CoD Unveils Colossal R&D Investments

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

Recent disclosures reveal staggering development budgets for several Call of Duty titles, reaching unprecedented heights within the video game industry. Activision's filings show budgets ranging from $450 million to a jaw-dropping $700 million for individual games. This surpasses previous industry benchmarks, with Black Ops Cold War leading the pack at over $700 million.

The sheer scale of these budgets underscores the increasingly expensive nature of AAA game development. While indie games often thrive on smaller budgets secured through crowdfunding, the creation of blockbuster titles demands substantial financial investment and years of dedicated effort. While games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Last of Us Part 2 are known for their high development costs, they are significantly overshadowed by the newly revealed Call of Duty figures.

According to Game File, Activision's Patrick Kelly, head of creative for the Call of Duty franchise, detailed the budgets in a December 23rd California court filing. Black Ops Cold War, with its $700+ million budget and over 30 million copies sold, stands out. Modern Warfare (2019) follows closely, boasting a $640+ million budget and 41 million units sold. Even Black Ops 3, with a comparatively modest $450 million budget, still dwarfs the $220 million spent on The Last of Us Part 2.

Black Ops Cold War: A Budgetary Giant

The budget for Black Ops Cold War sets a new record, exceeding even the massive $644 million development cost of Star Citizen. This is particularly noteworthy considering Black Ops Cold War's funding came from a single company, unlike Star Citizen's eleven-year crowdfunding campaign.

The escalating costs are evident when comparing these figures to past industry standards. The groundbreaking Final Fantasy VII, released in 1997, had a then-substantial $40 million budget. This illustrates the dramatic increase in AAA game development costs over the past two decades. Activision's recent disclosures serve as a stark reminder of this trend. The question remains: how much higher will budgets climb for future installments, like Black Ops 6? The current trajectory suggests continued growth in the years to come.