Empowering Game Developers with Faster Builds and Better Tools

A global gaming company with millions of active players across multiple titles needed to enhance its development infrastructure. Supporting live games at this scale required more than incremental improvements — it called for better automation, stronger security, and more efficient tooling to ship high-quality features quickly and safely.Supporting Developers Behind the Games8th Light engineers embedded with production, SRE, and feature teams to modernize internal tools and streamline core workflows. Manual processes were automated. Internal tools were rebuilt. CI/CD pipelines became faster and more reliable. Security was integrated throughout. These changes addressed slowed development, refined build systems to improve reliability, and strengthened security measures to protect game integrity. These improvements didn’t just accelerate release cycles — they gave our client’s game developers and artists the freedom to focus on what they do best: building world-class games. Infrastructure and Pipeline OptimizationBuild and deployment systems were streamlined to reduce operational overhead and accelerate release cycles across multiple titles.Improved build performance through optimized pipelines, scriptable systems, and asset bundlingMaintained and upgraded Jenkins build nodes, Windows infrastructure, and AWS environments for better reliabilityIntroduced NLP-powered Slackbots to simplify build initiation and issue resolutionReduced infrastructure costs by scaling down unused services and performing targeted upgrades to OS and databasesDeveloper Experience and Internal ToolsCustom internal tools reduced friction in day-to-day developer workflows, allowing developers, QA engineers, and artists to move faster and with greater confidenceSimplified git usage and created tools to support leak detection and automated testingDeveloped a tool for simulating game states during testing, later modernized using a more maintainable web frameworkCreated utilities for managing test accounts, mocking services, and improving QA handoffsTesting, Automation, and Quality AssuranceAutomation and diagnostic systems helped surface bugs earlier and reduced time spent on manual fixes.Enabled cross-platform automated testing using AWS Device Farm, Headspin, and TeamCityIntegrated telemetry and memory tracking tools to monitor performance impacts across buildsReworked internal test frameworks and introduced support for third-party suites like GoogleTestIntegrated diagnostic tools to surface and resolve common issues, including build failures and game server errors Security and ComplianceSecurity improvements were embedded into systems and workflows to prevent leaks, cheating, and data compromise.Hardened leak prevention systems and automated critical failure checksIntegrated anti-cheat protections and aligned them with centralized security servicesAutomated the digital signing and secure delivery of build artifactsGameplay Systems and New FeaturesTo support evolving game features and player experiences, development pipelines were optimized for rapid iteration.Supported systems for questing, guilds, competitive modes, and post-match experiencesDelivered features like matchmaking and social challengesBuilt content tooling and scripting support for seasonal updates and in-game events Accelerating Delivery, Empowering TeamsThese infrastructure improvements sustained innovation at scale. By modernizing internal tools, streamlining pipelines, and embedding security throughout the development lifecycle, 8th Light helped empower teams across the organization — from engineers and QA, to artists and designers.The result was not only faster, safer delivery of new features, but also a stronger, more flexible foundation for future growth. With improved tooling and reduced operational friction, the client’s teams are now better equipped to push creative boundaries and continue delivering world-class gaming experiences to millions of players worldwide.From test automation to CI/CD optimization, our team helps gaming companies build better, faster, and more secure experiences. Learn how 8th Light can support your development goals. Get in touch.

Mar 28, 2025 - 15:01

Empowering Game Developers with Faster Builds and Better Tools

A global gaming company with millions of active players across multiple titles needed to enhance its development infrastructure. Supporting live games at this scale required more than incremental improvements — it called for better automation, stronger security, and more efficient tooling to ship high-quality features quickly and safely.

Supporting Developers Behind the Games

8th Light engineers embedded with production, SRE, and feature teams to modernize internal tools and streamline core workflows. Manual processes were automated. Internal tools were rebuilt. CI/CD pipelines became faster and more reliable. Security was integrated throughout. These changes addressed slowed development, refined build systems to improve reliability, and strengthened security measures to protect game integrity. These improvements didn’t just accelerate release cycles — they gave our client’s game developers and artists the freedom to focus on what they do best: building world-class games.

Infrastructure and Pipeline Optimization

Build and deployment systems were streamlined to reduce operational overhead and accelerate release cycles across multiple titles.

Improved build performance through optimized pipelines, scriptable systems, and asset bundling
Maintained and upgraded Jenkins build nodes, Windows infrastructure, and AWS environments for better reliability
Introduced NLP-powered Slackbots to simplify build initiation and issue resolution
Reduced infrastructure costs by scaling down unused services and performing targeted upgrades to OS and databases

Developer Experience and Internal Tools

Custom internal tools reduced friction in day-to-day developer workflows, allowing developers, QA engineers, and artists to move faster and with greater confidence
Simplified git usage and created tools to support leak detection and automated testing
Developed a tool for simulating game states during testing, later modernized using a more maintainable web framework
Created utilities for managing test accounts, mocking services, and improving QA handoffs

Testing, Automation, and Quality Assurance

Automation and diagnostic systems helped surface bugs earlier and reduced time spent on manual fixes.

Enabled cross-platform automated testing using AWS Device Farm, Headspin, and TeamCity
Integrated telemetry and memory tracking tools to monitor performance impacts across builds
Reworked internal test frameworks and introduced support for third-party suites like GoogleTest
Integrated diagnostic tools to surface and resolve common issues, including build failures and game server errors

Security and Compliance

Security improvements were embedded into systems and workflows to prevent leaks, cheating, and data compromise.

Hardened leak prevention systems and automated critical failure checks
Integrated anti-cheat protections and aligned them with centralized security services
Automated the digital signing and secure delivery of build artifacts

Gameplay Systems and New Features

To support evolving game features and player experiences, development pipelines were optimized for rapid iteration.

Supported systems for questing, guilds, competitive modes, and post-match experiences
Delivered features like matchmaking and social challenges
Built content tooling and scripting support for seasonal updates and in-game events

Accelerating Delivery, Empowering Teams

These infrastructure improvements sustained innovation at scale. By modernizing internal tools, streamlining pipelines, and embedding security throughout the development lifecycle, 8th Light helped empower teams across the organization — from engineers and QA, to artists and designers.

The result was not only faster, safer delivery of new features, but also a stronger, more flexible foundation for future growth. With improved tooling and reduced operational friction, the client’s teams are now better equipped to push creative boundaries and continue delivering world-class gaming experiences to millions of players worldwide.

From test automation to CI/CD optimization, our team helps gaming companies build better, faster, and more secure experiences. Learn how 8th Light can support your development goals. Get in touch.