How Miniclip traded VPN headaches for real-time global file access

Meet Miniclip

Miniclip is a global leader in digital games and one of the world's biggest developers and publishers of mobile games, with a mission of unleashing the gamer in everyone.

It distributes highly engaging games to a global audience of over 400 million monthly and 65 million daily active users across mobile, PC, console, social, and online platforms. Operating in 12 countries, Miniclip develops and launches games in multiple categories across its 20 studios.

Background

Miniclip is the studio behind some of the world’s most popular multiplayer mobile games, including 8 Ball Pool, Soccer Stars and Carrom.

The team’s artists mostly work on-site in Portugal, but they also work daily with remote collaborators in Spain and Pakistan, as well as external partners in Vietnam. 25–30 artists produce UI, 2D/3D art, VFX, animation and video using tools like Photoshop, After Effects, Spine, Unity and various 3D suites.

As projects scaled and the team became more globally distributed, Miniclip’s existing infrastructure couldn’t keep up. Assets were scattered across a QNAP NAS, Google Drive and Dropbox, meaning remote artists faced slow access, inconsistent transfers and constant workflow interruptions.

To streamline production and give every artist fast, reliable access to shared files (no matter where they were) Miniclip turned to LucidLink.

The challenge: scaling global game art production

Before LucidLink, Miniclip relied on a QNAP NAS in its Portugal office. As teams became more global, remote artists needed VPN access to reach files. That’s where the problems began.

Artists described navigating the server as a “nightmare” and frequently lost work due to crashes or corrupted files. "When downloading a file it could reach 90% and then something breaks... and I lose everything,” says Awais Ali Sheikh, Lead Artist.

VPN connections created further friction, especially for team members in Pakistan and India. 

These bottlenecks slowed teams down, blocked sprints, delayed production, forced improvised workarounds and created real frustration.

From IT’s perspective, the problems were constant:

• Hardware failures

• Files disappearing or being overwritten

• Endless negative feedback from artists

The team had outgrown its infrastructure, they needed something:

• Much faster

• Easy for a small IT team to manage

• Capable of serving artists across continents

• Robust enough for massive creative workloads

Why Miniclip chose LucidLink

When the NAS could no longer support their global workforce, Miniclip began evaluating alternatives. LucidLink stood out for two reasons:

1. Global real-time collaboration on large creative files
2. Cloud-native file streaming that feels local 

Miniclip ran a proof of concept across all three studios, selecting artists from 2D, 3D, UI and video to test real-world pipelines.

Artists were impressed right away. “There was a big smile on everyone’s face when we switched,” says Ricardo Pires, Head of Art

Remote artists, especially those with slower internet connections, noticed the biggest difference.

The solution: a cloud-native workflow that feels local

With LucidLink, Miniclip now works on a centralized cloud file system that feels as fast as a local server. All without VPNs, delays and the fear of corruption or failed downloads.

Speed and performance

Artists immediately noticed the speed. Files open quickly, navigation feels instant and day-to-day work now feels identical to operating on their own machines. What used to be a bottleneck has become the norm: fast, fluid production with no slowdown.

Reliability the team can trust

Reliability has improved just as dramatically. Teams now trust their files, something that wasn’t always possible before. Complaints have essentially disappeared, and artists describe the system as dependable, friendly and stable.

Smooth remote collaboration

Remote artists, especially those in lower-bandwidth regions, have seen the biggest improvement. Workflows that were once frustrating are now smooth and predictable. Even teammates in Pakistan report that collaboration is easy, with no noticeable lag or technical barriers.

Real-time editing in the cloud

LucidLink’s file-streaming architecture has enabled workflows that simply weren’t possible before. Artists can now open large PSDs and 3D files directly in the cloud and work on them in real time, reshaping how teams collaborate across studios and time zones.

The results: faster, more reliable and happier teams

LucidLink transformed Miniclip’s global production workflow. Artists now experience near-local performance, with instant navigation, reliable file access and real-time collaboration.

Scale without slowing down

• Teams can now scale production without adding headcount or increasing operational overhead

• Work that used to be delayed by failed uploads, server crashes or VPN bottlenecks is now seamless

“You don’t need more manpower. You don’t need to hire more artists to do the same work,” says Ricardo Pires, Head of Art.

Faster access everywhere

• Files open instantly and navigation feels local, even for remote artists

• Large PSDs, 3D files and video assets can now be worked on directly in the cloud

“Everything is very, very fast.”– Awais Ali Sheikh, Lead Artist

IT complaints near zero

• The IT team reported a dramatic drop in support tickets and performance issues

• Infrastructure challenges that once consumed hours are now effectively gone

“We stopped hearing complaints. That says everything.” – Vasco Martin, IT Manager

Better morale across studios

• With smooth access and reliable workflows, productivity has improved across all locations

• Remote artists feel fully integrated for the first time, with no lag or friction

“It was a relief when we heard we were switching to LucidLink .”– Jorge Lima, Lead Artist

LucidLink just works

“LucidLink is a game-changer,” says Jorge Lima, Lead Artist

With LucidLink, Miniclip’s workflow runs faster, the day feels easier, and the team can concentrate on making games rather than wrestling with technology.

As Miniclip continues to grow and develop new titles across multiple regions, LucidLink will remain the backbone of their creative production workflow, ensuring that artists everywhere can work without obstacles.