Creating a blockbuster video game today requires a massive team, years of development, and an incredibly large budget. When factoring in both development and marketing costs, the numbers can easily rival Hollywood’s biggest movies. Here is a look at five of the most expensive video games ever built.
Top 5 Most Expensive Games Ever Built
Star Citizen
Currently holding the record as the most expensive game in history, Star Citizen is unique because it is entirely crowdfunded by players. Its budget has crossed a staggering $700 million and continues to grow as the ambitious multiplayer space simulator remains in active development.
Cyberpunk 2077
The budget of CD Projekt Red’s sci-fi RPG was huge from the very start, taking into account its development and marketing all over the world, the numerous updates aimed at fixing the issues found in it after its release, and finally the expansion pack called Phantom Liberty.
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Grand Theft Auto V
At the time of its release in 2013, GTA V shattered records. Rockstar Games spent an estimated $265 million on development and marketing combined. The massive investment paid off, as it quickly became one of the best-selling and most profitable entertainment products in history.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
Although the production budget for this legendary first-person shooter was $50 million, Activision, its publisher, invested $200 million just in the promotion of the game making the total expenditure close to $250 million.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar’s breathtaking Western epic took over eight years and thousands of developers to build. With a massive open world, lifelike graphics, and an enormous voice cast, its total budget is estimated to be well over $250 million.
While all these costs seem quite impressive, they might be surpassed soon. As industry rumors indicate, the next release from GTA will probably be the most expensive game ever. It is believed to be priced at up to $1-$2 billion.
