Upgrading Application Launcher Software for a Global Gaming Leader

Our client is one of the biggest game publishers. Its video game franchises include some of the world’s most popular games. The company has more than 20,000 employees. They make up a diverse global team that creates high-quality video games for players from all over the globe.

Challenge

This company developed launcher/installer software for user support and monitoring the gaming process. This is the application that gamers need to install the game, pay for it and play it. This launcher software and its supporting platforms must be regularly updated and improved.

The app releases are done automatically. All software products quickly become obsolete. This is especially common in gaming, which has developed from a niche to a multi-billion industry in just a few decades. Companies are working hard to make their products more attractive, while gamers are seeking out new ways to experience games, such as playing with friends from all around the world in real time. The creators of gaming apps need to adapt to the changes quickly and regularly update their software so that users can use it without problems on multiple devices.

The company’s main challenge was the need for experienced C++ developers, who are in high demand in this industry. Our colleague became a part of their team in this project.

Upgrading the launcher software connected more than 100 people responsible for various parts of the app. Their teams include TypeScript developers, people who work with servers and users, teams that control security, etc. We worked with the team of C++ developers who created the app that gamers use on their PC.

Solution

The launcher app is available on all devices, across all platforms.

The app for PC users was developed from the ground and consists of several major parts. There is a part for a gamer authorization which confirms that the game is paid. In order to confirm it, the app communicates with the server which gives the gamers some sort of a digital permission that allows them to start the game if the payment is processed. Other parts of the app are responsible for downloading the game or monitoring the payment status, or even the hacker’s attempts to play without paying.

With the latest updates we worked on, this gaming company implements modern solutions for communication between the app and the servers. The app heavily communicates with the servers which were also updated to support all functionalities. Some new features are added, for example, gamers who paid for the game can show it to others using streaming services.

With long-lasting projects like this one, developers have to improve the code in order to adjust it to new changes and demands on the market. The existing app is enhanced and changed to support previously unforeseen needs of the modern gaming market.

Results/Effects

The app allows players to connect and compare their results, to keep up to date with their stats, or get highlights of their best performances. PC users can manage and start their games through their library of games, discover new content and download it through the desktop app with just a click. This company works with the biggest selling platforms such as those from Google or Amazon, so the launcher had to be adjusted to work in different software environments.

The end product has a modernized Graphic User Interface (GUI). The updated app uses Web GUI so it looks like a website in the browser, which is a current trend.

Project process

As in other companies, we first went through the onboarding process. The project was divided into phases. Our colleague worked in a team of several people that connected with other teams responsible for various parts of the app. All teams have pre-defined goals that should be completed in a given time period so that the app would be ready for the next phases.

When it comes to project methodology, we used Scrum. The company has an experienced and dedicated Scrum master to help the teams. Speaking of technology, we worked in C++, TypeScript, etc. The entire experience was highly educational in terms of expertise and offering profound knowledge of modern C++.

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