# List of most expensive video games to develop

The following is a list of the most expensive video games ever developed, with a minimum total cost of US$50 million and sorted by the total cost adjusted for inflation. Most game budgets are not disclosed, so this list is not indicative of industry trends.

## Lists

– Indicates ongoing costs of development post-release

### Official figures

| Name | Year | Developer | Publisher | Original platform(s) | Costs (million US$) | Costs (million US$) | Costs (million US$) | Costs (million US$) |
| Name | Year | Developer | Publisher | Original platform(s) | Development | Marketing | Total | Total (2024 inflation) |
| Genshin Impact | 2020 | miHoYo | miHoYo | Android, iOS, PS4, Windows | | | 900+ | 974+ |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | 2020 | Treyarch / Raven Software | Activision | PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | | | 700 | 850 |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare | 2019 | Infinity Ward | Activision | PS4, Windows, Xbox One | | | 640 | 787 |
| Star Citizen | TBA | Cloud Imperium Games | Cloud Imperium Games | Windows | 514+ | 116+ | 630+ | 677+ |
| Monopoly Go! | 2023 | Scopely | Scopely | Android, iOS | | <500 | <500 | <516 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops III | 2015 | Treyarch | Activision | PS3, PS4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One | | | 450 | 597 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 2020 | CD Projekt Red | CD Projekt | PS4, Stadia, Windows, Xbox One | 174 | 142 | 441.9 | 514 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 2023 | CD Projekt Red | CD Projekt | PS5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S | 103.6 | 21.6 | 441.9 | 514 |
| Marvel's Spider-Man 3 | TBA | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment | TBA | | | 385 | 397 |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | 2009 | Infinity Ward | Activision | PS3, Windows, Xbox 360 | 40–50 | 150–160 | 200 | 352–366 |
| Marvel's Spider-Man 2 | 2023 | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment | PS5 | | | 315 | 325 |
| Marvel's Wolverine | TBA | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment | PS5 | | | 305 | 315 |
| Final Fantasy VII | 1997 | Square | Square, Sony Computer Entertainment | PS1 | 40–45 | 40–100 | 80–145 | 157–284 |
| The Last of Us Part II | 2020 | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment | PS4 | 220 | | 220 | 267 |
| Horizon Forbidden West | 2022 | Guerrilla Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment | PS4, PS5 | 212 | | 212 | 228 |
| Halo 2 | 2004 | Bungie | Microsoft Studios | Xbox | 40 | 80 | 120 | 200 |
| Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales | 2020 | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment | PS4, PS5 | | | 156 | 190 |
| Destiny | 2014 | Bungie | Activision | PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One | | | 140 | 186 |
| The Callisto Protocol | 2022 | Striking Distance Studios | Krafton | PS4, PS5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | | | 162 | 174 |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 2018 | Eidos Montréal | Square Enix | PS4, Windows, Xbox One | 75–100 | 35 | 110–135 | 138–169 |
| Dead Space 2 | 2011 | Visceral Games | Electronic Arts | PS3, Windows, Xbox 360 | 60 | 60 | 120 | 168 |
| Grand Theft Auto IV | 2008 | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games | PS3, Xbox 360 | | | 100+ | 146+ |
| Undawn | 2023 | Lightspeed Studios, Level Infinite | Tencent Games | Android, iOS, Windows | | | 140 | 144 |
| Battlefield 4 | 2013 | EA DICE | Electronic Arts | PS3, Windows, Xbox 360 | 100 | | 100 | 135 |
| Immortals of Aveum | 2023 | Ascendant Studios | Electronic Arts | PS5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S | 80 | 45 | 125 | 129 |
| Shenmue | 1999 | Sega AM2 | Sega | Dreamcast | 47 | | 47–70 | 89–132 |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 2015 | CD Projekt Red | CD Projekt | PS4, Windows, Xbox One | | | 81 | 107 |
| Rift | 2011 | Trion Worlds | Trion Worlds | Windows | 50+ | 10–20 | 60–70+ | 84–98+ |
| Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart | 2021 | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment | PS5 | | | 81 | 94 |
| Watch Dogs | 2014 | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft | PS3, PS4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One | | | 68+ | 90+ |
| Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier | 2012 | Ubisoft Paris, Red Storm Entertainment, Ubisoft Bucharest | Ubisoft | PS3, Xbox 360 | | | 65 | 89 |
| Gran Turismo 5 | 2010 | Polyphony Digital | Sony Computer Entertainment | PS3 | | | 60 | 87 |
| Gears of War 3 | 2011 | Epic Games | Microsoft Studios | Xbox 360 | | | 48–60 | 67–84 |
| Gears of War: Judgment | 2013 | Epic Games, People Can Fly | Microsoft Studios | Xbox 360 | | | 60 | 81 |
| Heavy Rain | 2010 | Quantic Dream | Sony Computer Entertainment | PS3 | 21.8 | 30.4 | 52.2 | 75 |
| Final Fantasy IX | 2000 | Square | Square | PS1 | | | 40 | 73 |
| Black Myth: Wukong | 2024 | Game Science | Game Science | PS5, Windows | | | 70 | 70 |
| Lords of the Fallen | 2023 | Hexworks | CI Games | PS5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S | 42.2 | 24.4 | 66.6 | 69 |
| E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | 1982 | Atari, Inc. | Atari, Inc. | Atari 2600 | | | 21–22 | 68–72 |
| Darksiders II | 2012 | Vigil Games | THQ | PS3, Windows, Xbox 360 | | | 50 | 68 |
| Half-Life 2 | 2004 | Valve | Valve | Windows | | | 40+ | 67+ |
| Kingdom Under Fire II | 2019 | Blueside, Phantagram | Gameforge | Windows | | | 50+ | 66+ |

#### Cancelled games

| Name | Year cancelled | Developer | Publisher | Platform(s) | Costs (million US$) | Costs (million US$) |
| Name | Year cancelled | Developer | Publisher | Platform(s) | Development | 2024 inflation |
| Titan Project | 2007–2008 | Ensemble Studios | Microsoft Game Studios | Windows | 90 | 131 |
| Wonder Woman | 2025 | Monolith Productions | Warner Bros. Games | Unknown | 100+ | 100+ |
| Fable Legends | 2016 | Lionhead Studios | Microsoft Studios | Windows, Xbox One | 75 | 98 |
| This Is Vegas | 2009–2010 | Surreal Software | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | PS3, Windows, Xbox 360 | 40–50 | 58–72 |
| Volt | 2021 | Hangar 13 | 2K | Un­known | 53 | 53 |

### Unofficial figures
#### Analyst estimations

| Name | Year | Developer | Publisher | Original platform(s) | Analyst(s) | Analyst(s) | Costs (million US$) | Costs (million US$) | Costs (million US$) | Costs (million US$) | Ref. |
| Name | Year | Developer | Publisher | Original platform(s) | Name | Institution | Dev. | Marketing | Total | Total (2024 inflation) | Ref. |
| Grand Theft Auto V | 2013 | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games | PS3, Xbox 360 | Arvind Bhatia | Sterne Agee | 137.5 | 69–109.3 | 206.5–246.8 | 279–333 | |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 2018 | Rockstar Games | Rockstar Games | PS4, Xbox One | Michael Pachter | Wedbush Securities | 170 | | 170 | 213 | |
| Halo 5: Guardians | 2015 | 343 Industries | Microsoft Studios | Xbox One | Michael Pachter | Wedbush Securities | 160 | | 160 | 212 | |
| Marvel's Avengers | 2020 | Crystal Dynamics | Square Enix | PS4, Stadia, Windows, Xbox One | David Gibson | Astris Advisory | | | 170+ | 207+ | |
| Final Fantasy VII Remake | 2020 | Square Enix Business Division 1 | Square Enix | PS4 | Yuhsuke Koyama | Shibaura Institute of Technology | 144 | | 144 | 175 | |
| Final Fantasy VII Remake | 2020 | Square Enix Business Division 1 | Square Enix | PS4 | Atul Goyal | Jefferies & Company | <140 | | <140 | <170 | |
| Max Payne 3 | 2012 | Rockstar Studios | Rockstar Games | PS3, Xbox 360 | Arvind Bhatia | Sterne Agee | 105 | | 105 | 144 | |
| Tomb Raider | 2013 | Crystal Dynamics | Square Enix | PS3, Windows, Xbox 360 | Billy Pidgeon | — | | | 100 | 135 | |
| Resident Evil 2 | 2019 | Capcom | Capcom | PS4, Windows, Xbox One | Atul Goyal | Jefferies & Company | <100 | | <100 | <123 | |
| Halo 3 | 2007 | Bungie | Microsoft Game Studios | Xbox 360 | Michael Pachter | Wedbush Securities | 30+ | 15–20 | 60+ | 91+ | |
| Alan Wake 2 | 2023 | Remedy Entertainment | Epic Games Publishing | PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S | Atte Riikola | Inderes | 53.5 | 21.5 | 75 | 77 | |
| Grand Theft Auto IV | 2008 | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games | PS3, Xbox 360 | Michael Pachter | Wedbush Securities | 45 | | 45 | 66 | |

#### Press estimations

The following budgets have been estimated by press outlets without naming any specific analyst or firm.
| Name | Year | Developer | Publisher | Original platform(s) | Press outlet | Costs (million US$) | Costs (million US$) | Costs (million US$) | Costs (million US$) | Ref. |
| Name | Year | Developer | Publisher | Original platform(s) | Press outlet | Dev. | Marketing | Total | Total (2024 inflation) | Ref. |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 2018 | Rockstar Games | Rockstar Games | PS4, Xbox One | VentureBeat | | 200–300 | 200–300 | 250–376 | |
| Grand Theft Auto V | 2013 | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games | PS3, Xbox 360 | The Scotsman | | | 265 | 358 | |
| Star Wars: The Old Republic | 2011 | BioWare | Electronic Arts, LucasArts | Windows | Los Angeles Times | 200+ | | | 280+ | |
| Too Human | 2008 | Silicon Knights | Microsoft Game Studios | Xbox 360 | USgamer | | | 60–100 | 88–146 | |
| Red Dead Redemption | 2010 | Rockstar San Diego | Rockstar Games | PS3, Xbox 360 | The New York Times | | | 80–100 | 115–144 | |
| APB: All Points Bulletin | 2010 | Realtime Worlds | Electronic Arts, Realtime Worlds | Windows | The Guardian | | | 100 | 144 | |
| Disney Infinity | 2013 | Avalanche Software, Altron (3DS) | Disney Interactive Studios | 3DS, PS3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360 | Los Angeles Times | | | 100+ | 135+ | |
| Deadpool | 2013 | High Moon Studios | Activision | PS3, Windows, Xbox 360 | GameSpot | | | 100 | 135 | |
| Mass Effect: Andromeda | 2017 | BioWare | Electronic Arts | PS4, Windows, Xbox One | Edmonton Journal | | | 100 | 128 | |
| Defiance | 2013 | Trion Worlds, Human Head Studios | Trion Worlds | PS3, Windows, Xbox 360 | Forbes | 80 | | 80 | 108 | |
| Mortal Kombat II | 1994 | Probe Entertainment | Acclaim Entertainment | Game Gear, Sega Genesis, SNES | San Francisco Chronicle | | | 50 | 106 | |
| Sonic & Knuckles | 1994 | Sega Technical Institute | Sega | Sega Genesis | Los Angeles Times | | 45 | 45 | 95 | |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops | 2010 | Treyarch | Activision | Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Windows, Xbox 360, OS X | Los Angeles Times | | | 50+ | 72 | |
| DC Universe Online | 2011 | Dimensional Ink Games | Daybreak Game Company, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment | PS3, Windows | Los Angeles Times | 50 | | 50 | 70 | |
| L.A. Noire | 2011 | Team Bondi | Rockstar Games | PS3, Xbox 360 | BBC News | 50 | | 50 | 70 | |
| Super Mario Bros. 3 | 1988 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | NES | The Seattle Times | 0.8 | | 25.8+ | 69+ | |
| Super Mario Bros. 3 | 1988 | Nintendo EAD | Nintendo | NES | The Indianapolis Star | | 25+ | 25.8+ | 69+ | |
| Final Fantasy X | 2001 | Square Product Development Division 1 | Square | PS2 | Yomiuri Shimbun | 32.3 | | 32.3+ | 61+ | |
| Halo 3 | 2007 | Bungie | Microsoft Game Studios | Xbox 360 | The Hollywood Reporter | | 40 | 40 | 61 | |