When you release a hit game, which you probably will, save a good sum of money. If you can’t check this link, it will help you a lot making hit games! Wait until you have a lot of money as I said then you need to be at least level 3 to your developer advance to the next level. When you have an office, contract 2 guys like this: 1 st guy Complex Algorithms the second Showreel. Spend 100K on the budget and find a really really good guy. Level 2 minimum and at least 200 on the thing that he’s good. I had a guy 555 design level 3 contracted and a level 2 400 tech both of them are really really good employees. Don’t worry too much on the salary it won’t matter. Research medium games. Then start making them as the link that I gave you a while ago. With this you’ll be able to make top games!
My friend recommends making an engine every 2 or 3 years for all features. May seem expensive but the good thing is that you can change the features using in development. I think it’s a great idea! 
I’m on my 3rd game (finished my 2nd with $3 billion) and the best way to play until now is to create a new game engine when you have several things researched. No need to create an engine every other year, just research at least 1 thing on every category, then create a custom engine. Like that, you have new options for your new games. I always implement everything in my custom engines, because you could also want to create a sequel with the same setting. I don’t get any game UNDER a score of at least 7. It’s all about developing the game with the right slider setting. So far I use this (in percent):
-Simulation/Strategy/Action:
Stage 1 100/75/0
Stage 2 0/60/100
Stage 3 90/100/90
-Adventure/RPG:
Stage 1 0/100/100
Stage 2 100/50 or 60/0
Stage 3 100/90/100
Casual I never do so I can’t say and MMO is just the same as above.
You are wasting some effort in stage 3 above! I’ll let you work out which slider can be set to zero to give you better scores 
I tried this checklist and it actually works out really well. I didn’t even think of doing that before, but wow it works. I’m already halfway to 100k fans and have researched a lot of engine parts and have made like 5 publish deals with my engine, lol.
Another thing that is insanely important that most things miss is the tech design ratio which is insanely important. Almost too much so imo.
Contrary to what everyone else seems to do i actually rushplay and generally get around 60-70ish million in points at the end and do fairlly well… i prefer the 35 year one though (especially at later years new consoles seem to just get dogpiled in). My ‘strategy’ is as follows:
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Before anything think of what type of a game developer you want to be more specialized in. While using the same topic over and over again will result in you failing, using the same genre and a different topic works very well and usually allows you to specialize your development company.
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Decide what you want (I do Strategy+Sims until mid 2nd stage then diversivy using both and mixing in casual)
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Make about 3 games until you get around 65 research points.
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Research creating a game engine and also research one topic (if you do strategy, immediatlly get either scifi or fantasy)
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With your 3 games (and if u use the wiki to adjust your sliders to approaiate levels) you should have ~3-400k cash. Use this to make a basic engine; 2dV2 graphics, save function, mono sound, and (i believe but forgot if it is) better A.I. Otherwise get the former 3. This should cost around 120k. Build the engine and create a new game with your engine and the new topic.
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The game should round well. Keep using the engine, chrun out as many new games with new topics that fit.
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Once you reach level 4, move out. Do not move out before hand.
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If you play your cards right and do well you should be have around 7 million in cash and be at level 4.
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Do staff training and hire all 4 staff as follows:
2=510k Devs
2=490k Designers
This will cost 2 mil. Only research new topics if applicable or let time pass until all employees regain there efficency.
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make some small games and get some fiscal ground back. If your scores start to fail, its time to make a new engine with a heckton of new features once you finish researching all the topics.
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Take publishing contracts to make new games that you think will work and you can accomplish. Do this ALOT. You will windup making a good amount of cash and fans if you keep chruning out good games.
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Once around 150k-200k fans make some medium games independentlly and start with publishers large scale games.
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Play your cards right and at around year 18 - 20 you can move to stage 3.
From here on out its just making points. Make ~3 MMOS maintain them keep it upbeat and you should get a steady stream of new fans, make large games, and create a console…
Do everything right you can easilly get 75 mil and the game goes from “impossible” to “extremlly easy” 