List of most expensive video games to develop

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 are not disclosed, so this list is not indicative of industry trends.

Lists

List of most expensive video games to develop

  – Indicates ongoing costs of development post-release

Official figures

<table><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Year</th><th>Developer</th><th>Publisher</th><th>Original platform(s)</th><th>Costs (million US$)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Development</td><td>Marketing</td><td>Total</td><td>Total (2025 inflation)</td></tr><tr><td>Monopoly Go!</td><td>2023</td><td>Scopely</td><td>Android, iOS</td><td></td><td>1,000</td><td>1,000</td><td>1,026</td></tr><tr><td>Genshin Impact</td><td>2020</td><td>miHoYo</td><td>Android, iOS, PS4, Windows</td><td></td><td></td><td>900+</td><td>998+</td></tr><tr><td>Star Citizen and Squadron 42</td><td>TBA</td><td>Cloud Imperium Games</td><td>Windows</td><td>637+</td><td>156+</td><td>793+</td><td>955+</td></tr><tr><td>Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War</td><td>2020</td><td>Treyarch / Raven Software</td><td>Activision</td><td>PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S</td><td></td><td></td><td>700</td><td>871</td></tr><tr><td>Call of Duty: Modern Warfare</td><td>2019</td><td>Infinity Ward</td><td>Activision</td><td>PS4, Windows, Xbox One</td><td></td><td></td><td>640</td><td>806</td></tr><tr><td>Call of Duty: Black Ops III</td><td>2015</td><td>Treyarch</td><td>Activision</td><td>PS3, PS4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One</td><td></td><td></td><td>450</td><td>611</td></tr><tr><td>Cyberpunk 2077</td><td>2020</td><td>CD Projekt Red</td><td>CD Projekt</td><td>PS4, Stadia, Windows, Xbox One</td><td>174</td><td>142</td><td>441.9</td><td>526</td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td>PS5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S</td><td>103.6</td><td>21.6</td></tr><tr><td>Battlefield 6</td><td>2025</td><td>Battlefield Studios</td><td>Electronic Arts</td><td>PS5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S</td><td></td><td></td><td>400+</td><td>400</td></tr><tr><td>Marvel's Spider-Man 3</td><td>TBA</td><td>Insomniac Games</td><td>Sony Interactive Entertainment</td><td>TBA</td><td></td><td></td><td>385</td><td>407</td></tr><tr><td>Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2</td><td>2009</td><td>Infinity Ward</td><td>Activision</td><td>PS3, Windows, Xbox 360</td><td>40–50</td><td>150–160</td><td>200</td><td>360–375</td></tr><tr><td>Marvel's Spider-Man 2</td><td>2023</td><td>Insomniac Games</td><td>Sony Interactive Entertainment</td><td>PS5</td><td></td><td></td><td>315</td><td>333</td></tr><tr><td>Marvel's Wolverine</td><td>2026</td><td>Insomniac Games</td><td>Sony Interactive Entertainment</td><td>PS5</td><td></td><td></td><td>305</td><td>322</td></tr><tr><td>Final Fantasy VII</td><td>1997</td><td>Square</td><td>Square, Sony Computer Entertainment</td><td>PS1</td><td>40–45</td><td>40–100</td><td>80–145</td><td>160–291</td></tr><tr><td>The Last of Us Part II</td><td>2020</td><td>Naughty Dog</td><td>Sony Interactive Entertainment</td><td>PS4</td><td>220</td><td></td><td>220</td><td>274</td></tr><tr><td>Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales</td><td>2020</td><td>Insomniac Games</td><td>Sony Interactive Entertainment</td><td>PS4, PS5</td><td>81.7</td><td>25.1</td><td>213.3</td><td>265</td></tr><tr><td>Horizon Forbidden West</td><td>2022</td><td>Guerrilla Games</td><td>Sony Interactive Entertainment</td><td>PS4, PS5</td><td>212</td><td></td><td>212</td><td>233</td></tr><tr><td>Halo 2</td><td>2004</td><td>Bungie</td><td>Microsoft Studios</td><td>Xbox</td><td>40</td><td>80</td><td>120</td><td>205</td></tr><tr><td>Destiny</td><td>2014</td><td>Bungie</td><td>Activision</td><td>PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One</td><td></td><td></td><td>140</td><td>190</td></tr><tr><td>The Callisto Protocol</td><td>2022</td><td>Striking Distance Studios</td><td>Krafton</td><td>PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S</td><td></td><td></td><td>162</td><td>178</td></tr><tr><td>Shadow of the Tomb Raider</td><td>2018</td><td>Eidos Montréal</td><td>Square Enix</td><td>PS4, Windows, Xbox One</td><td>75–100</td><td>35</td><td>110–135</td><td>141–173</td></tr><tr><td>Dead Space 2</td><td>2011</td><td>Visceral Games</td><td>Electronic Arts</td><td>PS3, Windows, Xbox 360</td><td>60</td><td>60</td><td>120</td><td>172</td></tr><tr><td>Grand Theft Auto IV</td><td>2008</td><td>Rockstar North</td><td>Rockstar Games</td><td>PS3, Xbox 360</td><td></td><td></td><td>100+</td><td>150+</td></tr><tr><td>Undawn</td><td>2023</td><td>Lightspeed Studios, Level Infinite</td><td>Tencent Games</td><td>Android, iOS, Windows</td><td></td><td></td><td>140</td><td>148</td></tr><tr><td>Battlefield 4</td><td>2013</td><td>EA DICE</td><td>Electronic Arts</td><td>PS3, Windows, Xbox 360</td><td>100</td><td></td><td>100</td><td>138</td></tr><tr><td>Immortals of Aveum</td><td>2023</td><td>Ascendant Studios</td><td>Electronic Arts</td><td>PS5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S</td><td>80</td><td>45</td><td>125</td><td>132</td></tr><tr><td>Shenmue</td><td>1999</td><td>Sega AM2</td><td>Sega</td><td>Dreamcast</td><td>47</td><td></td><td>47–70</td><td>91–135</td></tr><tr><td>The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt</td><td>2015</td><td>CD Projekt Red</td><td>CD Projekt</td><td>PS4, Windows, Xbox One</td><td></td><td></td><td>81</td><td>110</td></tr><tr><td>Rift</td><td>2011</td><td>Trion Worlds</td><td>Windows</td><td>50+</td><td>10–20</td><td>60–70+</td><td>86–100+</td></tr><tr><td>Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart</td><td>2021</td><td>Insomniac Games</td><td>Sony Interactive Entertainment</td><td>PS5</td><td></td><td></td><td>81</td><td>96</td></tr><tr><td>Watch Dogs</td><td>2014</td><td>Ubisoft Montreal</td><td>Ubisoft</td><td>PS3, PS4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One</td><td></td><td></td><td>68+</td><td>92+</td></tr><tr><td>Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier</td><td>2012</td><td>Ubisoft Paris, Red Storm Entertainment, Ubisoft Bucharest</td><td>Ubisoft</td><td>PS3, Xbox 360</td><td></td><td></td><td>65</td><td>91</td></tr><tr><td>Gran Turismo 5</td><td>2010</td><td>Polyphony Digital</td><td>Sony Computer Entertainment</td><td>PS3</td><td></td><td></td><td>60</td><td>89</td></tr><tr><td>Gears of War 3</td><td>2011</td><td>Epic Games</td><td>Microsoft Studios</td><td>Xbox 360</td><td></td><td></td><td>48–60</td><td>69–86</td></tr><tr><td>Gears of War: Judgment</td><td>2013</td><td>Epic Games, People Can Fly</td><td>Microsoft Studios</td><td>Xbox 360</td><td></td><td></td><td>60</td><td>83</td></tr><tr><td>Heavy Rain</td><td>2010</td><td>Quantic Dream</td><td>Sony Computer Entertainment</td><td>PS3</td><td>21.8</td><td>30.4</td><td>52.2</td><td>77</td></tr><tr><td>Final Fantasy IX</td><td>2000</td><td>Square</td><td>PS1</td><td></td><td></td><td>40</td><td>75</td></tr><tr><td>Black Myth: Wukong</td><td>2024</td><td>Game Science</td><td>PS5, Windows</td><td></td><td></td><td>70</td><td>72</td></tr><tr><td>Lords of the Fallen</td><td>2023</td><td>Hexworks</td><td>CI Games</td><td>PS5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S</td><td>42.2</td><td>24.4</td><td>66.6</td><td>70</td></tr><tr><td>E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial</td><td>1982</td><td>Atari, Inc.</td><td>Atari 2600</td><td></td><td></td><td>21–22</td><td>70–73</td></tr><tr><td>Darksiders II</td><td>2012</td><td>Vigil Games</td><td>THQ</td><td>PS3, Windows, Xbox 360</td><td></td><td></td><td>50</td><td>70</td></tr><tr><td>Half-Life 2</td><td>2004</td><td>Valve</td><td>Windows</td><td></td><td></td><td>40+</td><td>68+</td></tr><tr><td>Kingdom Under Fire II</td><td>2019</td><td>Blueside, Phantagram</td><td>Gameforge</td><td>Windows</td><td></td><td></td><td>50+</td><td>68+</td></tr><tr><td>Ghost of Tsushima</td><td>2020</td><td>Sucker Punch Productions</td><td>Sony Interactive Entertainment</td><td>PS4, Windows</td><td>60</td><td></td><td>60</td><td>60</td></tr><tr><td>Control Resonant</td><td>TBA</td><td>Remedy Entertainment</td><td>PS5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S</td><td>52.9</td><td></td><td>52.9</td><td>54</td></tr></tbody></table>

Cancelled games

Name	Year cancelled	Developer	Publisher	Platform(s)	Costs (million US$)
Development	2025 inflation
Titan Project	2007–2008	Ensemble Studios	Microsoft Game Studios	Windows	90	135
Wonder Woman	2025	Monolith Productions	Warner Bros. Games	Unknown	100+	100
Fable Legends	2016	Lionhead Studios	Microsoft Studios	Windows, Xbox One	75	101
This Is Vegas	2009–2010	Surreal Software	Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment	PS3, Windows, Xbox 360	40–50	59–74
Volt	2021	Hangar 13	2K	Unknown	53	53

Analyst estimations

<table><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Year</th><th>Developer</th><th>Publisher</th><th>Original platform(s)</th><th>Analyst(s)</th><th>Costs (million US$)</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Name</td><td>Institution</td><td>Dev.</td><td>Marketing</td><td>Total</td><td>Total (2025 inflation)</td></tr><tr><td>Grand Theft Auto V</td><td>2013</td><td>Rockstar North</td><td>Rockstar Games</td><td>PS3, Xbox 360</td><td>Arvind Bhatia</td><td>Sterne Agee</td><td>137.5</td><td>69–109.3</td><td>206.5–246.8</td><td>285–341</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Red Dead Redemption 2</td><td>2018</td><td>Rockstar Games</td><td>PS4, Xbox One</td><td>Michael Pachter</td><td>Wedbush Securities</td><td>170</td><td></td><td>170</td><td>218</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Halo 5: Guardians</td><td>2015</td><td>343 Industries</td><td>Microsoft Studios</td><td>Xbox One</td><td>160</td><td></td><td>160</td><td>217</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Marvel's Avengers</td><td>2020</td><td>Crystal Dynamics</td><td>Square Enix</td><td>PS4, Stadia, Windows, Xbox One</td><td>David Gibson</td><td>Astris Advisory</td><td></td><td></td><td>170+</td><td>211+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Final Fantasy VII Remake</td><td>2020</td><td>Square Enix Business Division 1</td><td>Square Enix</td><td>PS4</td><td>Yuhsuke Koyama</td><td>Shibaura Institute of Technology</td><td>144</td><td></td><td>144</td><td>179</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Atul Goyal</td><td>Jefferies & Company</td><td><140</td><td></td><td><140</td><td><174</td></tr><tr><td>Max Payne 3</td><td>2012</td><td>Rockstar Studios</td><td>Rockstar Games</td><td>PS3, Xbox 360</td><td>Arvind Bhatia</td><td>Sterne Agee</td><td>105</td><td></td><td>105</td><td>147</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tomb Raider</td><td>2013</td><td>Crystal Dynamics</td><td>Square Enix</td><td>PS3, Windows, Xbox 360</td><td>Billy Pidgeon</td><td>—N/a</td><td></td><td></td><td>100</td><td>138</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Resident Evil 2</td><td>2019</td><td>Capcom</td><td>PS4, Windows, Xbox One</td><td>Atul Goyal</td><td>Jefferies & Company</td><td><100</td><td></td><td><100</td><td><126</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Halo 3</td><td>2007</td><td>Bungie</td><td>Microsoft Game Studios</td><td>Xbox 360</td><td>Michael Pachter</td><td>Wedbush Securities</td><td>30+</td><td>15–20</td><td>60+</td><td>93+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Alan Wake 2</td><td>2023</td><td>Remedy Entertainment</td><td>Epic Games Publishing</td><td>PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S</td><td>Atte Riikola</td><td>Inderes</td><td>53.5</td><td>21.5</td><td>75</td><td>79</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>ARC Raiders</td><td>2025</td><td>Embark Studios</td><td>PS5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S</td><td>Michael Pachter</td><td>Wedbush Securities</td><td></td><td></td><td>75</td><td>75</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning</td><td>2008</td><td>Mythic Entertainment</td><td>Electronic Arts</td><td>Windows</td><td>50</td><td></td><td>50</td><td>75</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Grand Theft Auto IV</td><td>2008</td><td>Rockstar North</td><td>Rockstar Games</td><td>PS3, Xbox 360</td><td>45</td><td></td><td>45</td><td>67</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Press estimations

The following budgets have been estimated by press outlets without naming any specific analyst or firm.

<table><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Year</th><th>Developer</th><th>Publisher</th><th>Original platform(s)</th><th>Press outlet</th><th>Costs (million US$)</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Dev.</td><td>Marketing</td><td>Total</td><td>Total (2025 inflation)</td></tr><tr><td>Grand Theft Auto VI</td><td>2026</td><td>Rockstar Games</td><td>PS5, Xbox Series X/S</td><td>Several</td><td></td><td></td><td>1,000–2,000</td><td>1,000–2,000</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MindsEye</td><td>2025</td><td>Build a Rocket Boy</td><td>IO Interactive</td><td>PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows</td><td>Gameranx</td><td></td><td></td><td>500</td><td>500</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Red Dead Redemption 2</td><td>2018</td><td>Rockstar Games</td><td>PS4, Xbox One</td><td>VentureBeat</td><td></td><td>200–300</td><td>200–300</td><td>256–385</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Grand Theft Auto V</td><td>2013</td><td>Rockstar North</td><td>Rockstar Games</td><td>PS3, Xbox 360</td><td>The Scotsman</td><td></td><td></td><td>265</td><td>366</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Star Wars: The Old Republic</td><td>2011</td><td>BioWare</td><td>Electronic Arts, LucasArts</td><td>Windows</td><td>Los Angeles Times</td><td></td><td></td><td>200+</td><td>286+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Concord</td><td>2024</td><td>Firewalk Studios</td><td>Sony Interactive Entertainment</td><td>PS5, Windows</td><td>Kotaku</td><td></td><td></td><td>200+</td><td>200+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Skull and Bones</td><td>2024</td><td>Ubisoft Singapore</td><td>Ubisoft</td><td>PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows</td><td>Insider Gaming</td><td></td><td></td><td>200</td><td>200</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Too Human</td><td>2008</td><td>Silicon Knights</td><td>Microsoft Game Studios</td><td>Xbox 360</td><td>USgamer</td><td></td><td></td><td>60–100</td><td>90–150</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Red Dead Redemption</td><td>2010</td><td>Rockstar San Diego</td><td>Rockstar Games</td><td>PS3, Xbox 360</td><td>The New York Times</td><td></td><td></td><td>80–100</td><td>118–148</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>APB: All Points Bulletin</td><td>2010</td><td>Realtime Worlds</td><td>Electronic Arts, Realtime Worlds</td><td>Windows</td><td>The Guardian</td><td></td><td></td><td>100</td><td>148</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Enter the Matrix</td><td>2003</td><td>Shiny Entertainment</td><td>Infogrames</td><td>GameCube, PS2, Windows, Xbox</td><td>Wall Street Journal</td><td>20</td><td></td><td>80</td><td>140</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Disney Infinity</td><td>2013</td><td>Avalanche Software, Altron (3DS)</td><td>Disney Interactive Studios</td><td>3DS, PS3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360</td><td>Los Angeles Times</td><td></td><td></td><td>100+</td><td>138+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Deadpool</td><td>2013</td><td>High Moon Studios</td><td>Activision</td><td>PS3, Windows, Xbox 360</td><td>GameSpot</td><td></td><td></td><td>100</td><td>138</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mass Effect: Andromeda</td><td>2017</td><td>BioWare</td><td>Electronic Arts</td><td>PS4, Windows, Xbox One</td><td>Edmonton Journal</td><td></td><td></td><td>100</td><td>131</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Defiance</td><td>2013</td><td>Trion Worlds, Human Head Studios</td><td>Trion Worlds</td><td>PS3, Windows, Xbox 360</td><td>Forbes</td><td>80</td><td></td><td>80</td><td>111</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mortal Kombat II</td><td>1994</td><td>Probe Entertainment</td><td>Acclaim Entertainment</td><td>Game Gear, Sega Genesis, SNES</td><td>San Francisco Chronicle</td><td></td><td></td><td>50</td><td>109</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sonic & Knuckles</td><td>1994</td><td>Sega Technical Institute</td><td>Sega</td><td>Sega Genesis</td><td>Los Angeles Times</td><td></td><td>45</td><td>45</td><td>98</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Call of Duty: Black Ops</td><td>2010</td><td>Treyarch</td><td>Activision</td><td>Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Windows, Xbox 360, OS X</td><td></td><td></td><td>50+</td><td>74</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DC Universe Online</td><td>2011</td><td>Dimensional Ink Games</td><td>Daybreak Game Company, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment</td><td>PS3, Windows</td><td>50</td><td></td><td>50</td><td>72</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>L.A. Noire</td><td>2011</td><td>Team Bondi</td><td>Rockstar Games</td><td>PS3, Xbox 360</td><td>BBC News</td><td>50</td><td></td><td>50</td><td>72</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Super Mario Bros. 3</td><td>1988</td><td>Nintendo EAD</td><td>Nintendo</td><td>NES</td><td>The Seattle Times</td><td>0.8</td><td></td><td>25.8+</td><td>70+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Indianapolis Star</td><td></td><td>25+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Final Fantasy X</td><td>2001</td><td>Square Product Development Division 1</td><td>Square</td><td>PS2</td><td>Yomiuri Shimbun</td><td>32.3</td><td></td><td>32.3+</td><td>62+</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Halo 3</td><td>2007</td><td>Bungie</td><td>Microsoft Game Studios</td><td>Xbox 360</td><td>The Hollywood Reporter</td><td></td><td>40</td><td>40</td><td>62</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>