Activision's CoD: Huge Dev Budget Revealed

Summary

• Call of Duty games have shattered budget records, with development costs reaching a staggering $700 million.
• Black Ops Cold War, with its $700 million budget, surpasses even the ambitious Star Citizen project.
• The escalating budgets of AAA games highlight the ever-increasing costs within the video game industry.

Activision's recent disclosures reveal the massive development budgets of three Call of Duty titles, ranging from $450 million to a jaw-dropping $700 million. These figures represent the highest ever for the franchise, with Black Ops Cold War leading the pack.

Creating a blockbuster video game is a monumental undertaking, demanding years of development and significant financial investment. While indie games often thrive on smaller budgets secured through platforms like Kickstarter, the AAA landscape operates on a vastly different scale. The cost of producing these massive titles has steadily climbed year after year, eclipsing even those considered "expensive" in the past. Games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Last of Us Part 2 are among the most expensive ever made, yet they pale in comparison to the recently revealed Call of Duty budgets.

As reported by Game File, Patrick Kelly, Activision's head of creative for the Call of Duty franchise, revealed in a December 23rd California court filing the development budgets for Black Ops 3, Modern Warfare (2019), and Black Ops Cold War. Black Ops Cold War, exceeding $700 million, stands out. This multi-year project sold over 30 million copies. Modern Warfare follows, with Infinity Ward investing over $640 million in its development, resulting in 41 million sales. Even Black Ops 3, with the lowest budget of the three at $450 million, still dwarfs the $220 million development cost of The Last of Us Part 2.

Black Ops Cold War’s Budget Exceeds $700 Million

The budget for Black Ops Cold War represents an unprecedented high in video game development, surpassing even Star Citizen's substantial $644 million investment. This is particularly noteworthy considering Black Ops Cold War's funding came solely from a single company, unlike Star Citizen's eleven-year crowdfunding campaign.

It's fascinating to consider the potential budget escalation for future titles like Black Ops 6, given the upward trend. For example, the 1997 release of Final Fantasy VII, a groundbreaking title in its time, cost $40 million—a significant sum then, but dwarfed by today's AAA game budgets. Activision's recent disclosures undeniably showcase the escalating costs defining the modern video game industry.