Call of Duty Reveals Massive Development Budgets

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. Budgets for three specific games—Black Ops 3, Modern Warfare (2019), and Black Ops Cold War—have been revealed, ranging from $450 million to a jaw-dropping $700 million. This surpasses previous industry benchmarks, establishing new records for the franchise.

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 extensive development time, often spanning several years. While games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Last of Us Part 2 are known for their high development costs, even these pale in comparison to the newly revealed Call of Duty figures.

According to a December 23rd California court filing, Activision's head of creative for the Call of Duty franchise, Patrick Kelly, detailed the development costs. Black Ops Cold War, exceeding $700 million, takes the lead. This surpasses even Star Citizen's substantial $644 million budget, a remarkable feat considering Black Ops Cold War's funding came solely from Activision, unlike Star Citizen's extensive crowdfunding campaign spanning eleven years. Modern Warfare (2019) followed with a budget exceeding $640 million, and Black Ops 3, at $450 million, still significantly outpaces the $220 million spent on The Last of Us Part 2.

Black Ops Cold War's $700 Million Budget: A New Industry Standard

The Black Ops Cold War budget sets a new precedent in video game development, highlighting the escalating financial commitment required for top-tier titles. This trend of increasing budgets is undeniable, contrasting sharply with earlier industry standards. For instance, the groundbreaking 1997 release of Final Fantasy VII, considered a technological marvel at the time, had a budget of $40 million—a fraction of today's AAA game costs. Activision's recent disclosures serve as compelling evidence of the ever-increasing financial demands within the modern video game landscape. The implications for future titles, such as a potential Black Ops 6, are significant, suggesting even further budget increases are likely.