To keep a remote team motivated, I would have focused on building a strong, supportive culture by encouraging open communication, where team members feel valued and connected to the project’s vision. I would have shared the creative impact of their work regularly, showing how their efforts contribute to the game's progress and resonate with our audience. By setting clear, inspiring project milestones and sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses of our game's development, I would have fostered a sense of ownership and pride. Additionally, I would have promoted personal growth, encouraging team members to explore new ideas and skills that enrich the project.

Setting 'Sandbox' sprints is a great way here as well. Just designate specific timeframes where the team can experiment freely with new ideas, within scope. When the sprint ends, they present what’s most promising for possible integration. This allows for structured creativity that doesn’t derail timelines.

Remote design teams flourish when they have a clear sense of shared purpose and daily interaction. Encourage open dialogue about game ideas through digital brainstorming and group playtesting. Distance shouldn't limit creativity — it's an opportunity to try new collaborative approaches. Keep the spark alive with friendly design challenges and regular prototype sharing. Nothing builds confidence like seeing ideas come to life and getting genuine appreciation from peers. Give teams space to experiment while keeping the project vision clear. The best remote work happens when designers feel trusted and supported.

I've work several times remotely with team across different time zones, and this is what I've found works well: - Regular check-ins: I like spend time reviewing our game process together for each milestone. These also help us foster a supportive community by letting us tackle challenges and celebrate wins as a team. - Protect personal time: Respecting boundaries is crucial to maintain long-term motivation. Setting official working hour and clear deadlines for updates help keeps everyone motivated without constant pressure. - Sandbox Space: Where we have a separate branch for experimentation. It gives the team space to try new ideas without impacting the main project, encouraging creativity and innovation we might later include in the game!

I create a project management dashboard with gamification options. Let's make work a game. When I learn, I like it as a game; when I do everyday tasks, the same. Work is a game, fun is a game, life is a game :)

Sure, celebrate each other's progress and create an environment where no one hesitates to ask for help or a second opinion, but one thing I feel that's important is to talk about things beyond the project! Discuss the games you're playing, what you've been up to, how you spent the weekend, etc. I won't get into the whole "co-workers are/aren't your family" debate, but when there's a healthy spirit of collaboration—and yes, friendship—enthusiasm becomes much easier to maintain.

beside what it's been said… get proactive responsible professionals, that fit well in your team but also work well individually. Also enable them with tools, resources, and most important with autonomy and authority on their field… nobody likes a bossy manager… agile dev methods like SCRUM are good for that.