Summary
Open-world games have become all the rage in modern times. They’re also devilishly expensive to make, causing companies to spend millions if they want players to enjoy the best AAA experience they can get their hands on.
This has caused both the time and money required for open-world games to skyrocket. Some ofthe most expensive video games of all timeboast ridiculous numbers, prompting fans to wonder how far this figure will rise before the video game market eventually crashes.
Total cost includes the money spent on both development and marketing. This amount is not adjusted for inflation.
The marketing and promotion forWatch Dogsensured that everyone would be aware of Ubisoft’s latest open-world game. It helped that the preview trailers boasted jaw-dropping graphics that were in a class of their own.
It’s a shame that this marketing material was ultimately deceptive, sinceWatch Dogslooked nothing like what the trailers suggested it to be. It was still a ton of fun to play and took a lot of money to make, showing justhow confident Ubisoft was about this open-world title.
CD Projekt Red has transformed from humble beginnings to become one of the biggest players in the video game industry. This started well before the release ofThe Witcher 3, with the company having access to a ton of funds to give Geralt the sendoff he deserved.
The epic cinematic trappings ofThe Witcher 3,coupled with the buzz its marketing generated, made it clear that CD Projekt Red would sweep fans off their feet with this title. They didn’t disappoint, withThe Witcher 3more than justifying its massive budget by letting players experience one of the best open-world RPGs ever made.
Grand Theft Auto 4was a step in a new direction for Rockstar, which had to adjust to a new engine to help the franchise retain its groundbreaking nature. This was achieved by reducing the scope ofGTA 4’s world somewhat by placing it in the urban trappings of Liberty City, which turned out to be a genius decision.
It ensured that development costs wouldn’t skyrocket as fans enjoyed yet another stellar open-world adventure in theGTAuniverse. The exciting gameplay and cinematic story showed where all the money had gone, transformingGrand Theft Auto 4into yet another open-world classic released by Rockstar.
Red Dead Redemption 2is one of the best video games ever made, with Rockstar taking a long time to develop a gorgeous open world full of things to do. After a more linear prologue chapter, the game opens up and lets players witness gorgeous landscapes as they ride through these jaw-dropping locations as Arthur Morgan.
The budget for this game was massive and showed just how expensive video game development can be. Marketing is more expensive than fans assume, ensuring thatRed Dead Redemption 2’s budget would balloon and turn it into one of the most expensive video games ever made.
There’s a reason why fans lament the lack of first-party content for the PS5. Game development has become such a time-consuming and expensive process that it’s becoming increasingly challenging to match the pace of releases fans were accustomed to in previous generations.
The fact thatHorizon Forbidden Westcost more than $200 million personifies this statement. The game looked gorgeous and clearly made the most of this massive budget, even ifthe release ofElden Ringovershadowed this title (much like what happened toZero Dawnwith the release ofBreath of the Wildback in 2017).
Grand Theft Auto 5is a technical achievement that shows just how competent Rockstar’s development team is. The game was notorious for boasting a massive budget that turned it into the most expensive video game ever produced back in the day.
Even with video game development continuing to be expensive, it speaks volumes thatGrand Theft Auto 5is ranked so high up. Rockstar clearly went all out in the development of this masterpiece, with its video game engine being so ahead of its time that it wasn’t until the dawn of a new console generation that fans experienced the true potential of this title.
TheSpider-Manlicense may be really expensive, but that still makes it hard to fathom the massive development cost for the greatest game featuring the iconic wallcrawler.Marvel’s Spider-Man 2is a massive improvement from the first game on almost every front, even if some people felt thatthe narrativetook a step back from its predecessor.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2boasts amazing traversaland sharp combat that will keep fans coming back for more. The game’s massive budget is justified from the very moment players boot up this title and see how well it makes the most of the PS5’s advanced hardware.
Cyberpunk 2077offers one of the most spectacular settings in the genre, though it took a while for players to warm up to this title. Despite its massive budget,Cyberpunk 2077was rushed out the door with so many bugs that it destroyed CD Projekt Red’s goodwill in the wake of the highly acclaimedThe cher 3.
However, a steady stream of updates, coupled with an excellent expansion pack, ensured thatCyberpunk 2077would eventually worm its way into everyone’s good graces. The game eventually justified its massive development costs, with the bulk of this budget going into marketing this title and generating a ton of hype that ended up working against the title at launch.
