{"id":3449,"date":"2025-06-10T08:16:26","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T08:16:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lorgar.com\/blog\/?p=3449"},"modified":"2025-07-08T12:56:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T12:56:34","slug":"the-most-expensive-games-of-all-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lorgar.com\/blog\/the-most-expensive-games-of-all-time\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Expensive Games of All Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nowadays, the budgets for major games have reached hundreds of millions of dollars, spent solely on development. But one must also consider marketing and support expenses, which push the overall costs to astronomical levels\u2014sometimes exceeding what Hollywood studios spend on creating blockbuster films. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve compiled a ranking of the most expensive games in history.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"final-fantasy-vii-145-million\"><b>Final Fantasy VII \u2013 $145 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Final Fantasy VII, released back in 1997 for the PlayStation, holds the status of a truly iconic game in the JRPG genre. Its release was a significant milestone in the development of the entire video game industry. Final Fantasy VII featured innovative 3D graphics, a well-crafted story, and memorable characters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To achieve such innovation, the developers at Square Enix \u2014 then simply known as Square \u2014 had to purchase over 200 Silicon Graphics computers. These enabled the creation of cutting-edge 3D animations and visual effects for that time. The development team included around 120 employees, which was a record figure for that period.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All of this required massive investments, so the development of Final Fantasy VII cost a colossal $45 million \u2014 an most expensive game budget for a JRPG at the time. Moreover, the creators heavily invested in marketing, spending around $100 million. This brought the total development budget to $145 million, and when adjusted for inflation, between $157\u2013284 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, this all paid off, as Final Fantasy VII became a cult classic, selling approximately 9.9 million copies. Revenue from sales is estimated at around $1 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Final Fantasy VII Original Trailer\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/utVE4aUKYuY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"halo-5-guardians-160-million\"><b>Halo 5: Guardians \u2014 $160 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Halo franchise plays a key role in Microsoft\u2019s gaming ecosystem, which is why the company spares no expense on its development. According to Michael Pachter, managing director of equity research at Wedbush Securities, the cost of developing the fifth installment\u2014Halo 5: Guardians\u2014reached $160 million. Adjusted for inflation, this figure now stands at around $212 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Halo 5: Guardians was developed by 343 Industries. The game was released for Xbox One and Series X|S in 2015. It was one of the most successful launches in the franchise\u2019s history, generating $400 million in revenue within its first week.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Halo 5: Launch Gameplay Trailer\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Rh_NXwqFvHc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-callisto-protocol-162-million\"><b>The Callisto Protocol \u2014 $162 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the end of 2022, Striking Distance Studios released The Callisto Protocol, a survival horror game led by Dead Space creator Glen Schofield. Publisher Krafton had high hopes for the project and invested heavily in its development.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to MK-Odyssey estimates, the game&#8217;s development cost around \\$162 million, and with inflation, the total reaches approximately $174 million. Unfortunately, the project failed to meet expectations due to poor optimization, an underwhelming combat system, and a rather generic storyline.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The game is considered a financial failure, having sold around 2 million copies \u2014 far below the expected 5 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Callisto Protocol - Official Launch Trailer | PS5 &amp; PS4 Games\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IT7swHyN8FQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"marvels-avengers-170-190-million\"><b>Marvel&#8217;s Avengers \u2014 $170\u2013190 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marvel&#8217;s Avengers is a third-person action-adventure game based on the popular superhero comics from Marvel, released in 2020. It was developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix and Eidos Montreal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project turned out to be a failure, as players immediately encountered severe optimization issues, numerous bugs, and poorly executed gameplay. As a result, the game was recognized as a financial flop, selling only 3 million copies\u201460% less than projected. Despite that, Square Enix had high hopes for Marvel\u2019s Avengers, investing approximately $170\u2013190 million in development and marketing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Marvel&#039;s Avengers - Launch Trailer | PS4\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6MKiLy3Y32k?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"red-dead-redemption-2-170-million\"><b>Red Dead Redemption 2 \u2014 $170 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Red Dead Redemption 2 is a true masterpiece of the gaming industry. This title from Rockstar impresses with its detail, storytelling, and immersive atmosphere. Many players refer to it as \u201cGTA in the Wild West.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating such a project is by no means cheap, especially considering it features one of the largest open-world game environments. Although there\u2019s no exact data on development costs, many analysts agree that RDR2\u2019s development cost ranged from $170 million to $240 million. Additionally, marketing expenses are believed to have exceeded the development budget, estimated between $200 million and $300 million. Therefore, according to unofficial calculations, the game cost a minimum of $370 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The developers\u2019 investment fully paid off. Over 74 million copies of RDR2 have been sold, and revenue is currently estimated at $725 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Red Dead Redemption 2 Launch Trailer\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HVRzx17WHVk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2-2009-200-million\"><b>Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) \u2013 $200 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2009, Infinity Ward and publisher Activision released the sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, titled Modern Warfare 2. The game was very well received by players, praised for its engaging story campaign and well-developed multiplayer mode. It also features the infamous &#8220;No Russian&#8221; mission.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to analysts, development costs for Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 ranged from $40\u201350 million, but the developers placed their biggest bet on advertising. The marketing budget is estimated at $150\u2013160 million, bringing the total project cost to around $200 million. When adjusted for inflation, this equals approximately $352\u2013366 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exact revenue figures are unknown, but the game is believed to have brought in at least $1 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Modern Warfare 2 Launch Trailer\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/blshENwbHgs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"horizon-forbidden-west-212-million\"><b>Horizon Forbidden West \u2013 $212 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2022, Guerrilla Games in partnership with Sony released the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, titled Horizon Forbidden West. The game was well received by critics and players alike. The series appeals to gamers with its unique post-apocalyptic world inhabited by robotic creatures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the legal battle between the Federal Trade Commission and Microsoft over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, internal Sony documents surfaced. These revealed that more than 300 full-time employees worked on Horizon Forbidden West over five years. According to the documents, the project\u2019s budget was $212 million, and when adjusted for inflation, it exceeds $225 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of June 2023, analysts estimated Sony&#8217;s revenue from game sales at over $300 million. The current figure may be significantly higher, though exact numbers are unknown.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores - Launch Trailer | PS5 Games\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Lbl2wfyAgxY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-last-of-us-part-2-220-million\"><b>The Last of Us Part 2 \u2013 $220 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2020, Naughty Dog released The Last of Us Part 2, the sequel to the iconic series known for its storytelling and emotional depth. The game continues the narrative of Ellie and Joel, this time shifting the main focus to Ellie.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Initially, the game launched exclusively on PlayStation 4. It later arrived on PS5 in 2024 and was released on PC in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Last of Us is one of Sony&#8217;s flagship franchises, and no expense was spared for its development. According to documents from the FTC vs. Microsoft case, development lasted around 70 months and cost approximately $220 million. With inflation, that figure rises to $266 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Total revenue from the game may reach up to $1 billion, especially considering the PS5 re-release and the recent PC port.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Last of Us Part II - Official Story Trailer | PS4\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vhII1qlcZ4E?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"gta-5-206-million\"><b>GTA 5 \u2013 $206 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GTA 5 immediately became a cultural phenomenon, setting new standards for the gaming industry for years to come. The game features a vast, intricately detailed open world that feels alive and independent of its main characters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Analysts estimate that development costs for Grand Theft Auto V amounted to $137.5 million, involving a team of 250 people over a five-year development cycle. Additionally, between $69 million and $109.3 million was spent on marketing. This brings the total estimated cost to between $206.5 million and $246.8 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These investments definitely paid off. The game has sold 185 million copies, generating approximately $8 billion in revenue, which includes microtransactions from GTA Online.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Grand Theft Auto V: The Official Trailer\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hvoD7ehZPcM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"marvels-spider-man-2-315-million\"><b>Marvel&#8217;s Spider-Man 2 \u2013 $315 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2023, Insomniac Games released the second installment of the Marvel&#8217;s Spider-Man series. The main characters, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, returned, with players also getting to control Mary Jane and Venom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following a major data leak from Insomniac Games, it was revealed that the total budget for Marvel&#8217;s Spider-Man 2 reached $315 million. Adjusted for inflation, the figure exceeds $325 million. The same documents also indicate that Marvel\u2019s Spider-Man 3 will require at least $385 million in development costs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of April 2027, the game had sold 11 million copies, with estimated revenue reaching around $770 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Marvel&#039;s Spider-Man 2 - Launch Trailer I PS5 Games\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9fVYKsEmuRo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"call-of-duty-black-ops-iii-450-million\"><b>Call of Duty: Black Ops III \u2013 $450 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Call of Duty: Black Ops III, the sequel to Black Ops II, was released in 2015 as the twelfth main entry in the Call of Duty franchise. It was well-received for its multiplayer and zombie modes and incorporated elements of science fiction along with a somewhat convoluted storyline.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Budget details were revealed during a court case related to a school shooting in Texas in 2022. Video games were cited by the plaintiffs as a possible influence on the shooter, who was reportedly an avid Call of Duty player.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From that legal proceeding, it became known that the development of Call of Duty: Black Ops III cost Activision $450 million. The project took three years and involved over 100 team members. Adjusted for inflation, the cost rises to approximately $597 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the latest analyst estimates, Black Ops III generated about $2.75 billion in revenue with 43 million copies sold.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Official Call of Duty: Black Ops III Reveal Trailer\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qAUYNIDEJ6o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"cyberpunk-2077-472-million\"><b>Cyberpunk 2077 \u2013 $472 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first announcement of Cyberpunk 2077 was made in 2012, and the first trailer appeared only in 2018, with the release taking place in 2020. The project is based on the tabletop role-playing game Cyberpunk 2020, the events of which unfold in the fictional city of Night City. The game was one of the most anticipated titles in the video game community, but upon release, it failed to meet expectations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cyberpunk 2077 was criticized for poor optimization and numerous bugs; such negativity led to the game being removed from the PlayStation Store from December 2020 to June 2021. It is worth noting that CD Projekt did not abandon the game but actively worked on fixes and managed to save the project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After fixing almost all the issues, CD Projekt released the &#8220;Phantom Liberty&#8221; expansion for the game. Considering the long development period, the substantial post-release work on the game, and the development of the DLC, the budget for Cyberpunk 2077 is estimated at approximately $472 million. According to analysts\u2019 estimates, the base game cost $316 million, $85 million was spent on the expansion, and $71 million went into marketing. Taking inflation into account, the total may reach $514 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Such investments by CD Projekt paid off. According to the company\u2019s report for the 2023 fiscal year, the game brought in 3 billion Polish zloty, which is approximately $752 million. Moreover, the game and its expansion are still popular, so the revenue may have already reached $1 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Cyberpunk 2077 \u2014 Official E3 2018 Trailer\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8X2kIfS6fb8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"call-of-duty-modern-warfare-640-million\"><b>Call of Duty: Modern Warfare \u2014 $640 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2019, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was released, serving as a reboot of the MW subseries. The events of the game take place in a modern setting, with an emphasis on realism. Players highly praised the gameplay, story campaign, and multiplayer mode in the game.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the previously mentioned court case related to the Texas school shooting, the development budget for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) also became known. According to Patrick Kelly, the head of Activision\u2019s creative division for the Call of Duty series, the company spent $640 million on the game. If we also take inflation into account, the budget rises to $787 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In just the first three days, the game generated around $600 million, and lifetime revenue may exceed $2.46 billion with over 41 million copies sold.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Official Reveal Trailer | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bH1lHCirCGI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war-700-million\"><b>Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War \u2014 $700 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indeed, for two consecutive years, Activision released games whose development costs exceeded $600 million. To be exact, the creation of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War cost $700 million, and with inflation, that totals around $850 million.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The development itself took Treyarch and Raven Software three years, with over 100 people involved in the project. The game sold over 30 million copies. Players and critics responded positively to Black Ops Cold War, especially praising the campaign for its variety and interesting mechanics.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black Ops Cold War sold approximately 30 million copies, so the revenue from it is estimated at $1.8 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Reveal Trailer | Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aTS9n_m7TW0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"star-citizen-788-million\"><b>Star Citizen \u2014 $788 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Star Citizen is being developed in the space simulator genre by the studio Cloud Imperium Games, led by Chris Roberts, the creator of the Wing Commander series. The developers promise that the game will combine an open world, combat system elements, and the MMO genre. Players will have the opportunity to travel through star systems, complete various missions, and participate in space battles. The creators promise a high level of detail in all elements of the title.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The development of Star Citizen is funded through crowdfunding. Development has been ongoing for over ten years, and it is still unknown when the full release will happen. However, this does not stop fans from believing in the game and buying spaceships in the in-game store for hundreds of dollars. According to the latest reports, the development budget of Star Citizen has surpassed $788 million and is quite likely to reach $1 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An interesting fact is that this project has such strong support that a spin-off titled Squadron 42 is already scheduled for release in 2026. The game will be created in the story-driven shooter genre.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Star Citizen - Official &#039;What Is Star Citizen&#039; Trailer\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/52rTsrwZcGQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"genshin-impact-900-million\"><b>Genshin Impact \u2013 $900 million<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Genshin Impact is an Action\/RPG game with an open world, developed by the Chinese studio miHoYo. It is distributed under a free-to-play model, but players can make in-game purchases. The game is available on PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch consoles, as well as on PC and mobile devices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the game was released in 2020, it was reported that its development cost miHoYo $100 million. However, every year since then, the developers have spent around $200 million to support the project. As a result, the game\u2019s budget has already reached approximately $900 million and will soon exceed the $1 billion mark.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Such investments by the developers are fully justified. In 2022, miHoYo reported a net revenue of $3.84 billion, with a profit of $2.27 billion. On mobile devices alone, the game has earned over $4.1 billion in the United States since its release.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Genshin Impact - Official Launch Trailer\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HLUY1nICQRY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"monopoly-go-1-billion\"><b>Monopoly Go! \u2013 $1 billion<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surprisingly to many, the most expensive game at the moment is the mobile version of Monopoly Go!, though it holds this status only until the release of GTA 6. The total budget of the game reaches as much as $1 billion, with the majority of the funds\u2014nearly $900 million\u2014spent specifically on marketing. These expenses surpass the cost of such gaming hits as Marvel&#8217;s Spider-Man 2 or any other game on this list.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project was developed by the studio Scopely over a period of more than 7 years, with more than 150 developers involved. However, this risky investment paid off: within the first seven months, the game earned $1 billion, and by the tenth month, the figure reached $2 billion. According to Forbes, as of May 2025, Monopoly Go! has already earned $5 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"MONOPOLY GO! Trailer\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cwfoZy3mNTI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"gta-6-1-2-billion\"><b>GTA 6 \u2013 $1\u20132 billion<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, it\u2019s worth separately mentioning the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6, which is still in development and is set to be released in May 2026. This game is expected to take the video game industry to a new level, and considering the expectations of players and critics, Rockstar is expected to deliver a top-quality product.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a project of this scale, no expenses are being spared, but even so, the approximate minimum budget of $1 billion still shocks many. Some analysts suggest that the total may reach up to $2 billion. This amount is not solely for development\u2014it includes marketing, post-release support, and the online mode.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Naturally, revenue at this level of investment is expected to be significant. According to DFC Intelligence, GTA 6 will generate $3.2 billion in revenue within its first year after release.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VQRLujxTm3c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, as we can see, the most expensive game ever are mostly released by Sony, Activision, and Rockstar Games. At the same time, their games become cultural phenomena, and their franchises are known even to people who aren&#8217;t interested in video games. That\u2019s why we see such large investments in promoting these projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But of course, a big budget is not a guarantee of success, as proven by Marvel&#8217;s Avengers, The Callisto Protocol, and many other projects. For example, Alan Wake 2, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and many other titles didn\u2019t have sky-high budgets, yet their creators managed to develop truly interesting and captivating games.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nowadays, the budgets for major games have reached hundreds of millions of dollars, spent solely on development. But one must also consider marketing and support expenses, which push the overall costs to astronomical levels\u2014sometimes exceeding what Hollywood studios spend on creating blockbuster films. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve compiled a ranking of the most expensive games in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-en"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Most Expensive Games of All Time - Gaming Accessories Lorgar Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/lorgar.com\/blog\/the-most-expensive-games-of-all-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Most Expensive Games of All Time - Gaming Accessories Lorgar Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Nowadays, the budgets for major games have reached hundreds of millions of dollars, spent solely on development. 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