As packed as the mobile market may be for developers, it's important not to see other studios as rival outfits, but rather potential partners to add to your network of contacts.

That's the view of Remode Studios MD Ella Romanos, who – speaking during a session with relative newcomer and White Paper Games co-founder Ben Hill during Develop Brighton – stressed the importance of building relationships.

You might be a perfectly capable developer, but unless others in the industry know who you are and what you can do, you won't get outside work, she said.

No competition

"We've never really considered the mobile market 'competitive' in that way," Romanos told Hill.

"It's all about people, and building a network. The single most important thing is to have a face of the company that people know. It's all about building relationships and having the portfolio to back that up."

Building such relationships was key to Remode starting life. Though the company now also works on its own IP, it began life working on titles for outside clients.

"Work for hire allows you to build as a business so you can then move on to doing your own IP," added Romanos.

"It's a lower risk, lower return business - it doesn't risk other people's salaries."

Double trouble

Indeed, Romanos said even though Remode's own IP is now a focus, she doesn't foresee the company giving up client work any time soon – despite the challenges handling both forms of work represents.

"We always wanted to do our own IP, but we have no plans to stop the for hire stuff," added Romanos.

"Client projects put on a lot of pressure with deadlines, however, so your own IP can easily be pushed back. You have to treat your own games like another client project, with their own deadlines.

"You also want everyone at the developer to be really into your own IP, even if they're not working on it. It's about trying to build the brand into your studio a bit more."