CoD Unveils Colossal Development Funds

Call of Duty's Astronomical Budgets: A Look at the Rising Costs of AAA Game Development

Recent disclosures reveal that Activision's Call of Duty franchise has shattered budget records, with development costs for some titles reaching a staggering $700 million. This surpasses even the famously expensive Star Citizen. Black Ops Cold War leads the pack, highlighting the escalating financial investment required in today's AAA game market.

The creation of a modern AAA video game is a massive undertaking, demanding years of work and substantial financial resources. While indie games often rely on smaller budgets secured through crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, the landscape of blockbuster titles is drastically different. Costs have consistently climbed, dwarfing even those of previously "expensive" classics. Games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Last of Us Part 2 are known for their high development costs, but even these pale in comparison to the recently revealed Call of Duty figures.

According to a December 23rd California court filing (via Game File), Activision's Patrick Kelly, head of Call of Duty creative, revealed the budgets for Black Ops 3, Modern Warfare (2019), and Black Ops Cold War. Black Ops Cold War's development cost exceeded $700 million, a figure that dwarfs the competition. Despite its massive budget, the game sold over 30 million copies. Modern Warfare (2019), with a development cost exceeding $640 million, achieved even higher sales, reaching 41 million copies. Even Black Ops 3, the least expensive of the three at $450 million, still more than doubles the $220 million budget of The Last of Us Part 2.

Black Ops Cold War: A $700 Million+ Colossus

The budget for Black Ops Cold War represents an unprecedented high for the video game industry, surpassing even Star Citizen's substantial $644 million development cost. This is particularly noteworthy considering Star Citizen's funding was spread over 11 years through crowdfunding, while Black Ops Cold War was financed solely by Activision.

The trend of escalating game budgets is undeniable. Comparing the $40 million budget of the groundbreaking 1997 release of Final Fantasy VII to today's AAA game costs illustrates the dramatic increase. Activision's recent revelations serve as stark evidence of this ever-growing financial investment in the video game industry, leaving one to wonder what the budgets for future Call of Duty installments will reach.