Video games get more expensive to produce as technology advances and large titles need bigger teams. Fortunately, the medium is more popular than ever, so publishers and studios can spend the big bucks with an assurance of making a profit. The thriving indie space has also assured that original, more risky ideas still have a chance at success.
This list will focus on ten big projects with highest budgets of this decade. In some cases, the dollars spent show in every facet of design. In other cases, not so much. Not every game reveals its budget, so some of these are based off estimates. Additionally, some of the facts muddy a little deeper because not every budget denotes marketing and production costs.
10 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Hideo Kojima's final entry into his fabled Metal Gear Solid series polarized fans with its open-world game play and odd story twists. Sadly, the hit title was left in an unfinished state due to the creator's forced exit from Konami. Even in its incomplete form, the cost of producing the action game came to about eighty-million dollars.
Creating the two massive play areas and the systems of the ever growing Mother Base couldn't have been cheap, and that says nothing of the expertly crafted cinematics. As sad as it was to see the series end on a whimper, fans are currently knee deep in Hideo Kojima's new game, Death Stranding.
9 The Witcher 3
CD Project Red grew exponentially in the time between the first Witcher and the trilogy's landmark open-world conclusion. Every game they produce is their biggest project yet, requiring more funds and a larger development team. The Witcher 3 took forty-five million dollars to make and then an additional thirty-five million dollars went into marketing.
This is an especially impressive number when one remembers the company self-publishes. Their next hotly-anticipated title, Cyberpunk 2077 will probably make its way to a similarly themed list in ten years for that decade.
8 Red Dead Redemption
Before Red Dead Redemption came out, stories circulated about a particularly troubled development. Yet upon release, Rockstar Games managed to put out one of the finest open-world experiences to date. The result was not without hard work and money, however, as over ninety million dollars went into putting it together.
When compared with the previous open-world title on the Rage Engine, Grand Theft Auto IV, one can easily see the graphical improvements and refinement to shared game play mechanics like shooting.
7 Deadpool
Everybody is head over heels about the wise cracking mercenary these days, but in 2013 his fandom was mostly comic readers. If anything, his reputation was tarnished by the lackluster interpretation from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Because of his niche appeal back then, it will surprise many to learn of the one hundred million dollar budget of 2013's Deadpool. Unfortunately, the money did not result in a particularly well-received game. Critics were mostly dismissive of the lackluster combat and juvenile humor. Even worse, the game is no longer available on digital markets.
6 APB: All Points Bulletin
MMOs are not cheaply made, nor are they sure to make a return on their investment. Reports reveal a massive one hundred million dollar price tag for APB: All Points Bulletin's development, which had a rough start in the market.
Reviews were unkind, and the servers shut down only a few months after its initial launch. Eventually, however, the game came back into action and has improved greatly, though it is not anywhere near the heights of other popular MMOs.
5 Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar Game's most recent creation is not only one of the best looking open-world games, it is one of the most beautiful titles of the whole generation. Making something so grand and gorgeous doesn't come cheap, however. While the studio hasn't released an exact number, estimates have come in at one hundred million dollars to produce this magnificent opus.
It's unknown if this number also includes the online component, or the cost to keep it running for years to come, but people are still playing and buying microtransactions, so they won't stop updating it anytime soon.
4 Max Payne 3
Unlike other games coming from the publisher, Max Payne 3 is a tight, linear game constantly pushing the player through the story's fourteen varied chapters. Despite its smaller scale, meticulously crafting these areas didn't come at a reduced development cost. At the end of the day, estimates for production come in at one hundred and five million dollars. To capture the game's Brazil setting, Rockstar went to the country, did extensive research, and used local talent for many of the roles. The high cost was worth it in the end, however, since Max Payne 3 is easily one of the best shooters of the last ten years.
3 Destiny
Bungie's first project after exiting the Halo franchise is an ambitious MMO-like shooter. People freaked out upon a miscommunication making it seem like the game cost half a billion dollars to make, but Activision later clarified that number was an investment into the engine, later titles, and marketing.
Still, the actual price for the first entry was well above the average AAA title. One hundred forty million dollars went into getting the first title off the ground. One wonders how Activision feels about the money they spent on Destiny now that Bungie is independent.
2 Star Wars: The Old Republic
This game's announcement wasn't exactly the Knights of the Old Republic III people were hoping for, but it sufficed for enough Star Wars fans. This MMO had a massive two hundred million dollar budget, but at least it had a bankable name. Initial reception was positive as well, and the switch to a free-to-play model opened the doors for more fans to join in, though a subscription is still available. Star Wars has been in rocky water with video games for the past several years, but at least MMO fans have a steady source of content to enjoy.
1 Grand Theft Auto V
It is only right for one of the most popular video games ever released to also be one of the most expensive. Production alone cost one hundred thirty-five million dollars. With marketing, the total price comes out to over two hundred million. When playing, it is easy to see why it cost so much. The huge world always feels alive, and the over sixty-missions are bookended by compelling cinematics. Then there is GTA Online, which is a whole other beast. Six years since its launch and it still consistently tops monthly sales charts. Seems like money well spent.