Game On: Videogame Developer Levels Up with Rapid Infrastructure-as-Code Azure Migration

A major videogame developer needed to migrate 47 business-critical VMs to Azure before a fast-approaching deadline. Facing this complex challenge, they partnered with Transparity to design the migration through infrastructure-as-code, deploy a secure Azure Landing Zone, and upskill their internal team. The result? A flawless migration ahead of schedule and a tech team ready to rule their new cloud environment.

In the gaming world, lag is the enemy. To keep essential business workloads running so the team could continue creating immersive online worlds, our client, a major videogame developer, needed infrastructure that could keep up. But they were sitting on physical hardware in a data centre that didn’t fit their parent company’s strategic vision for value and growth. They needed agility. They needed scale. They needed to move to the cloud.

47 VMs

migrated ahead of schedule and before costly renewals

In-hosue skills unlocked

independence ensured

Modern foundations

tailored to the customer’s needs with Infrastructure as Code

This project was a masterclass in collaboration. We knew the client had a hard deadline and a clear vision for modernising their infrastructure. By working as one team, we were able to not only hit their technical goals with an Infrastructure as Code approach but also empower their people to confidently take the reins of their new Azure platform. Seeing their team grow in skill and confidence was just as rewarding as delivering the project ahead of schedule.

James Isherwood
Enterprise Sales Specialist, Transparity

The challenge

The mission was clear but daunting for the in-house team; migrate 47 critical virtual machines (VMs) to Microsoft Azure and exit the data centre before their renewal deadline. No extensions. No excuses.

But this wasn’t just about shifting servers. The client wanted to avoid a “black box” scenario where a partner does the magic and leaves the internal team in the dark. They possessed a talented team of engineers who knew their applications inside out, but they lacked deep Azure expertise.

They needed a partner who could do two things at once: design a thoroughly modern infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and teach them how to drive it. They needed confidence, capability, and a clean exit. All before the clock ran out.

The Solution

We didn’t just throw a quote for a basic migration over the fence. We embedded ourselves as an extension of their team. Using the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) as our map, we kicked off with collaborative workshops to define exactly what ‘good’ looked like for their business.

Our approach focused on three key levels:

1. Building the foundation

We designed and deployed a best-practice Azure Landing Zone using Terraform. This meant their new infrastructure wasn’t just clicked together; it was defined as code. It was secure, governed, and repeatable from day one.

2. Teaching them to fish

Upskilling was the heartbeat of this project. We didn’t want to just do the work for them; we wanted to empower them. We ran skill assessments and delivered ‘over the shoulder’ training. Our consultants worked alongside their engineers, guiding them through the first wave of application migrations so they could learn by doing.

3. Executing with precision

With the team upskilled and the platform ready, we supported the migration of the 47 VMs. We ensured that patching, backup, and disaster recovery routines were locked in immediately post-migration, instantly unlocking cost savings and operational efficiencies.

The Outcome

We beat the clock. The migration was completed well ahead of the deadline, completely de-risking the data centre exit. But the real win wasn’t just the speed, it was the legacy left behind. The client’s team isn’t reliant on us for day-to-day operations. They are confident, capable, and running their own show.

Mission accomplished early: Successfully migrated 47 VMs and exited the data centre ahead of the critical deadline.

Skills unlocked: Transformed the internal team from Azure novices to confident cloud operators through hands-on upskilling.

Modern foundations: Delivered a secure Azure Landing Zone built with Infrastructure as Code, replacing legacy hardware with future-proof tech.

By combining deep technical expertise with a genuine desire to empower the client, we turned a stressful data centre exit into a strategic upgrade. Now, they’ve got a scalable, secure platform in Azure and the in-house skills to leverage it for the next generation of gaming experiences.

About Videogame Developer

A leading videogame developer creating magical worlds and some of the nation’s most beloved games.