integrate.
Unless you’re building to crystal clear specs, alignment takes time. If you're already underwater, bring in problem solvers, not solutions.
4. Assumption Avalanche
"I thought that was obvious" might be the most expensive phrase in partnership management. Too often, studios assume their partners share their implicit understanding of quality standards, milestone definitions or technical approaches.
Document everything. Even if it seems obvious at the time, reviewing written expectations alongside your partners nearly always uncovers some source of misalignment.
5. The Busy Client
How would you feel if, on your first week of work, your boss was “too busy” to meet with you? You'd probably think they didn't care much about the project, or about your role. I've seen this happen (often!), and it absolutely kills momentum. Keep communication lines open so everyone can demonstrate their passion for the project.
Just like anyone, service providers want to connect with their work, connect with you, be trusted, and be treated as collaborators. Treat them like valued partners, not services to be automated. This sets the project up for success, and helps avoid the pitfalls listed above.
What other partnership mistakes would you put on this list?
