Jump to content

List of most expensive video games to develop

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Janissarywiki (talk | contribs) at 01:18, 12 September 2017. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The following is a list of the most expensive video games ever developed, with a minimum total cost of US$50 million and sorted by the total cost adjusted for inflation.

Rank Name Year Developer Publisher Platform Development cost
(million US$) 		Marketing cost
(million US$) 		Total cost
(million US$) 		Total cost with 2024 inflation
(million US$)
1 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 2009 Infinity Ward Activision PC, PS3, Xbox 360 50 200 250[1] 355
2 Grand Theft Auto V 2013 Rockstar North Rockstar Games PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One 137[2] 128 265[3] 347
3 Final Fantasy VII 1997 Square Square Enix, Sony Computer Entertainment (PS), Eidos Interactive (PC) PS, PC 45[4] 100[5] 145 275
4 Star Wars: The Old Republic 2011 BioWare Electronic Arts, LucasArts PC 200[6] 200+[6] 271+
5 Star Citizen 2011 In Alpha Cloud Imperium Games Cloud Imperium Games PC 160+[7] 160+[8]
6 Destiny 2014 Bungie Activision PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One <140[9] <140[9] 140[9][10][11] 180
7 Grand Theft Auto IV 2008 Rockstar North Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360, PC 100+[12] 142+
8 Too Human 2008 Silicon Knights Microsoft Game Studios Xbox 360 60-100[13] 100 142
9 APB: All Points Bulletin 2010 Realtime Worlds Electronic Arts, Realtime Worlds, Deep Silver (PS4, XB1) PC, PS4, Xbox One 100[14] 140
10 Max Payne 3 2012 Rockstar Studios Rockstar Games PC, Xbox 360, PS3 105[15] 105[15] 139
11 Red Dead Redemption 2010 Rockstar San Diego Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360 80-100[16] 100[17] 140
12 Deadpool 2013 High Moon Studios Activision PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC 100[18] 131
13 Disney Infinity 2013 Avalanche Software, Altron (3DS) Disney Interactive Studios PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, PC 100[19] 131
14 Tomb Raider (2013 video game) 2013 Crystal Dynamics Square Enix PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One 100[20] 131
15 Shenmue 1999 Sega AM2 Sega Dreamcast 70[21] 70[21] 128
16 Enter the Matrix 2003 Shiny Entertainment Atari, Inc. GameCube, PC, PS2, Xbox 20[22] 67[22] 111
17 Defiance 2013 Trion Worlds, Human Head Studios Trion Worlds PC, PS3, Xbox 360 80 80[23] 105
18 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 2015 CD Projekt RED CD Projekt PC, Xbox One, PS4 46[24] 35[25] 81 104
19 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain 2015 Kojima Productions Konami PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One 80 80[26] 103
20 Pokémon Red/Blue 1996 Game Freak Nintendo Game Boy 50[27] 50+ 97+
21 Final Fantasy XIII 2009 Square Enix Square Enix PC, PS3, Xbox 360 65+[28] 65+ 92+
22 Watch Dogs 2014 Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One 68[29] 68+ 88+
23 Crysis 3 2013 Crytek Electronic Arts PS3, Xbox 360, PC 66[30][31][clarification needed] 66 86
24 Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier 2012 Ubisoft Paris, Red Storm Entertainment, Ubisoft Bucharest, Ubisoft Kiev (PC) Ubisoft PC, Xbox 360, PS3 65[32] 65[32] 86
25 Gran Turismo 5 2010 Polyphony Digital Sony Computer Entertainment PS3 60[33] 60 84
26 Rift 2011 Trion Worlds Trion Worlds PC 50 10-20 60-70[34] 81-95
27 Gears of War: Judgment 2013 Epic Games, People Can Fly Microsoft Studios Xbox 360 60[35] 78
28 Heavy Rain 2010 Quantic Dream Sony Computer Entertainment PS3, PS4 23.2[36] 32.4[36] 55.6[36] 78
29 Final Fantasy IX 2000 Square Square PS, PC 40[37] 40+ 71+
30 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1982 Atari, Inc. Atari, Inc. Atari 2600 22[38] 69
31 DC Universe Online 2011 Daybreak Game Company Daybreak Game Company, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox One 50[39] 50[39] 68
32 L.A. Noire 2011 Team Bondi Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360, PC 50[40] 50 68
33 Half-Life 2 2004 Valve Corporation Valve Corporation PC, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360 40[41] 40 65
34 World of Warcraft 2004 Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment PC 40[42][unreliable source?] 65
35 Horizon Zero Dawn 2017 Guerrilla Games Sony Interactive Entertainment PS4 47[43] 47 47
Known cancelled projects with a cost of more than 50 million US$
Rank Name Year

started

Year

cancelled

Developer Publisher Platform Development Cost

(million US$)

Marketing Cost

(million US$)

Total Cost

(million US$)

Total with 2017 inflation

(million US$)

1 Halo MMO Cancelled ? Ensemble Studios Microsoft Game Studios PC 90[44] 90 127
2 Fable Legends Cancelled 2016 Lionhead Studios Microsoft Studios PC, Xbox One 75[45] 75+ 95+
3 This Is Vegas Cancelled ? Surreal Software Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment PC, PS3, Xbox 360 40-50[46] 40-50 56-70

References

  1. ^ Funk, John (November 19, 2009). "How much did MW2 Cost?". The Escapist. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  2. ^ "GTA V dev costs over $137 million, says analyst". gamesindustry.biz. February 1, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  3. ^ Travers, Alan (February 1, 2013). "GTA 5' Costs $265 Million To Develop And Market, Making It The Most Expensive Video Game Ever Produced: Report". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Essential 50: Final Fantasy VII". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Stanton, Rich (June 2, 2013). "Final Fantasy 7 retrospective". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  6. ^ a b Fritz, Ben (January 20, 2012). "Star Wars: The Old Republic — the story behind a galactic gamble". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  7. ^ https://robertsspaceindustries.com/funding-goals
  8. ^ https://robertsspaceindustries.com/funding-goals
  9. ^ a b c Pham, Alex (May 21, 2012). "Bungie-Activision contract". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  10. ^ "Activision CEO Bobby Kotick stated that the total cost was $500 million, but Bungie's Eric Osborne stated that the budget was "Nowhere near $500 Million"". Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  11. ^ Karmali, Luke (May 6, 2014). "Destiny is a $500 Million Gamble for Activision, says Kotick". IGN. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  12. ^ Androvitch, Mark (April 30, 2008). "GTA IV: Most expensive game ever developed?". Games Industry International.
  13. ^ Mackey, Bob (August 14, 2014). Gaming's Greatest Flops: Too Human. USgamer.
  14. ^ Stuart, Keith (August 27, 2010). "Realtime Worlds: an inside story". theguardian.com. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on April 7, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ a b "Max Payne 3's Sales May Be Hitting Rockstar Where It Hurts". www.gametrailers.com. June 15, 2012.
  16. ^ "New York Times - "Red Dead Redempetion" Brings Old West to Life". New York Times. May 16, 2010.
  17. ^ Schiesel, Seth (May 16, 2010). "Way Down Deep in the Wild, Wild West". The New York Times.
  18. ^ "20 of the Most Expensive Games Ever Made". GameSpot. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  19. ^ Fritz, Ben (August 25, 2013). "Disney Tries Anew to Raise Its Score on Digital Games". The Wall Street Journal.
  20. ^ Phillips, Tom (January 17, 2014). "Tomb Raider finally achieved profitability "by the end of last year"". Eurogamer.
  21. ^ a b Sheffield, Brandon (March 2, 2011). "GDC 2011: Yu Suzuki: 'Sega Will Probably Let Me Make Shenmue 3'". Gamasutra.com. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  22. ^ a b Pham, Alex (May 16, 2003). "'Enter the Matrix': An alignment of the digital planets". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  23. ^ Bercovici, Jeff (November 26, 2012). "With 'Defiance,' Comcast's Syfy Bets $100M On Convergence Of TV And Videogames". Forbes. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  24. ^ "CD PROJEKT Group - first half of 2015".
  25. ^ "The Witcher 3 sells 6m copies in six weeks". Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  26. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (August 3, 2015). "New article on Konami paints a bleak picture". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  27. ^ Tobin, Joseph Jay (2004). Pikachu's Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon. Duke University Press. p. 66. ISBN 0-8223-3287-6. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  28. ^ Hansen, Steven (October 9, 2013). "Final Fantasy XIII cost $65M; Mario Kart Wii made bank". Destructoid. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  29. ^ Mosca, Marco (June 18, 2013). "Watch Dogs, le très gros budget d'Ubisoft". Challenges. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  30. ^ Nutt, Christian (March 1, 2013). "What's holding back Crysis 3?". Gamasutra. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  31. ^ Charles Onyett. "GC 2008: Crysis Cost 22 Million to Make".
  32. ^ a b "Ubisoft discusses next-generation game budgets". Eurogamer.net. May 16, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  33. ^ Remo, Chris (November 5, 2009). "Yamauchi: Gran Turismo 5's Development Cost Hit $60 Million". Gamasutra.com. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  34. ^ "How Much Does It Cost To Make A Big Video Game?". Kotaku. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  35. ^ http://www.glixel.com/interviews/epics-tim-sweeney-on-vr-and-the-future-of-civilization-w459561
  36. ^ a b c Purchese, Robert (April 19, 2013). "Heavy Rain cost €16.7 million to make and made Sony "more than €100 million"". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  37. ^ Alder, Davon (July 29, 2000). "Square Haven News / NTV Tokyo Interviews Hironobu Sakaguchi". squarehaven.com. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  38. ^ Phipps, Keith (February 2, 2005). "Howard Scott Warshaw". A.V. Club. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  39. ^ a b Pham, Alex; Fritz, Ben (January 11, 2011). "DC Universe Online: $50 million gamble aims for audience that World of Warcraft 'can't touch'". Hero Complex - movies, comics, pop culture - Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  40. ^ Geoghegan, Kev (May 27, 2011). "Will L.A. Noire change the game for actors?". BBC News.
  41. ^ "Half-Life 2: $40 million in, still Steaming forward". Eurogamer. March 22, 2004. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  42. ^ "MMO Budget Busters". MMOHuts. May 10, 2010. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  43. ^ "Horizon: Zero Dawn Cost a Reported €45 Million to Make". Push Square. February 28, 2017.
  44. ^ Plunkett, Luke (April 13, 2010). "Why The Halo MMO Was Cancelled". Kotaku. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  45. ^ Frank, Allegra (May 12, 2016). "Report: Fable Legends was a $75M project 'nobody' wanted to work on". Polygon. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  46. ^ Zelfden, N. Van (February 16, 2009). "What's Killing the Video-Game Business?". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_most_expensive_video_games_to_develop&oldid=800196571"