$700M Call of Duty: Insane Game Budget

Call of Duty’s Colossal Costs

A new report reveals Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s staggering development cost: $700m. This dwarfs the budgets of most other games.

Budget Breakdown and Comparisons

For context, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare cost $640m, and Black Ops 3 cost $450m. These figures include post-launch support but exclude marketing expenses, which would add considerably to the total cost.

The Last of Us Part 2 cost $220m, while Horizon Zero Dawn cost $212m. These figures highlight the immense investment required for top-tier games.

While Black Ops Cold War’s budget is exceptionally high for a standalone game, live-service titles such as Genshin Impact, estimated at $900m, present an even larger scale.

The Sustainability of AAA Game Development

Former PlayStation Studios boss Shawn Layden discussed the unsustainable costs of AAA game development. He noted the significant increase in development costs over time, comparing the current industry to building incredibly expensive cathedrals. Layden questioned whether this model is sustainable, suggesting a possible shift towards smaller-scale projects.