Call of Duty Franchise Unveils Monumental Development Funding

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, with Black Ops Cold War's $700 million budget eclipsing even the famously expensive Star Citizen. The sheer scale of these figures underscores the escalating costs associated with creating modern AAA games.

The development of a major video game is a complex and lengthy undertaking, demanding significant financial investment and years of dedicated effort. While the indie game scene often showcases successful projects with comparatively modest budgets, the AAA landscape operates on a vastly different scale. Blockbuster titles consistently push budgetary boundaries, exceeding the costs of previously considered "expensive" games. While titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Last of Us Part 2 are known for their substantial development costs, they pale in comparison to the newly revealed Call of Duty figures.

Activision's financial disclosures, detailed in a California court filing on December 23rd, highlight the financial commitment behind these titles. Black Ops Cold War, which sold over 30 million copies, stands out with its exceeding $700 million budget. Modern Warfare (2019) follows closely, with a development cost exceeding $640 million and sales surpassing 41 million copies. Even Black Ops 3, the least expensive of the three at $450 million, significantly surpasses the $220 million development cost of The Last of Us Part 2.

Black Ops Cold War's Budget: A New High Water Mark

The $700 million budget for Black Ops Cold War sets a new record in video game development, surpassing even Star Citizen's considerable $644 million investment. This is particularly noteworthy considering Star Citizen's reliance on crowdfunding over an 11-year period, while Black Ops Cold War was financed solely by Activision.

The escalating trend in game development budgets is undeniable. Comparing the $40 million budget of Final Fantasy VII in 1997 (a technological marvel at the time) to current AAA budgets vividly illustrates the dramatic increase in production costs over the years. Activision's recent disclosures serve as a clear indication of this ongoing trend in the video game industry. The question remains: how much higher will these budgets climb in future iterations of the Call of Duty franchise?