2D gameIdle farming and production gameOriginal by Auxbrain
Egg, Inc. starts with chickens bursting out of the coop as you hold down on the screen and takes players on a sci-fi journey chasing ever stranger egg types. Coop capacity, shipping trucks and a research tree that unlocks layer by layer demand constant optimisation. Prestiging into a new egg type makes resetting feel like a new discovery rather than a loss.
A similar game needs a multi-variable idle economy balancing chicken production, housing capacity and shipping limits, common and epic research trees, egg type progression and a prestige system. Long term, co-op contracts that send players racing toward a shared goal need an asynchronous multiplayer backend, plus missions, exploration ships and offline earnings.
Why Egg, Inc. works: the core loop
Systems you need to build a game like Egg, Inc.
Multi-variable production economy
A simulation in which chicken count, housing capacity, laying rate and shipping limit constrain each other, making the bottleneck visible.
Research tree
Two-tier progression made of temporary research bought with regular currency and permanent epic research bought with premium currency.
Egg type progression
A sequence of egg types, each with different value and goals, that carries the player into a new stage.
Prestige and permanent bonuses
A long-term economy where special resources earned on reset become permanent multipliers for every later run.
Co-op contracts
Asynchronous multiplayer missions in which groups of players try to hit a shared production target within a set time.
Exploration ships and artefacts
A side system of ships sent into space that return bonus artefacts after a timer, adding strategic depth to the economy.
What goes into the first version, what comes later
First version (soft launch)
- Chicken production, housing and shipping simulation
- Regular research tree and first egg types
- Prestige system and permanent bonuses
- Offline earnings, cloud saves and big number support
- Rewarded-ad boosts and premium currency
Later updates
- Epic research and new egg types
- Co-op contracts and group chat
- Exploration ships and artefact collection
- Seasonal events and cosmetic farm themes
The hard parts of this genre
Multi-layer balance
Production, capacity, shipping, research and prestige variables are linked; a change to one shifts the whole curve.
Fairness in shared goals
Balancing contributions from players at different progress levels in contracts and handling inactive players is a tough design problem.
Long-term content
When the prestige loop starts to run dry, new egg types, research and systems must be added or loyal players will leave.
Team, timeline and budget
The estimate is based on the genre’s core systems, content volume, multiplayer and live-ops needs plus QA and project management: about 222 person-days for the full scope and 100 person-days for the first version. Cutting scope (fewer levels, one map, fewer characters) lowers the budget directly. Store accounts, servers, audio licences and user-acquisition budget are separate items. We send a fixed written price within 24 hours after the game design document.
Monetisation
Revenue comes from rewarded-ad earnings boosts and permanent research bought with premium currency. A permanent ad-free reward pack and a subscription appeal to regular players. Premium reward tracks in contracts and events add revenue without making the game pay-dependent. Purchasable permanent bonuses should be capped so they never make free players' progress meaningless.
Estimate your game budget and get a fixed quote
Let us scope it together and send a fixed written quote within 24 hours. NDA on request; you own the source code.
Calculated instantly from your choices, excl. VAT. A fixed written quote follows a free scoping call within 24 hours.
Choosing a game development company for a game like Egg, Inc.
Most people searching “make a game like egg, inc.” are really looking for a reliable game development company. When comparing quotes, check four things:
- Can you play their released 2D games on your own phone?
- Are the source code, art files and store accounts transferred to you by contract?
- Do they build a playable prototype first and show a demo every two weeks?
- Are multiplayer servers, anti-cheat and scaling costs written into the quote?
Copyright and originality
Game mechanics on their own are generally not protected, but names, logos, characters, art, audio and level designs are. That is why we build a game “like Egg, Inc.” with your own name, art and world. This is not legal advice; we recommend a trademark search before launch.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to make a game like Egg, Inc.?
A prototype with the core production and research loop can be ready in a few weeks. A release-ready version with prestige, co-op contracts and a balanced economy takes a few months.
Does a game similar to Egg, Inc. raise copyright issues?
Idle farming and production mechanics are generally free to use. The name, visual design, egg types and text, UI and sound cannot be copied, though. This is not legal advice.
Are multiplayer contracts essential?
Not for the first release; the single-player loop should be proven first. Shared goals strengthen long-term retention, so adding them in later updates is recommended.
What should I look for in a studio to build a game like Egg, Inc.?
Ask about the studio's idle economy design and server-side asynchronous multiplayer experience. Also clarify their analytics-driven balancing and live content plan.
