Call of Duty Reveals Massive Development Budgets

Record-Breaking Call of Duty Budgets: A Look at the Rising Costs of AAA Game Development

Recent disclosures reveal that Activision's Call of Duty franchise has reached unprecedented heights in terms of development budgets, with some titles exceeding $700 million. This surpasses even the massive budget of Star Citizen, highlighting the escalating financial investment required for today's top-tier video games.

The staggering costs associated with AAA game development are nothing new. While indie games often thrive on smaller budgets, the creation of blockbuster titles demands substantial resources and years of dedicated work. Games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Last of Us Part 2 are already considered among the most expensive ever produced, yet even these pale in comparison to the newly revealed Call of Duty figures.

Court filings from December 23rd revealed the budgets for three Call of Duty titles: Black Ops 3 ($450 million), Modern Warfare (2019) ($640 million+), and Black Ops Cold War (over $700 million). Black Ops Cold War, despite being financed solely by Activision, surpasses Star Citizen's $644 million budget, which was accumulated through crowdfunding over 11 years. The success of these titles is evident in their sales figures: Black Ops Cold War sold over 30 million copies, while Modern Warfare (2019) sold over 41 million. Even Black Ops 3, with the lowest budget of the three, significantly outpaces the $220 million development cost of The Last of Us Part 2.

Black Ops Cold War's $700 Million+ Budget: A New Benchmark

The budget for Black Ops Cold War sets a new record in the video game industry. This monumental figure underscores the continuously increasing costs of AAA game development. Considering the annual budget increases, it's intriguing to speculate on the potential costs of future installments, such as Black Ops 6. The contrast between these modern budgets and those of earlier titles, such as the groundbreaking Final Fantasy VII ($40 million in 1997), further emphasizes the dramatic evolution of the industry's financial landscape. Activision's recent disclosures serve as a powerful testament to the ever-increasing expenses involved in creating today's AAA gaming experiences.