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

Call of Duty games have shattered industry records, with development budgets soaring to an unprecedented $700 million. This surpasses even the massive budget of Star Citizen, highlighting the escalating financial investment required for top-tier video game production.

The staggering costs involved in AAA game development are undeniable. While indie games often thrive on smaller budgets secured through crowdfunding, the landscape of blockbuster titles is dramatically different. Annual budget increases are a consistent trend, pushing the cost of AAA games to new heights each year. Games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Last of Us Part 2, once considered exceptionally expensive, are dwarfed by the recently revealed Call of Duty figures.

Activision's court filing on December 23rd revealed the development costs for three Call of Duty titles: Black Ops 3, Modern Warfare (2019), and Black Ops Cold War. Black Ops Cold War, exceeding $700 million, holds the record for the most expensive video game ever made. This surpasses even Star Citizen's $644 million, a figure accumulated through over a decade of crowdfunding. Modern Warfare (2019) follows closely, with a budget exceeding $640 million, while Black Ops 3, at $450 million, still significantly outpaces other industry giants.

Black Ops Cold War: A $700 Million+ Undertaking

The Black Ops Cold War budget is a landmark achievement, especially considering its single-company financing, unlike Star Citizen's extensive crowdfunding campaign. This underscores the immense resources required for modern AAA game development.

The escalating costs are further emphasized by comparing them to past industry benchmarks. Final Fantasy VII, a groundbreaking title of 1997, had a then-massive budget of $40 million. This stark contrast illustrates the exponential growth in AAA game development costs over the past two decades. Activision's disclosures serve as undeniable evidence of this trend. The implications for future Call of Duty titles, and the industry as a whole, are significant.