Our Story Begins: A Humble Start in Game Art Outsourcing
The gaming world is growing faster than ever, and with it, the need for reliable, high-quality game art outsourcing partners.
At Thunder Cloud Studio, our story started quite humbly with no investors, no big-name backing, just pure passion, dedication, and a relentless belief in what could be built.
In 2013, a small team of four artists came together in Vietnam to build something meaningful. That is: a studio where creativity, technical excellence, and professional discipline meet.
Today, we’re proud to be recognized as one of Asia’s leading game art outsourcing studios, trusted by publishers and developers worldwide to bring their visions to life.
Thunder Cloud Studio – A Dream built from experience, Tireless Effort, and a Passion for Game Art
Our founder, Dzung Phung Dinh, an industry veteran, brought to the studio not just a dream, but also a wealth of hands-on experience.
Before founding Thunder Cloud, Dzung had built an impressive career that spanned multiple creative industries and geographies, from working as a Hollywood VFX artist at Double Negative London, to leading creative teams in Vietnam’s top advertising agencies, and working as a game artist at Rare, the legendary Microsoft Game Studios.
This rare blend of generalist mastery, advertising creativity, and AAA game development experience gave Dzung a deep understanding of both the artistic side and the professional work ethics expected in global markets.
With only passion, resilience, and four team members to start, we built Thunder Cloud Studio brick by brick. We achieved every milestone not by shortcuts, but by tireless work, unwavering quality, and respect for our craft.
Our vision has always been clear: to become a world-class game art outsourcing studio, combining Vietnamese creativity with global industry standards. And that belief carries us forward every day.
Today, after 12 years of effort, Thunder Cloud has grown into a powerhouse of nearly 100 artists. We are proudly collaborating with globally renowned game producers and publishers, such as Scopely, MTG, IGG, Yoozoo Games, Hoyoverse, Hutch, Illuvium, and more.
A look at Some of Our Milestones
1. Monopoly GO! and Scopely – A Partnership Built on Trust
When Scopely developed Monopoly GO!, a game that went on to become the highest-grossing mobile game of 2024, we were honored to be part of its journey from the earliest days. We successfully designed and developed the visual for the first prototype map.
Our team handled a full production cycle. Our tasks ranged from concept art outsourcing to detailed 3D maps, character designs, event wallpapers, animation production, and trailer.
Furthermore, we are especially proud to have been selected as Scopely’s exclusive stylized art partner in their Global Trusted Program. This is a recognition awarded to only 11 studios worldwide.
Moreover, we are honored to be selected as the exclusive stylized art partner in Scopely’s Global Trusted Program, a distinction awarded to only 11 studios worldwide.
2. YOOZOO Games – Creating User Acquisition Videos for Leading Mobile Titles
YOOZOO Games, one of the top 10 mobile game companies in China, has been an important long-term partner of ours.
For YOOZOO, we have had the pleasure of creating not only cinematic trailers but also a wide range of User Acquisition (UA) videos for some of their most popular mobile game series. As a result, our team helped them reach and engage millions of players worldwide.
Notable games we’ve worked on include:
- Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming
- Infinity Kingdoms
- League of Angels series
- Light of Thel
- Era of Celestials
Through these collaborations, we became deeply involved in helping YOOZOO capture player imagination, from first impressions to ongoing loyalty.
3. Studio FOW – Subverse – Designing Iconic Characters through Concept Art and 3D Art Services
In 2019, Subverse became a Kickstarter phenomenon, raising over £1.6 million from nearly 60,000 backers in just two weeks.
We were honored to be invited joining this journey, with our founder Dzung serving as Art Director of the project.
From early character concepts to fully detailed 3D models, Thunder Cloud Studio was responsible for breathing life into the iconic “waifus” and key NPCs that made Subverse’s universe so unforgettable.
In addition to the main female cast, our team also contributed to the design of key NPCs. They included alpha male characters that provided narrative balance and depth to the world of Subverse.
4. Epic Age – Delivering high-quality 3D game art with realistic skins
IGG Inc. is a global video game developer and publisher, which was founded in 2006 and its headquarter is currently in Singapore.
The company is best known for popular mobile titles like Lords Mobile, Castle Clash, and Clash of Lords. Recognized for its strong presence in the mobile gaming market, IGG has been named one of App Annie’s “Top 52 Publishers” for seven consecutive years.
IGG Inc. is a global video game developer and publisher, which was founded in 2006 and is currently headquartered in Singapore.
The company is best known for popular mobile titles like Lords Mobile, Castle Clash, and Clash of Lords. Recognized for its strong presence in the mobile gaming market, IGG has been named one of App Annie’s “Top 52 Publishers” for seven consecutive years.
IGG entrusted us to produce a series of high-quality character costumes in the menu scenes of “Epic Age” – a 3D strategy war game.
Additionally, with our expertise in 3D art services, we ensured that every asset delivered the perfect balance between detailed artistry and technical performance.
Our team was involved in:
- High-poly modeling and sculpting
- Low-poly modeling
5. Genshin Impact – PSA promotional videos
For an upcoming in-game event in Genshin Impact, Hoyoverse entrusted Thunder Cloud Studio to produce several PSA videos with our game art outsourcing expertise.
The goal was to create high-quality fan-made-like videos using existing in-game models for promotional storytelling.
The four pillars of Thunder Cloud Studio’s global success
At Thunder Cloud Studio, we believe that delivering great art is not enough – building real partnerships is what truly matters.. We prioritize building long-term and win-win partnerships that yield the highest values to our clientele.. Over the years, we have shaped our way of working around four key pillars to ensure every collaboration is smooth, efficient, and consistently rewarding.
1. Top quality and Game-ready art
Our team consists of highly skilled 3D artists, many of whom specialize in game engine integration for both Unity and Unreal Engine. Thanks to this expertise, every asset we deliver is not just beautiful, but also fully optimized and ready to drop directly into your game environment, ensuring a seamless workflow for your production teams.
What sets us apart is our commitment to consistency.
Every project, big or small, goes through a strict internal QA process. We have structured this process to maintain visual harmony across all assets while speeding up turnaround times.
Thanks to this, we can deliver a polished and cohesive look for each project we touch.
2. Optimized Project Management
We understand that handling large-scale art production can be overwhelming.
That’s why we take pride in providing dedicated project coordinators and leads for each collaboration, experienced professionals who oversee every phase of your game art outsourcing project with care and precision.
From scheduling and feedback handling to quality control, our team ensures that every deadline is met and every delivery is up to the standards expected.
This way, you can confidently leave the day-to-day heavy lifting to us, while you stay focused on your broader creative and strategic goals.
3. Seamless and Transparent communication
Clear, timely communication is the heartbeat of every successful project.
At Thunder Cloud Studio, we make it a priority to keep communication straightforward, transparent, and responsive, no matter the time zone differences.
4. Flexible and tailored budget planning
We know that project budgets are often tight and timelines even tighter.
That’s why we offer flexible pricing structures to fit different needs: whether it’s man-month-based or asset-based models.
Right from the beginning, we provide upfront, transparent estimates. As a result, you will never be caught off guard by unexpected costs.
Built into every quote are our quality assurance processes and structured feedback mechanisms. They ensure you get consistent value throughout the project.
We make planning simple, predictable, and aligned with your priorities. That way, you can focus on building amazing games, while we handle the details.
Our extensive suite of game art outsourcing services
1. 2D concept art
We know that every game starts with a strong idea.
Our concept art team helps shape those ideas from the ground up. By creating characters, props, and environments that capture your vision, we help you set the tone for everything that follows.
2. 3D character art
Characters are the heart of any game experience.
At Thunder Cloud Studio, we specialize in both stylized and realistic 3D character art, tailored to fit the soul of your game.
From sculpting and retopology to texturing and rigging, our team handles the full character production pipeline, ensuring every detail, movement, and silhouette contributes to a seamless, engaging player experience.
3. 3D environment and 3D assets
At Thunder Cloud Studio, we build worlds that players want to explore.
Our artists are skillful in creating immersive 3D environments, varying from stunning fantasy landscapes to gritty, post-apocalyptic cities. Each of them is crafted with strong attention to mood, detail, and technical performance.
Apart from large-scale environments, we also have hands-on experience in designing a wide range of 3D assets to complete your game world. This includes weapons, vehicles, props, interactive objects, outfits, and character skins – all optimized for smooth integration into your game engine.
4. Game trailers and animations
Bringing a game to market is about more than just gameplay, it’s about telling a story players can’t resist.
With years of experience in game trailers production and stylized animations, we help studios transform core gameplay, characters, and narratives into compelling launch campaigns, feature reveals, and in-game cutscenes.
Each trailer we produce is carefully crafted to showcase the magic and excitement of your game at first glance.
5. Game VFX
Our team has proven capabilities in designing in-game and cinematic VFX that elevate gameplays with increased depth, excitement, and energy.
With a wide range of VFX – from explosive action effects to more subtle, ambient visuals, we help enhance your unique tone, style, and mechanics. In addition, our artists ensure they are lightweight and fully optimized for performance across platforms.
Our VFX are crafted to strike the right balance – they are visually stunning, technically efficient, and seamlessly integrated into the game experience.
We are eager to start working with you!
Getting a project rolling with Thunder Cloud Studio is as easy as starting a good conversation.
Simply drop us an email at [email protected] or send a quick message through our Contact page. Tell us a bit about what you have in mind – whether a big idea or rough sketch.
After carefully reviewing your needs, we’ll come back with a clear proposal tailored for you.
We usually recommend starting with a pilot asset, a small but meaningful first step that allows you to evaluate our compatibility, workflow, and quality before scaling up.
This approach helps optimize your investment, minimize risk, and build confidence for long-term collaboration
Once you’re happy (and we’re sure you will be), we will move on to mass production. Our coordinators keep everything running smoothly. Also, they make sure assets land on time and up to the standards you expect – or even better.
Conclusion: Your Trusted Partner for Game Art Outsourcing Success
With a strong focus on quality, efficiency, and transparent communication, we support publishers and developers in delivering world-class 3D game art across a wide range of genres and project scopes.
Therefore, in a market that demands excellence, agility, and trust, we stand out as the partner of choice for AA and AAA game art outsourcing.
