The Power of Open-Source to Maximize Potential and Minimize Risks
If you are reading this blog, you are likely familiar with the many benefits of adopting open-source software. One of them is that you have full ownership over the code, giving you great flexibility, significantly reducing limitations and mitigating many of the potential risks that come with developing on top of a deep technology stack that is owned and developed by a third party behind closed doors.
Your real-time engine is the foundation of your product’s performance and stability. And as with all software, there will be errors and things will, sooner or later, break. Unlike closed software (or even source-available software), the fact that you own the code yourself empowers you to bypass or fix the issues when they arise. It’s one of the reasons more and more game studios are turning to open-source solutions – so when something inevitably goes wrong, they can dive into the code and fix it. But can they always?
The Need for Enterprise-Level Support in Open-Source Software
Many open-source projects like Godot are passion projects. This is one of the reasons they are usually so good, because they are organic solutions to real problems. However, the lack of guaranteed support can pose a challenge for companies that need to ensure critical issues are resolved promptly.
So the developers are caught between a rock and a hard place: They either purchase a proprietary solution, therefore putting their business at risk due to overdependence on a 3rd party, or they choose open-source, therefore putting their business at risk by lacking the certainty of timely critical support.
Enterprise-level support offers a solution to this dilemma by providing access to expert developers who have deep knowledge of the technology and can resolve critical issues quickly and effectively. Without enterprise-level support, companies lose the ability to maximize their development capability and risk the future of their operations, much like going without insurance for a car.
Commercial projects of sizeable complexity typically evolve alongside the open-source Godot project, and will often implement custom changes to the engine for the needs of each project. W4 Games is uniquely staffed with core contributors of the Godot project, who can assist customers in submitting their changes upstream so that they can be properly integrated in future Godot releases in a way that fits the engine’s roadmap and development philosophy.
Tailored Support Solutions
Every company has unique support needs and enterprise-level support for open-source software must be adaptable to meet the demands of a wide range of customers. Whether it’s a five-person team working on a six-month project or a 50-person team working on a two-year development, different customers have different needs.
There are various offerings in the enterprise-level support arena, such as guaranteed forum support, critical escalation services, and technical account management. These solutions typically come at a price, which is set based on staffing and other costs, as well as a profit margin for the support provider. However, at W4 Games, we don’t believe support should be a profit center. Our goal is to provide the most appropriate level of support to help our customers succeed, at a cost that fits their business realities.
In addition to reactive support, we are passionate about providing proactive, long-term support. This includes creating a comprehensive customer success plan that not only helps address urgent issues but also takes real-world needs into account leading to product improvements.
The Next Step Toward Open-Source Success
What does this all mean for you? At W4 Games, we strive to create products that make sense. We believe in fulfilling the needs of the community. That’s why we need your input so we can offer the best support for you. If you are part of a company and have opinions on what you need in terms of support offerings, we would love to hear from you. Simply fill out the form below to get in touch, and we’ll make sure to follow up. We look forward to making the open-source success journey together.
If you want to share with us your needs and / or ideas about enterprise support please get in touch through our contact form.
Learn more about W4 Games and Godot Engine: