List of most expensive video games to develop

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 aren't disclosed, so this list isn't indicative of industry trends.

List

Name Year Developer Publisher Platform Development cost
(million US$)
Marketing cost
(million US$)
Total cost
(million US$)
Total cost with 2019 inflation
(million US$)
Cyberpunk 2077 2020 CD Projekt Red CD Projekt PC, PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X 121+[1] <209 330[2] 330
Star Citizen ? Cloud Imperium Games Cloud Imperium Games PC 275+[3] 45+[3] 320+[3] 320+[3]
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 2009 Infinity Ward Activision PC, PS3, Xbox 360 50 200 250[4] 298
Grand Theft Auto V 2013 Rockstar North Rockstar Games PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One 137[5] 128 265[6] 291
Star Wars: The Old Republic 2011 BioWare Electronic Arts, LucasArts PC 200[7] 200+[7] 227+
Halo 2 2004 Bungie Microsoft Studios PC, Xbox, Xbox One 40[8] 80[9] 120[8] 217
Final Fantasy VII 1997 Square Square, Sony Computer Entertainment (PS), Eidos Interactive (PC) PS1 40–45[10][11] 40–100[12][11] 80–145 127231
Destiny 2014 Bungie Activision PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One <140[13] <140[13] 140[13][14][15] 151
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 2018 Eidos Montréal Square Enix PC, PS4, Xbox One 75–100[16] 35 110–135 112137
Genshin Impact 2020 miHoYo miHoYo PC, PS4, Android, iOS 100+[17] 100
Marvel's Avengers 2020 Crystal Dynamics Square Enix PC, PS4, Stadia, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X 170+[18] 170+
Dead Space 2 2011 Visceral Games Electronic Arts PC, PS3, Xbox 360 60[19] 60 120 136
Grand Theft Auto IV 2008 Rockstar North Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360, PC 100+[20] 119+
APB: All Points Bulletin 2010 Realtime Worlds Electronic Arts, Realtime Worlds, Deep Silver (PS4, XB1) PC, PS4, Xbox One 100[21] 117
Max Payne 3 2012 Rockstar Studios Rockstar Games PC, Xbox 360, PS3 105[22] 105[22] 117
Battlefield 4 2013 EA DICE Electronic Arts PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One 100[23] 100 110
Deadpool 2013 High Moon Studios Activision PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC 100[24] 110
Disney Infinity 2013 Avalanche Software, Altron (3DS) Disney Interactive Studios PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, PC 100[25] 110
Red Dead Redemption 2010 Rockstar San Diego Rockstar Games PS3, Xbox 360 80–100[26] 94117
Tomb Raider 2013 Crystal Dynamics Square Enix PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One 100[27] 110
Enter the Matrix 2003 Shiny Entertainment Atari, Inc. GameCube, PC, PS2, Xbox 20[28] 67[28] 93
Shenmue 1999 Sega AM2 Sega Dreamcast 47–70[29][30] 47–70[29] 72107
Defiance 2013 Trion Worlds, Human Head Studios Trion Worlds PC, PS3, Xbox 360 80 80[31] 88
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 2015 CD Projekt Red CD Projekt PC, Xbox One, PS4 46[32] 35[33] 81 87
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain 2015 Kojima Productions Konami PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One 80 80[34] 86
Mass Effect: Andromeda 2017 BioWare Electronic Arts PC, PS4, Xbox One 76[35] 79
Watch Dogs 2014 Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One 68[36] 68+ 73+
Crysis 3 2013 Crytek Electronic Arts PS3, Xbox 360, PC 66[37][38] 66 72
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier 2012 Ubisoft Paris, Red Storm Entertainment, Ubisoft Bucharest, Ubisoft Kyiv (PC) Ubisoft PC, Xbox 360, PS3 65[39] 72
Too Human 2008 Silicon Knights Microsoft Game Studios Xbox 360 60–100[40] 71119
Gran Turismo 5 2010 Polyphony Digital Sony Computer Entertainment PS3 60[41] 60 70
Rift 2011 Trion Worlds Trion Worlds PC 50 10–20 60–70[42] 6880
Gears of War: Judgment 2013 Epic Games, People Can Fly Microsoft Studios Xbox 360 60[43] 66
Heavy Rain 2010 Quantic Dream Sony Computer Entertainment PS3, PS4 21.8[44][45] 30.4[44][45] 52.2[44][45] 61
Final Fantasy IX 2000 Square Square PS1 40[46] 40+ 59+
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1982 Atari, Inc. Atari, Inc. Atari 2600 22[47] 58
DC Universe Online 2011 Daybreak Game Company Daybreak Game Company, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox One 50[48] 50[48] 57
L.A. Noire 2011 Team Bondi Rockstar Games PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC 50[49] 50 57
Darksiders II 2012 Vigil Games THQ PS3, PS4, PC, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One 50[50] 56
Gears of War 3 2011 Epic Games Microsoft Studios Xbox 360 48–60[51] 48–60 5568
Half-Life 2 2004 Valve Valve PC, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360 40[52] 40 54
World of Warcraft 2004 Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment PC 40[53] 54

Canceled

Known canceled projects with a cost of more than 50 million US$
Name Year

started

Year

canceled

Developer Publisher Platform Development Cost

(million US$)

Marketing Cost

(million US$)

Total Cost

(million US$)

Total with 2019 inflation

(million US$)

Halo MMO (Titan Project) Canceled ? Ensemble Studios Microsoft Game Studios PC 90[54] 90 107
Fable Legends Canceled 2016 Lionhead Studios Microsoft Studios PC, Xbox One 75[55] 75+ 80+
This Is Vegas Canceled ? Surreal Software Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment PC, PS3, Xbox 360 40–50[56] 40–50 4759

See also

References

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  9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFC3h8GACWE 42m 39s
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