Most expensive game developed

[mchaso]

So I heard GTA IV is the most expensive game developed with a cost of 100$ million. Do you guys think this was reflected in the game itself? I mean, this game is the highest rated game of all time (98/100 on metacritic.com) but I do not thinks it deserved a score this high. I like this game but it's a bit too realistic in terms of gameplay (the way the character moves etc.). I'd give this game an 85 or so (mainly because I played it on pc and it's a very poor console port). What do you guys think?

Also, does anyone know any other games with such high development costs?

[sin2beta]

It may sound stupid, but I bet Madden would be up there depending on point of view. They have essentially been working on it for 25 years....

[madmax]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-02-01-gta-v-dev-costs-over-USD137-million-says-analyst

Grand Theft Auto 5, $137 million

[jobocan]

Tomb Raider (the new reboot) cost Square Enix nearly 200 million dollars, that being about 100 million for development and about as much for marketing. That's why S-E considers the game a huge failure, despite it selling quite well.

[soera]

I must be oblivious ... but what would make a game cost that much to create?

[madmax]

So I was wrong, GTA:V is estimated to have had a $265 million budget but is expected to bring in $1.6 Billion

http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/technology/new-gta-v-release-tipped-to-rake-in-1bn-in-sales-1-3081943

[sin2beta]

I must be oblivious ... but what would make a game cost that much to create?

I'd say a large part would be marketing. This should probably account for about half given a somewhat naive rule in business. Plus, they are marketing worldwide.

The other big part is just salaries of larger teams and the time it now takes to develop. Let's say a team of 25 are making a game for a year with salaries of 50,000. This is already 1,250,000. This would be a somewhat small team. I'm not sure on average salaries.

But then you have places like Square. There is a fairly famous story where one employee stated he was given a month long task of modeling a rock. This is a huge waste.

But from my limited knowledge, I could see a game costing several tens of million. A quarter of a billion seems excessive.

[jcalder8]

I can't find any numbers to back it up but I think Duke Nukem Forever must be in the top 5 at least.

[mchaso]

Tomb Raider (the new reboot) cost Square Enix nearly 200 million dollars, that being about 100 million for development and about as much for marketing. That's why S-E considers the game a huge failure, despite it selling quite well.

200 million? Are you serious? That game was imo really awful! Too cinematic, too much quick-time events... I played this game for like an hour and most of the time I was just watching cut scenes en pressing a button or two. From what I've seen, this game doesn't stay true to the series. I immediately uninstalled it. I don't want filth in my pc.

So I was wrong, GTA:V is estimated to have had a $265 million budget but is expected to bring in $1.6 Billion

http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/technology/new-gta-v-release-tipped-to-rake-in-1bn-in-sales-1-3081943

Wow. This game better be good. I expect it to be awesome and even surpass The Last Of Us (haven't played it yet but it seems pretty awesome too).

[mkarasch]

Although, in it's defense, the GTA series has always been really rich and detailed. It seems like it should cost a lot.  Tomb Raider on the other hand, and COD clones, and other such games that can be finished in 8-10 hours don't feel as worth such a large price tag.

[htimreimer]

Tomb Raider (the new reboot) cost Square Enix nearly 200 million dollars, that being about 100 million for development and about as much for marketing. That's why S-E considers the game a huge failure, despite it selling quite well.

200 million? Are you serious? That game was imo really awful! Too cinematic, too much quick-time events...

that why i don't play most modern games, there too cinematic and i'm gonna quote yahtzee on games trying to be cinematic
"it the equivalent of a film consisting entirely of text scrolls in order to be more like a book"

[teck]

I think some restraint really needs to start being shown in some of these cases....  I'm sure GTAV will eclipse it's development costs, but I can' imagine that Square TRULY predicted Tomb Raider to bring in over $200 million....  I fear Squenix has been suffering from the old "left hand not knowing what the right is doing" syndrome for a while now....

[ffxik]

Dev budgets out of control.  Huge nonsensical marketing campaigns, and they wonder why they can't make any money. 

[htimreimer]

Dev budgets out of control.  Huge nonsensical marketing campaigns, and they wonder why they can't make any money.

you speak the truth

[turf]

Does marketing really need to be that big?  If a new GTA is coming out, the world with know about it.  The gaming community is pretty good about having its ear to the ground.  It'll still be huge without TV commercials.  The new COD will make a bajillion dollars with or without advertising.  A few posters at Best Buy and Gamestop will make enough money for all of us on this forum to retire and never worry about cash again.