List of most expensive video games to develop

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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. Most game budgets are not disclosed, so this list is not indicative of industry trends.

Lists[]

Official figures[]

Name Year Developer Publisher Original platform(s) Development cost
(million US$) 		Marketing cost
(million US$) 		Total cost
(million US$) 		Total cost with 2020 inflation
(million US$)
Star Citizen TBA[a] Cloud Imperium Games Cloud Imperium Games Windows 339+[1] 61+[1] 400+[1] 400+
Cyberpunk 2077 2020 CD Projekt Red CD Projekt Windows, PS4, Stadia, Xbox One 174[2] 142[2] 316[3] 316
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 2009 Infinity Ward Activision Windows, PS3, Xbox 360 40–50 200 250[4] 302
Final Fantasy VII 1997 Square Square, Sony Computer Entertainment PS1 40–45[5][6] 40–100[7][6] 80–145 129–234
Halo 2 2004 Bungie Microsoft Studios Xbox 40[8] 80[8] 120[8] 219
Destiny 2014 Bungie Activision PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One <140[9] <140[9] 140[9] 153
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 2018 Eidos Montréal Square Enix Windows, PS4, Xbox One 75–100[10] 35[10] 110–135 113–139
Dead Space 2 2011 Visceral Games Electronic Arts Windows, PS3, Xbox 360 60[11] 60[11] 120 138
Grand Theft Auto IV 2008 Rockstar North Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360 100+[12] 120+
Shenmue 1999 Sega AM2 Sega Dreamcast 47[13][14] 47–70[13] 73–109
Battlefield 4 2013 EA DICE Electronic Arts Windows, PS3, Xbox 360 100[15] 100 111
Genshin Impact 2020 miHoYo miHoYo Android, iOS, Windows, PS4 100+[16] 100+
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 2015 CD Projekt Red CD Projekt Windows, PS4, Xbox One 81[17] 88
Rift 2011 Trion Worlds Trion Worlds Windows 50+ 10–20 60–70+[18] 69–81+
Watch Dogs 2014 Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft Windows, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One 68+[19] 68+ 74+
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier 2012 Ubisoft Paris, Red Storm Entertainment, Ubisoft Bucharest Ubisoft PS3, Xbox 360 65[20] 73
Gran Turismo 5 2010 Polyphony Digital Sony Computer Entertainment PS3 60[21] 60 71
Gears of War 3 2011 Epic Games Microsoft Studios Xbox 360 48–60[22] 48–60 55–69
Gears of War: Judgment 2013 Epic Games, People Can Fly Microsoft Studios Xbox 360 60[23] 67
Heavy Rain 2010 Quantic Dream Sony Computer Entertainment PS3 21.8[24][25] 30.4[24][25] 52.2[24][25] 62
Final Fantasy IX 2000 Square Square PS1 40[26] 40+ 60+
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1982 Atari, Inc. Atari, Inc. Atari 2600 22[27] 59
Darksiders II 2012 Vigil Games THQ Windows, PS3, Xbox 360 50[28] 56
Half-Life 2 2004 Valve Valve Windows 40[29] 40 55

Cancelled games[]

Name Year cancelled Developer Publisher Platform Development cost
(million US$) 		Cost with 2020 inflation
(million US$)
Halo MMO (Titan Project) 2007–2008 Ensemble Studios Microsoft Game Studios Windows 90[30] 108
Fable Legends 2016 Lionhead Studios Microsoft Studios Windows, Xbox One 75[31] 81+
This Is Vegas 2009–2010 Surreal Software Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Windows, PS3, Xbox 360 40–50[32] 47–59
Volt (working title) 2021 Hangar 13 2K Un­known 53[33] 53

Unofficial figures[]

Analyst estimations[]

Name Year Developer Publisher Original platform(s) Analyst Firm Development cost
(million US$) 		Marketing cost
(million US$) 		Total cost
(million US$) 		Total cost with 2020 inflation
(million US$) 		Ref
Grand Theft Auto V 2013 Rockstar North Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360 Arvind Bhatia Sterne Agee 137.5 69–109.3 206.5–246.8 229–274 [34]
Marvel's Avengers 2020 Crystal Dynamics Square Enix Windows, PS4, Stadia, Xbox One David Gibson Astris Advisory 170+ 170+ [35]
Red Dead Redemption 2 2018 Rockstar Studios Rockstar Games PS4, Xbox One Michael Pachter Wedbush Securities 170 170 175 [36]
Max Payne 3 2012 Rockstar Studios Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360 Arvind Bhatia Sterne Agee 105 105 118 [37]
Tomb Raider 2013 Crystal Dynamics Square Enix Windows, PS3, Xbox 360 Billy Pidgeon N/A 100 111 [38]

Press estimations[]

The following budgets have been estimated by press outlets without naming any specific analyst or firm.

Name Year Developer Publisher Original platform(s) Press outlet Development cost
(million US$) 		Marketing cost
(million US$) 		Total cost
(million US$) 		Total cost with 2020 inflation
(million US$) 		Ref
Red Dead Redemption 2 2018 Rockstar Studios Rockstar Games PS4, Xbox One VentureBeat 200–300 200–300 206–309 [36]
Grand Theft Auto V 2013 Rockstar North Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360 The Scotsman 265 294 [39]
Star Wars: The Old Republic 2011 BioWare Electronic Arts, LucasArts Windows Los Angeles Times 200+ 230+ [40]
Too Human 2008 Silicon Knights Microsoft Game Studios Xbox 360 USgamer 60–100 72–120 [41]
Red Dead Redemption 2010 Rockstar San Diego Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360 The New York Times 80–100 95–119 [42]
APB: All Points Bulletin 2010 Realtime Worlds Electronic Arts, Realtime Worlds Windows The Guardian 100 119 [43]
Disney Infinity 2013 Avalanche Software, Altron (3DS) Disney Interactive Studios 3DS, PS3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360 Los Angeles Times 100+ 111+ [44]
Deadpool 2013 High Moon Studios Activision Windows, PS3, Xbox 360 GameSpot 100 111 [45]
Mass Effect: Andromeda 2017 BioWare Electronic Arts Windows, PS4, Xbox One Edmonton Journal 100 106 [46]
Defiance 2013 Trion Worlds, Human Head Studios Trion Worlds Windows, PS3, Xbox 360 Forbes 80 80 89 [47]
Mortal Kombat II 1994 Probe Entertainment Acclaim Entertainment Game Gear, Sega Genesis, SNES San Francisco Chronicle 50 87 [48]
Sonic & Knuckles 1994 Sega Sega Sega Genesis Los Angeles Times 45 45 79 [49]
DC Universe Online 2011 Daybreak Game Company Daybreak Game Company, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Windows, PS3 Los Angeles Times 50 50 58 [50]
L.A. Noire 2011 Team Bondi Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360 BBC 50 50 58 [51]
Super Mario Bros. 3 1988 Nintendo EAD Nintendo NES The Seattle Times 0.8 25.8+ 56+ [52]
The Indianapolis Star 25+ [53]
Final Fantasy X 2001 Square Square PS2 Yomiuri Shimbun 32.3 32.3+ 50+ [54]
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2010 Treyarch Activision Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, OS X Los Angeles Times 50+ 59 [55]
Pokémon Gold and Silver 2000 Game Freak Nintendo Game Boy Color Bloomberg News 50 50 75 [56]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Playable elements of the game were first released in 2013, but the game remains in early access, with no final release date announced.

References[]

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