Animation for 2D games

Animation for 2D games: animation of 2D characters, environments, interfaces

High-quality visuals are the first thing a player notices when launching a game development product. Custom 2D animation (characters, environments, interfaces) allows you to immediately engage your audience, enhancing gameplay and making it more engaging.

Expressive and functional animation for 2D games is a vital component of the success of such projects. It sets the rhythm, conveys the atmosphere and identity of the concept, and helps users navigate the game world.

2D and 3D game animation is one of the core areas of work at Arionis Games . Our specialists have been developing 2D game development products for many years, from mobile casual titles to MMORPG strategy games. We animate characters, environments, and interfaces. We work across various genres, styles, and platforms, approaching each project individually, including product branding and/or developing a unique style to match the concept.

Advantages of 2D animation for games: technical, marketing, visual

Despite the advancement of 3D technology in the gaming industry, custom 2D animation remains relevant and in demand. It simplifies the understanding of mechanics, helps convey the mood of the world, and enhances the character.

Despite the popularity of AR and VR technologies, demand for mobile, casual, and indie projects remains high. And 2D animation for games on desktop, HTML5, and other platforms offers greater design freedom and a relatively low barrier to entry.

Why you should order 2D animation

2D graphics with motion effects are an effective tool for creating recognizable game worlds. This technology is suitable for casual, mobile, and indie projects, allowing for the rapid implementation of ideas and the flexible scaling of visual components. 2D animation provides a balance between quality, speed, and development cost.

Rapid development

Due to the lower technical complexity of implementation compared to 3D animation, 2D animation of characters, environments, and interfaces in games is completed several times faster. Frame-by-frame and skeletal 2D animation with element reuse significantly speeds up the development process.

Optimal cost without loss of quality

Choosing 2D animation is cost-effective, especially for projects with a limited budget or at the MVP stage. Compared to 3D animation, 2D content requires significantly fewer resources and time. This translates into significantly lower prices for 2D animation: the technical workload is smaller, the pipeline is simpler, and production cycles are shorter. This allows clients to achieve high-quality visuals and a rich, three-dimensional gameplay experience while optimizing the cost of services.

High performance and versatility

Lightweight and adaptable are among the main advantages of 2D technologies. Due to their lower system load, such products operate reliably even on devices and platforms with low performance, including older smartphones, tablets, and browsers. 2D graphics are less resource-intensive, making them suitable for mobile games, browser-based products, and desktop applications.

Versatility of styles

Custom 2D animation for games allows for a wide range of visual solutions, from pixel art to hand-drawn styles. It's versatile and easily scales to different screens and formats. 2D graphics are also suitable for casual projects, narrative-driven novels, puzzles, platformers, and educational titles. This allows for the implementation of unique visual styles in 2D.

Ease of control and perception

2D graphics are easier for users to understand, especially in casual and arcade games, platformers, and puzzles. For the same reason, 2D animation for games is often used in educational products and corporate solutions due to its intuitiveness and visual simplicity.

Wide range of tools and propellers

2D animation programs are available in a wide variety (Spine, DragonBones, Adobe Animate, Unity 2D, etc.), allowing you to create expressive visuals and recognizable storytelling.

Stages of 2D Animation Creation for Games: From Concept to Integration

At Arionis Games, our custom 2D game animation workflow is built on a transparent pipeline: from task, product, and niche analysis to storyboards, draft versions, client approval, and engine integration. We collaborate iteratively, with reporting at all key stages of 2D game animation creation:

• Task Analysis and Technical Specifications. Before the main work begins, Arionis Games specialists discuss and agree on the project's objectives with the client: game genre, style, target audience and platform, technical constraints and requirements, and format (frame-by-frame or skeletal character animation, etc.). Following this, technical specifications (TS) are created, detailing the scope of work and the results to be achieved at each stage.
• Concept creation, reference collection. At this stage, artists propose concept art for characters and objects, selecting references to match the agreed-upon style and movements. If the client has their own examples, this stage is skipped—we can create 2D computer, procedural, or hand-drawn animation of the character, environment, and interface for your game using existing models and templates. Once these are approved, a base is developed, upon which all subsequent elements will be built.
• Creation of sprites and/or characters. Next, models for animation are designed – characters and environment elements. If skeletal modeling is used, these objects are broken down into segments and prepared for rigging.
• Rigging (for skeletal techniques). At this stage, the character's "skeleton" is created—a system of bones and connections that will control movement. Rigging simplifies and speeds up the creation of 2D character animation, allowing the characters' actions to be coordinated not frame by frame, but through a system of bones and associated elements. Instead of manually drawing each pose, the artist defines key positions, and the software automatically and smoothly interpolates movements between them.

• Animation. The next step is creating the game animation: with skeletal animation, bone movement, rotations, and transformations are realized. If frame-by-frame animation is chosen, artists draw the main and intermediate frames. Cycles of gait, jumps, emotions, attacks, and other character expressions and interactions are created in accordance with the game design.
• Testing. Testing is an important stage in the creation of animation for 2D games, during which the result is evaluated both in isolation and in the game engine. Arionis Games specialists check the accuracy, timing, smoothness, and expressiveness of character movements, environment elements, and interface elements, as well as the consistency of the style with the overall gameplay style and technical requirements.
• Export and optimization. We export animated models in standard formats (PNG meshes, JSON files, Spine animations, etc.) with mandatory optimization for target platforms—mobile devices, browsers, PCs, etc. We consider size, weight, and performance for maximum efficiency.
• Game engine integration. Animated elements are added to the engine (Unity, Unreal Engine), where they are integrated with logic, game events, and triggers. Developers then configure the desired parameters (playback speed, transitions, loops, and player interactions).
• Final testing and adjustments. Before integrating 2D animation into the game, it's important to check its functionality on all target devices and platforms, ensure smooth playback, and ensure it matches the gameplay and overall style. During the testing phase, the product is also re-checked for bugs and inconsistencies and, if necessary, refined and optimized.
• Delivery of final results and documentation. After the 2D animation for the game is completed, the client receives the final results (playthroughs, rigs, project files, and scripts) and documentation on the product's structure and integration. Arionis Games experts will also provide recommendations for further implementation and scaling of the product. We can integrate animation into your game by agreement, taking into account the logic, triggers, and player interactions with the gameplay.

Included in the 2D animation service for games

Arionis Games Studio offers a wide range of 2D animation services for full-cycle and project-based games: custom 2D character animation, object animation, event animation, VFX elements, interfaces, and scenes.

As part of our service offering, we can offer the following list of works:

• 2D game character animation (walking, movement, running, jumping, attacks, emotions, interactions). The recognizability, consistency, and fluidity of character movements directly impact the user experience, especially in titles whose primary mechanics involve movement, such as arcade games, fighting games, and other action genres.
• Environment animation (moving background elements, objects). Background objects are also an important element of 2D animation, complementing the story and gameplay just as much as the environment and level design. We work with light and shadows, architecture, nature, etc.
• Visual design of the interface (buttons, transitions, pop-up windows, etc.). Dynamic design of icons, props, and other game elements, including the interface and props, enhances the gaming experience, making it comfortable, interactive, and rich.
• Effects (explosions, magic, light pulses, etc.). The introduction of animated effects and illustrations adds dimension and dynamism to the gameplay, making it more engaging and interactive by bringing static elements to life.

Thanks to an integrated approach, we achieve high mobility of objects and flexibility of visual presentation.

Methods and tools

Depending on the specific project and the objectives, Arionis Games specialists utilize various approaches: classic frame-by-frame animation, 2D bone/skeletal animation for characters, and cutout techniques for 2D objects and UI. This ensures consistency of style, precision, and optimal resource utilization.

There are several basic approaches to creating 2D animation:

• Classic frame-by-frame 2D animation (drawn) involves hand-drawing each frame, ensuring maximum expressiveness and originality. This approach requires significant time and labor, but allows for a unique visual style.
• Skeletal animation is 2D (bone-based). Bones and control elements are created in the character model, responsible for the movement of the corresponding parts of the model. This method saves resources and allows for flexibility.
• Sprite-based. To animate a character, attempts are created—that is, a sequence of pre-made images—which also simplifies the process of visual animation.
• Spine (based on Spine, DragonBones, and others). This is an advanced 2D skeletal character animation with the ability to deform and layer.

What tools and technologies are used in 2D animation for games?

When creating professional 2D animation for games, the Arionis Games team utilizes a broad technology stack, including up-to-date and proven tools.

• Modern graphic editors are used: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Krita.
• Depending on the specifics of the project, various animation tools are used, such as Spine, DragonBones, Adobe Animate, Toon Boom Harmony, After Effects and Blender for skeletal, frame-by-frame, vector and 2D computer animation.
• The created models are easily integrated into game engines, and character and retinue animation is available in Unreal Engine 4, 5, and Unity.
• All current export and integration formats are supported – PNG, JSON, Atlas, GIF/MP4/WebM.

The combination of these software solutions allows Arionis Games specialists to create recognizable 2D animation for games, ensuring flexibility and high-quality project implementation for both mobile and desktop devices.

Where to order 2D animation for games: Arionis Games

We provide full-cycle 2D animation services for games, from concept development to integration into the game product. We also animate customer-provided models and offer outsourcing, outstaffing, and dedicated IT team services. The appropriate option for your needs depends on the specifics of the project and its stage of implementation.

We are chosen for our individual approach and professionalism. Arionis Games specialists support the project at every stage, selecting animation based on the genre, audience characteristics, concept, and product objectives. We work transparently and iteratively, ensuring high-quality results, flexible collaboration, and adherence to deadlines.

The Arionis Games team's deep niche expertise spans game development and 2D animation across a wide range of genres, from classic platformers to large-scale visual novels. Outsourcing 2D character and environment animation saves time, optimizes project costs, ensures process control, and ensures timely product launch.