Senior Unity Developer / Game Studio Needed to Finish and Polish Existing iOS and Android Game

I am looking for an experienced senior Unity developer, game-development studio, or small multidisciplinary team to help bring an existing mobile game from its current state to a polished commercial release on iOS and Android. The game combines endless-runner gameplay with language learning. Players run through 3D environments while interacting with vocabulary and language-learning systems integrated directly into the gameplay. This is not a project starting from scratch. The core game already exists and is playable. A substantial amount of development, content creation, localization, asset work, testing, and codebase cleanup has already been completed. I developed the existing project myself and will remain closely involved as the product owner and creative director. I am now looking for the right developer or development partner to help finish the remaining technical work, improve the game's polish and game feel, and prepare it for a professional public release. My preference is to have the game release ready during December 2026, but this is not a hard deadline. I am specifically interested in receiving an honest assessment of scope, schedule, staffing, deliverables, and cost rather than a promise designed simply to match my preferred date. Current project state The game currently has: • A functioning core endless-runner gameplay loop • Existing language-learning and vocabulary systems • A working tutorial framework • Multiple environment/section types • Existing quiz-related gameplay systems • Existing UI and menu systems • Existing audio implementation • Existing mobile controls and gameplay systems • A substantially cleaned and documented Unity codebase • Git/GitHub source control • Working iOS builds distributed through TestFlight • Existing Android build capability • A significant amount of completed 3D art, voice work, and other production content Selected candidates will receive additional project documentation, gameplay footage, and technical information through Upwork. Finalists may also receive limited repository access as necessary for the paid technical evaluation. Broad scope The final scope will be determined after the selected finalists have reviewed the project. I am interested in your recommendations rather than assuming every item below belongs in the first public release. Areas currently under consideration include: Unity Development and Technical Work • Audit the existing Unity project and architecture • Complete or improve remaining gameplay systems • Add a quiz section to the existing tutorial • Improve internal tools/workflows for creating runner sections or platforms • Integrate remaining content cleanly into the existing systems • Improve performance and mobile stability • Resolve remaining bugs and regressions • Prepare reliable production builds for Android and iOS UI/UX and Visual Polish • Review the existing UI and overall visual presentation • Improve menus, buttons, popups, transitions, feedback, and consistency where appropriate • Implement approved UI/UX improvements in Unity • Improve visual feedback and overall presentation • Add or improve VFX and animation where they materially improve game feel Audio, Haptics, and Game Feel • Audit the existing soundscape • Improve button, UI, gameplay, feedback, and transition sounds • Integrate or create appropriate SFX where needed • Improve haptic feedback • Improve moment-to-moment responsiveness and satisfaction • Help identify where the game currently feels repetitive, flat, or under-polished Gameplay and Level/Track Design • Help evaluate existing runner sections • Improve platform/track variety • Potentially design additional sections or sequences • Help improve pacing, difficulty progression, variation, and player engagement • Explore and potentially implement an elevated/vertical running mechanic to add additional gameplay dimensionality and track variety. Backend, Analytics, and Monetization Depending on what is appropriate for the MVP: • Firebase setup and integration • Analytics/event tracking • In-app purchases • Progression/streak-related functionality • Potential cloud/account functionality if justified • Other launch infrastructure recommended after review QA and Release • Android and iOS device testing • Performance testing • App Store / Google Play release support • Final launch-readiness review • Post-launch bug-fix/support options I do not expect every applicant to personally perform every discipline listed above. One purpose of this hiring process is to determine what capabilities each developer or studio actually has available. Who I Am Looking For I am open to either: 1. A highly experienced senior Unity developer who can serve as the technical lead and has trusted specialists available for disciplines outside their expertise. 2. A boutique or established game-development studio capable of providing a consistent technical lead along with UI/UX, VFX, audio, QA, backend, level-design, or other specialists when necessary. I care much more about the quality of the actual people assigned to the project than the size of the company. Strong candidates should have: • Significant professional Unity and C# experience • Experience inheriting existing Unity projects, not only creating new projects from scratch • Experience shipping commercial mobile games • Experience with both iOS and Android • Strong Git/source-control practices • Ability to understand and preserve existing architecture before changing it • Good written and spoken English • Clear remote communication • Strong estimation and project-planning skills • A willingness to identify bad ideas, unnecessary scope, or unrealistic assumptions rather than simply agreeing with everything • Respect for the existing creative direction and product vision Experience with Firebase, analytics, IAP, UI implementation, VFX, audio, game feel, mobile optimization, QA, and store releases is particularly useful. Required Application Materials To be considered, please complete and attach both of the following documents to your Upwork proposal: • Development_Team_Capability_Table.docx • Prospective_Team_Response_Form.docx Please provide thoughtful and specific responses based on the information in this listing rather than general company or freelancer marketing material. I am not expecting an exact fixed-price quotation at this stage, since you will not yet have inspected the Unity repository. However, I do want to understand how you approach projects like this, who would actually work on the game, what capabilities you have available, and your preliminary expectations regarding scope, staffing, schedule, and cost. The information provided in these documents will be used as part of the Round 1 evaluation and to determine which applicants are invited to the qualification-call stage. For agencies or studios, please complete the forms based on the specific team you would realistically propose for the game, rather than your company’s capabilities in general. Applications that do not include both completed documents may not be considered. Agencies and Studios: Important If applying as an agency or studio, please do not submit only your company's general portfolio. I want to know specifically: • Who would be the technical lead for the game? • Who would actually work inside the Unity repository? • What experience does that person have? • Which other specialists would realistically be available? • Are those people employees, regular contractors, or people you would need to recruit after receiving the project? The proposed technical lead must participate in the interview/evaluation process. If your company is selected for the paid technical evaluation, I expect the same proposed lead developer who would work on the game to personally complete the technical portion of that evaluation. I do not want a senior founder or salesperson completing the evaluation and then handing the actual project to an unidentified junior developer. Contract Structure The Upwork posting is listed as hourly because the final scope and level of effort cannot be determined responsibly until the project has been inspected. For the larger development engagement, I am open to hourly, fixed-price, or milestone-based arrangements. My current preference is a milestone-based structure with clearly defined deliverables, acceptance criteria, schedules, and pricing for each phase. Finalists will be asked to provide both: • Their estimated total hours/effort and associated cost • Their recommended milestone structure, pricing, and schedule The final commercial structure will be determined after the paid technical evaluation and project inspection. I am interested in an arrangement that rewards efficient execution while maintaining a high standard of quality and allowing reasonable flexibility for discoveries made during development. Selection process I am treating this as a competitive selection process rather than hiring based solely on profile ratings, cost, or portfolios. Round 1 — Written Proposal Applicants will be evaluated based on: • Relevant experience • Understanding of the project • Proposed staffing • Communication • Transparency • Preliminary schedule and cost • Technical and production judgment Round 2 — Short Qualification Call A smaller group of candidates will be invited to a short call. For studios/agencies, the actual proposed technical lead must attend. The purpose is primarily to confirm communication, availability, working structure, and fit. Round 3 — Paid Finalist Evaluation Approximately 2–3 finalists will be hired and paid through Upwork to complete a standardized evaluation using the actual game project. The primary technical exercise is expected to involve implementing a small quiz section within the existing tutorial. This was selected because it requires a developer to understand and interact with several existing project systems rather than solving an isolated programming puzzle. Finalists may also be asked to provide a concise audit/recommendation covering selected aspects of the game's technical condition, game feel, visual presentation, audio, and/or release readiness. Full instructions, acceptance criteria, time limits, repository access, and compensation will be provided to finalists before beginning. Round 4 — Final Proposal and Interview After inspecting and working with the actual project, finalists will submit a more detailed proposal containing: • Recommended final scope • Proposed deliverables • Milestones • Named staffing • Hours/rates by role • Estimated total cost • Expected schedule • A more conservative/high-confidence completion date • Dependencies on me • Technical risks • Recommended post-launch items The larger development contract will then be awarded based on the overall quality of the proposal, evaluation work, communication, compatibility, schedule, and cost-to-value. Working Relationship and Creative Direction I am looking for a collaborative technical and production partner, not simply someone who blindly executes tickets. Suggestions and criticism are encouraged. If you believe a feature should be postponed, redesigned, simplified, or removed, I want to hear why. At the same time, the game has an established identity and creative direction. I am not looking for someone to replace the concept with their own game or perform a major rewrite simply because they would have built it differently. Significant gameplay, visual, architectural, or product-direction changes should be discussed before implementation. The ideal relationship is: I maintain product ownership and creative direction; you bring the technical expertise, production experience, specialist capabilities, and implementation judgment needed to turn the existing game into a polished commercial product. Development and Ownership Expectations The selected partner should be comfortable with: • Working through Git/GitHub • Feature branches and reviewable changes • Preserving a stable production baseline • Regular playable builds • Clear documentation of significant changes • Transparent time tracking and estimates • Discussing material scope/cost changes before performing them • Working inside accounts and infrastructure owned by my company where appropriate All project IP, source code, modifications, commissioned assets, documentation, and other paid deliverables created specifically for the game must ultimately remain the property of my company. More detailed repository, access, security, and workflow requirements will be provided to finalists. Timeline I would like to begin the evaluation and selection process soon. My current preference is to have the game release-ready during December 2026, but I am intentionally asking applicants to provide their own assessment. If you believe December is realistic, explain why. If you believe a different schedule would produce a materially better or safer launch, tell me that. I would rather receive a credible February estimate than an unrealistic December promise. Final Note I am putting significant effort into selecting the right long-term development partner rather than simply filling a short-term coding role. A strong engagement on the game could lead to additional work on future games and applications. I value: Capability, judgment, communication, transparency, attention to detail, respect for the product vision, and the ability to actually ship. If that sounds like the way you or your studio prefer to work, I would be interested in hearing from you.