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We just got back from the Gamescom Dev floor, where we spent the week talking with developers in real time about what the future of collaboration looks like for the next wave of game development. We heard from studios of every size: a lot of small indies, starting small but already working across distributed teams and time zones, and legacy systems looking to be modernized with less maintenance overhead. Honestly, the experience felt like a death and rebirth happening at the same time. It was strange to see a smaller presence of industry developers on the floor this year. There were also a lot of students on the floor, really trying to understand the different tools in game development, what people are offering, and what's going on in the space right now. The expectation to do more with less hasn't gone anywhere, and that means new systems, not just more of the old ones.
One question came up more than any other while we were there:
How is Solsta different from Perforce, GitHub, Steam, or Google Drive?
Solsta is a build distribution and collaboration platform built specifically for game development teams. It's the layer between version control and release, not a replacement for the tools you're already using.
Each of those tools solves a different part of game development. Perforce and GitHub handle version control before a build exists. Steam handles publishing after a build is finished. Google Drive just moves files. Solsta is the layer in between: it's built specifically to move, secure, and share game builds with the right people, in the right environment, once a build is ready.
Where the other tools fit
Here's a quick look at where each one sits in the pipeline:
Each of these tools does its job well. None of them, though, was built for what happens after the build itself is done.
In a lot of ways, Solsta is similar to these platforms. It moves files, connects people, and gets builds where they need to go, the same way Google Drive does. But it's built for game development, with:
- Security models designed for game teams
- Testing built into the same workflow
- Rollback to a known-good build when something breaks
- Local downloads, shared only with the people who need access
What studios use Solsta for
Solsta is a modern game development platform that helps studios securely collaborate around their build and IP. It's built around how game teams actually work.
Studios use Solsta to:
- Automate deployments to console
- Connect internal teams and external partners
- Streamline build distribution and testing
We plug in where the build leaves off
Studios are sharing multiple builds a day, sent out to different teams, across multiple people and multiple environments, running large-scale projects with distributed teams around the world.
That's the part of the pipeline Solsta was built around: when a build needs to move to different game teams and collaborators, just to make sure everyone has the right version.
Once a build is ready to move, developers, QA, external partners, and other collaborators need the right version, in the right environment, with the right access, every time, without exception.
Most studios handle this today with systems they've built in-house, often genuinely sophisticated pipelines combining source control, shared drives, scripts, and beta branches. Many of these are impressive, purpose-built solutions to protect what matters most to a studio: its build. But maintaining a system like that can be expensive, and it can create technical debt over time.
The time cost of maintaining it yourself
There's a trend right now of studios that have recently been divested and are left without any systems at all. Others already had something in place, but development time was going toward maintaining it instead of going toward the game itself.
Solsta gives you that layer already built, so your team's time goes back to making the game, not maintaining the system around it. Your team's time should be focused on making your project, your game, or something cool, awesome, fun.
If you're a studio that's recently been divested or become independent and are looking for a solution to help you collaborate, Solsta has a free plan available for all teams.
Ready for the next wave
If you stopped by our booth at Gamescom Dev, thank you. If you didn't get the chance, we'd still like to hear how your team is handling this part of the pipeline today.
If you would like to explore the platform - Solsta is free to try you can check our pricing here.
Most Frequently asked questions at GamescomDev
Is Solsta free to try?
Yes. Solsta is free to try, with pricing that scales as your team's needs grow.
What does Solsta actually do?
Studios use Solsta to automate deployments to console, connect internal teams and external partners, and streamline build distribution and testing across large, frequently changing packages.
Does Solsta replace our existing CI/CD pipeline?
No. Solsta is lightweight and built to work alongside your existing source control and CI/CD tools, not replace them.
