You can use the new const Phaser.PENDING_ATLAS as the texture key for any sprite. Doing this then sets the key to be the frame argument (the frame is set to zero). This allows you to create sprites using load.image during development, and then change them to use a Texture Atlas later in development by simply searching your code for 'PENDING_ATLAS' and swapping it to be the key of the atlas data.

Author: photonstorm

README.md

@@ -269,6 +269,8 @@ If you are an exceptional JavaScript developer and would like to join the Phaser
 
 ### New Features
 
+* You can use the new const `Phaser.PENDING_ATLAS` as the texture key for any sprite. Doing this then sets the key to be the `frame` argument (the frame is set to zero). This allows you to create sprites using `load.image` during development, and then change them to use a Texture Atlas later in development by simply searching your code for 'PENDING_ATLAS' and swapping it to be the key of the atlas data.
+
 ### Updates
 
 * TypeScript definitions fixes and updates (thanks @clark-stevenson)

src/Phaser.js

@@ -290,6 +290,13 @@ var Phaser = Phaser || {
     */
     VIDEO: 28,
 
+    /**
+    * Game Object type.
+    * @constant
+    * @type {integer}
+    */
+    PENDING_ATLAS: -1,
+
     /**
      * Various blend modes supported by Pixi.
      * 

src/gameobjects/components/LoadTexture.js

@@ -34,14 +34,29 @@ Phaser.Component.LoadTexture.prototype = {
     * 
     * Calling this method causes a WebGL texture update, so use sparingly or in low-intensity portions of your game, or if you know the new texture is already on the GPU.
     *
+    * You can use the new const `Phaser.PENDING_ATLAS` as the texture key for any sprite. 
+    * Doing this then sets the key to be the `frame` argument (the frame is set to zero). 
+    * 
+    * This allows you to create sprites using `load.image` during development, and then change them 
+    * to use a Texture Atlas later in development by simply searching your code for 'PENDING_ATLAS' 
+    * and swapping it to be the key of the atlas data.
+    *
     * @method
     * @param {string|Phaser.RenderTexture|Phaser.BitmapData|Phaser.Video|PIXI.Texture} key - This is the image or texture used by the Sprite during rendering. It can be a string which is a reference to the Cache Image entry, or an instance of a RenderTexture, BitmapData, Video or PIXI.Texture.
     * @param {string|number} [frame] - If this Sprite is using part of a sprite sheet or texture atlas you can specify the exact frame to use by giving a string or numeric index.
     * @param {boolean} [stopAnimation=true] - If an animation is already playing on this Sprite you can choose to stop it or let it carry on playing.
     */
     loadTexture: function (key, frame, stopAnimation) {
 
-        frame = frame || 0;
+        if (key === Phaser.PENDING_ATLAS)
+        {
+            key = frame;
+            frame = 0;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            frame = frame || 0;
+        }
 
         if ((stopAnimation || stopAnimation === undefined) && this.animations)
         {