Full post: Exact budgets of video-game productions can be tough to corroborate (more transparency from publishers would be nice!) but the numbers I've heard floating around AAA game dev these days are $300 million or more — sometimes much more! — which I think helps explain the current state of the industry

To address some frequently asked questions:

  • These are US and Canada productions. If you're wondering why game X cost so much less, it was probably made elsewhere
  • These budgets are almost entirely dev salaries + overheard and have nothing to do with executive compensation (which is mostly stock)
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[–] 2 points 7 months ago (2 children)

kinda reminds me of piers anthony advice to writers when they asked what is most needed to become a success. He said a partner who works.

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Yup. People don't realize that most professional authors are not earning a living through writing.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    I mean he did after a few years but in order to have the time to make it a go he needed to devote all his energies to it. Do it full time. This was way back when books and publishers was more a typical thing. I assume its even harder today.

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