How Much
Does It Cost to Create a Mobile Game Like DungeonQuest

The mobile gaming arena in 2025 thrives on adrenaline-fuelled adventures where loot hunts and dungeon delves keep players glued to their screens. Leading this charge is DungeonQuest, the offline action RPG from Shiny Box Games that has amassed millions of downloads since its 2012 debut. With its hack-and-slash combat, procedurally generated levels, three hero classes boasting unlimited builds, and a relentless focus on epic gear drops, DungeonQuest channels the spirit of Diablo into bite-sized, free-to-play sessions. No internet required, just pure, loot-driven chaos across endless crypts and boss arenas. For developers inspired by this formula—envisioning randomised dungeons, skill synergies, and addictive progression—the pivotal query emerges: how much does it cost to create a mobile game like DungeonQuest?

Recent industry analyses peg the spectrum wide: indie prototypes scrape by at $20,000-$50,000, while feature-rich clones with polish and scalability hit $150,000-$500,000. This variance mirrors 2025’s dev landscape, where Unity’s free tier and AI procedural tools democratise entry, yet balancing random generation with stable performance demands expertise. Drawing from GDC reports, Clutch surveys, and dev postmortems on platforms like Reddit’s r/gamedev, this deep dive unpacks the economics. From solo coders to small studios, we’ll navigate phases, variables, and benchmarks to arm you with a fiscal compass. In a market where ARPGs like DungeonQuest generate $10M+ lifetime revenue through in-app purchases, smart budgeting isn’t just prudent—it’s profitable.

Decoding the Essence of a DungeonQuest-Style Mobile ARPG

To price your project accurately, dissect what fuels DungeonQuest‘s replayability. This isn’t a casual tapper; it’s a loot odyssey blending action RPG depth with mobile constraints. Signature traits include:

• Procedural Dungeons and Combat: Infinite level variety via algorithms, real-time slashing with dodge-rolls, and enemy waves scaling by hero level. Implementing robust RNG (random number generation) for loot and layouts requires solid backend logic.
• Hero Customisation: Warrior, Mage, and Rogue archetypes with gear slots, skill trees, and enchantments. Over 100 affixes mean dynamic balancing to avoid pay-to-win pitfalls.
• Offline-First Design: No servers mean optimised local storage for saves and assets, but cloud backups add optional sync layers.
• Monetisation Mechanics: Free entry with energy systems, gem packs for revives, and cosmetic bundles—driving 30-50% conversion rates in similar titles.
• Visual and Audio Fidelity: Isometric 2D/3D hybrid art (sprites for mobs, particle effects for spells), paired with orchestral loops and visceral SFX.

These demand mid-complexity: beyond hyper-casuals ($5k-$20k) but shy of MMORPGs ($1M+). Devs note 6-12 month timelines, with procedural tech inflating costs by 20-30% if not modularised. In 2025, tools like Houdini for level-gen prototypes trim this, enabling $50k-$250k for a viable DungeonQuest homage.

Core Variables Shaping Development Expenses

Costs flex with decisions—here’s the quartet of influencers for ARPGs in this vein:

1. Complexity and Feature Depth

Basic loot crawler (fixed levels, 20 skills): $30,000-$80,000. Full procedural with multiplayer co-op: $200,000-$400,000. DungeonQuest‘s RNG core adds $20k-$50k for testing edge cases like infinite loops.

2. Team Scale and Locale

Solo via no-code (e.g., Buildbox): $15,000-$40,000 in time/tools. 5-10 person squad in India/Philippines ($15-$30/hour): $80,000-$150,000. Western teams? $200,000+ at $80-$120/hour. Remote hybrids, per Upwork trends, save 40-60%.

3. Tech Stack and Platforms

Unity (free for <$200k revenue) reigns; Godot alternatives cut licensing. Dual iOS/Android: +15% for fragmentation testing ($10k-$20k). Offline ARPGs sidestep server costs ($5k/year) but need robust anti-cheat.

4. Art, Audio, and Iteration

2D assets: $10k-$30k; hybrid 3D: $40k-$80k. Procedural audio via FMOD: $5k. Beta iterations (500+ playtests) uncover balance woes, adding $15k-$25k.

2025’s 8-12% freelance uptick factors in, but AI like Runway for animations offsets 25%. An Eastern European studio might clock $100,000 for a polished clone—scalable and store-ready.

Phased Financial Roadmap: Building Your ARPG Empire

Structure your spending like a dungeon run: Clear stages with checkpoints. For a $150,000 benchmark (7-person team, 9 months):

Pre-Production: Mapping the Depths (10-15% of Budget, $15,000-$22,500; 1-2 Months)

Scout before swinging.

• Design Blueprint: GDD with loot tables, class specs, and flowcharts. Narrative consultant: $5,000 for 20,000 words of lore.
• Feasibility Probes: Market scans via App Annie ($1,000 sub); focus groups on Discord ARPG servers: Free.
• Proof-of-Concept: Procedural level demo in Unity. Lead programmer: $10,000 (250 hours at $40/hour).

Validate loot dopamine here—80% of flops trace to weak pre-vis.

Production: Forging the Blade (60-70% of Budget, $90,000-$105,000; 5-6 Months)

The grind.

• Core Engine (35%): Combat physics, RNG systems, UI. Dev team: $31,500. Integrations like Google Play Services: $5,000.
• Asset Forge (25%): 300+ mob variants, environment tiles. Freelance illustrators: $23,750. Spine animations: $5,000.
• Soundscape and Polish (20%): 15 tracks ($10,000 composer); VO snippets ($3,000). Quest scripting: $8,000.
• Integration Sprints (20%): Weekly builds with analytics hooks. Balance passes: $15,000.

Team labour dominates—60%—so agile tools like Jira ($1k/year) streamline.

Post-Production: The Boss Gauntlet (15-20% of Budget, $22,500-$30,000; 1-2 Months)

Victory lap.

• Rigorous Testing: 1,000-device matrix via AWS Device Farm ($3,000); QA firm: $10,000 for crash repro.
• Optimisation Overhaul: Battery hogs and heat maps: $5,000. Localisation to Spanish/Korean: $4,500.
• Launch Arsenal: Trailers via After Effects ($3,000); ASO audits: $2,000.

This scaffold, honed from Kevuru Games’ breakdowns, wards off overruns.

Battlefield Benchmarks: ARPGs That Conquered on Budgets

Lessons from the loot lords:

• Torchlight Mobile (Echo Bay Games, 2024 port): Diablo-esque ARPG with random dungeons. Dev: ~$200,000 (reused PC assets). Port tweaks: $50,000 for touch. Revenue: $15M+ via freemium.
• Grimvalor (Direlight, 2018; expansions 2025): Offline dungeon crawler. Indie budget: $80,000 (small team, Unity). 1M+ downloads, premium $6.99 model—ROI in quarters.
• Reddit Reckoning: “Loot Labyrinth” (u/ARPGIndie, 2024): DungeonQuest clone. $45,000 Godot build, 4 months solo-duo. 50k installs off Steam cross-promo—organic gold.

X devs chime in: Procedural pitfalls added $10k to one clone, but grants like Unity’s $5k fund eased it. Pattern? Modularity multiplies margins.

Marketing and Lifecycle: The True Treasure Trove

Dev’s the delve; visibility’s the vault. For DungeonQuest-likes:

• Acquisition Assault: $1.50-$4 CPI on Unity Ads; $20k-$50k for 20k Day 1 users, targeting “offline ARPG” queries.
• Growth Hacks: Influencer runs on YouTube loot channels ($5k); ASO for “Dungeon Quest Mobile”: $3k tools.
• Sustain Spend: Hotfixes ($10k/year); event updates: $15k. Analytics via Firebase: Free tier.

Holistic outlay: $180,000-$300,000, with 20-40% ARPU from gems yielding breakeven at 100k actives.

Thrift Tactics: Loot More, Spend Less

Arm your arsenal:

• Engine Economies: Godot over Unity—zero royalties, baked-in procedural nodes.
• Asset Armoury: Mix $2k Unity Store packs with AI gen (Midjourney, $10/month)—halves art bills.
• Crowd Quests: itch.io betas (free); Epic MegaGrants ($10k-$30k for ARPGs).
• MVP Manoeuvre: Ship Act 1, DLC later—saves 35% on scope.

Evade “feature fever”—per r/gamedev, it devours 25% of budgets.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the average cost to develop a mobile ARPG in 2025?

$100,000-$250,000 for mid-tier titles like DungeonQuest, covering procedural tech and loot systems.

2. How long does it take to build a game like DungeonQuest?

6-12 months for indies, with solos hitting 8-10 via modular Unity workflows.

3. What drives the highest costs in mobile dungeon crawler development?

Procedural generation (20-30%) and art assets (25%), per GDC indie surveys.

4. Can I create a DungeonQuest clone for under $50,000?

Yes, as a solo 2D prototype using Godot—focus on the core loot loop.

5. How does team location affect ARPG dev budgets?

Outsourcing to Asia/Europe cuts 50% vs US rates, ideal for asset-heavy projects.

6. What tools are essential for low-cost mobile ARPGs?

Unity/Godot (free), Spine for animations ($300/year), and Firebase for analytics.

7. Is offline design cheaper than online for ARPGs?

By 20-40%—no server upkeep, but demands stronger local optimisation.

8. What’s the best monetisation for a budget DungeonQuest-like?

Freemium with energy/gem IAPs, mirroring 30% conversion in loot-driven hits.

9. How much to allocate for testing in mobile ARPG projects?

$15,000-$25,000: Critical for RNG balance and device parity.

Conclusion: Claim Your Crown in the ARPG Realm

Forging a mobile game like DungeonQuest in 2025 charts a $50,000-$300,000 odyssey but unlocks a realm where procedural thrills reap endless rewards. By phasing strategically, leveraging global talent, and heeding tales from Grimvalor‘s vaults, creators transmute code into captivation. This isn’t expenditure—it’s excavation, unearthing player loyalty in a $120B market. Prototype your first dungeon today, balance your first boss tomorrow, and watch your ARPG ascend app charts. In the ever-deepening mobile crypts, your loot legend awaits—dive in, conquer boldly.

Author

He is a SaaS-focused writer and the author of Xsone Consultants, sharing insights on digital transformation, cloud solutions, and the evolving SaaS landscape.