Game Budget Ledger

What 29 big games cost, earned and lost: budgets, revenue, units and write-downs from filings, earnings, court records and reported estimates, each with its source.

Updated

Big games cost a fortune to make, and the bets don't always pay off. Some games earned many times their budget. Others lost hundreds of millions. We gathered what 29 games cost, earned and lost, and every number links to where it came from.

  • $1.058Braised by Star Citizen through crowdfunding, 14 years in and still in developmentOfficial RSI funding tracker
  • $700M+to develop Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the biggest budget revealed in a court filingOfficial Activision court declaration
  • ~$766Mwritten off by Sony on Bungie in one year after Destiny 2 and Marathon missed targetsOfficial Sony FY2025 results
  • ~$8,000of reported budget per estimated copy sold for Concord ($200M+ ÷ ~25,000)Calculated Kotaku; GameDiscoverCo
  • 36x+Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s estimated revenue versus its sub-$10M budgetCalculated GameSpot; Alinea Analytics

Biggest losses

Write-downs and losses a company booked or a leak disclosed.

#GameLoss
1MarathonSony / Bungie 2026−¥88.6B (~$560M)Impairment on Bungie assets · Official
2Destiny 2Sony / Bungie 2017−¥31.5B (~$204M)Impairment on Bungie assets · Official
3Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice LeagueWarner Bros. Games 2024−$200MImpairment, EBITDA impact · Official
4Ratchet & Clank: Rift ApartSony 2021−$8MLoss at the time of the leak · Reported estimate

Losses not disclosed: Concord ($200M+ budget, reported estimate); Skull and Bones (~$200M budget, reported estimate); Marvel’s Avengers ($170M–$190M budget, reported estimate).

Biggest returns

Reported revenue ÷ reported budget. Gross revenue, not profit: platform fees, marketing and taxes are not taken out.

#GameMultiple
1Clair Obscur: Expedition 33~$366M on Under $10M36x+Estimated gross revenue
2Black Myth: Wukong¥6.7B+ yuan (~$961M) on ¥300M+ yuan (~$43M)~22xGross revenue, first month (to Sep 20, 2024)
3Grand Theft Auto V$1B+ in 3 days on £170M (~$265M)3.7x+Worldwide retail sales, first three days only

Most expensive games ever made

Published budgets only. Scopes differ: some include marketing or post-launch work.

#GameBudget
1Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold WarActivision 2020$700M+Development over the game’s lifecycle, incl. post-launch · Official
2Call of Duty: Modern WarfareActivision 2019$640M+Development over the game’s lifecycle, incl. post-launch · Official
3DestinyActivision 2014$500M (planned)Planned spend incl. marketing, infrastructure and royalties for the franchise launch · Official
4Call of Duty: Black Ops IIIActivision 2015$450M+Development over the game’s lifecycle, incl. post-launch · Official
5Cyberpunk 2077CD Projekt 2020PLN 1.2B (~$316M)Development (55%) + marketing (45%) · Official
6Marvel’s Spider-Man 2Sony 2023$315MTotal budget (leaked internal document) · Reported estimate
7Grand Theft Auto VTake-Two / Rockstar 2013£170M (~$265M)Development + marketing · Reported estimate
8The Last of Us Part IISony 2020~$220MDevelopment, excl. marketing · Official
9Horizon Forbidden WestSony 2022$212MDevelopment over five years, excl. marketing · Official
10ConcordSony / Firewalk 2024$200M+Initial development deal · Reported estimate

Full ledger (29 games)

  1. Marathon

    Write-down

    Sony / Bungie2026

    Budget
    Not disclosed
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Impairment on Bungie assets
    −¥88.6B (~$560M)Official Sony FY2025 results (via PC Gamer)

    Booked in the quarter Marathon launched; Sony cited Marathon and Destiny 2 missing expectations. Sales not disclosed.

  2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

    Hit

    Kepler Interactive / Sandfall2025

    Budget
    Under $10MDevelopmentReported estimate GameSpot (via New York Times)
    Revenue
    ~$366MEstimated gross revenueReported estimate Alinea Analytics estimate (via GamesRadar+)
    Units sold
    8M+Official Sandfall, Apr 2026
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  3. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

    Hit

    Deep Silver / Warhorse2025

    Budget
    CZK ~1B (~$41M)DevelopmentReported estimate gamepressure (Daniel Vávra interview)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    6M+Official PLAION, Jun 2026
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  4. Black Myth: Wukong

    Hit

    Game Science2024

    Budget
    ¥300M+ yuan (~$43M)DevelopmentReported estimate GamesRadar+
    Revenue
    ¥6.7B+ yuan (~$961M)Gross revenue, first month (to Sep 20, 2024)Reported estimate China News Service
    Units sold
    ~20M in the first monthReported estimate China News Service
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  5. Concord

    Shut down

    Sony / Firewalk2024

    Budget
    $200M+Initial development dealReported estimate Kotaku
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    ~25,000Reported estimate GameDiscoverCo estimate (via VGC)
    Loss not disclosed
    Not disclosed

    Taken offline about two weeks after launch with full refunds; Firewalk closed in Oct 2024 (Sony).

  6. Palworld

    Hit

    Pocketpair2024

    Budget
    Under ¥1B (~$7M)DevelopmentOfficial Pocketpair CEO
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    32M+ players (not copies)Official Pocketpair, Feb 2025
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

    Player count includes Game Pass; Pocketpair has not published copies sold.

  7. Skull and Bones

    Flop

    Ubisoft2024

    Budget
    ~$200MDevelopmentReported estimate Insider Gaming
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Loss not disclosed
    Not disclosed

    More than a decade in development. Ubisoft’s 2023 write-downs were not broken out by game, so none is attributed here.

  8. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

    Write-down

    Warner Bros. Games2024

    Budget
    Not disclosed
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Impairment, EBITDA impact
    −$200MOfficial Warner Bros. Discovery Q1 2024 earnings call

    Budget not disclosed.

  9. Baldur’s Gate 3

    Hit

    Larian2023

    Budget
    Not disclosed
    Revenue
    ~$657MEstimated gross Steam revenue, 2023 onlyReported estimate VG Insights estimate (via Business Insider)
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

    Larian has not disclosed a budget.

  10. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

    Hit

    CD Projekt2023

    Budget
    PLN 370M (~$85M)Production + launch marketing (expansion)Official CD Projekt current report 38/2023
    Marketing
    PLN 95MOfficial CD Projekt current report 38/2023
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    15MOfficial CD Projekt, Sep 2026
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  11. Hogwarts Legacy

    Hit

    Warner Bros. Games2023

    Budget
    Not disclosed
    Revenue
    $1B+Global retail sales, first three monthsOfficial Warner Bros. Games, May 2023 (via VGC)
    Units sold
    40M+Official Warner Bros. Games, Dec 2025
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  12. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

    Hit

    Sony2023

    Budget
    $315MTotal budget (leaked internal document)Reported estimate Game World Observer (Insomniac leak)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    5M+ in its first 11 daysOfficial Sony (via Game World Observer)
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  13. Horizon Forbidden West

    Hit

    Sony2022

    Budget
    $212MDevelopment over five years, excl. marketingOfficial Sony filing in FTC v. Microsoft (via Axios)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  14. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

    Flop

    Sony2021

    Budget
    $81MTotal cost (leaked internal document)Reported estimate Game World Observer (Insomniac leak)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    2.2MReported estimate Game World Observer (Insomniac leak)
    Loss at the time of the leak
    −$8MReported estimate Game World Observer (Insomniac leak)

  15. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

    Hit

    Activision2020

    Budget
    $700M+Development over the game’s lifecycle, incl. post-launchOfficial Activision court declaration, Dec 2024 (via VGC)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  16. Cyberpunk 2077

    Hit

    CD Projekt2020

    Budget
    PLN 1.2B (~$316M)Development (55%) + marketing (45%)Official CD Projekt 2020 results call
    Marketing
    PLN 540M (45% of total)Official CD Projekt 2020 results call
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    40M+Official CD Projekt, Sep 2026
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

    Troubled 2020 launch; long-tail hit.

  17. Marvel’s Avengers

    Shut down

    Square Enix2020

    Budget
    $170M–$190MDevelopment + marketing (analyst estimates)Reported estimate VGC (analyst estimates)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Loss not disclosed
    Not disclosed

    Support ended and the game was delisted in 2023.

  18. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales

    Hit

    Sony2020

    Budget
    $156MTotal cost (leaked internal document)Reported estimate Game World Observer (Insomniac leak)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    10.2MReported estimate Game World Observer (Insomniac leak)
    Return on cost
    122% ROIReported estimate Game World Observer (Insomniac leak)

  19. The Last of Us Part II

    Hit

    Sony2020

    Budget
    ~$220MDevelopment, excl. marketingOfficial Sony filing in FTC v. Microsoft (via Axios)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  20. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

    Hit

    Activision2019

    Budget
    $640M+Development over the game’s lifecycle, incl. post-launchOfficial Activision court declaration, Dec 2024 (via VGC)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  21. Red Dead Redemption 2

    Hit

    Take-Two / Rockstar2018

    Budget
    Not disclosed
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    87M+Official Take-Two results, Aug 2026
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

    No reliable budget figure has been published.

  22. Destiny 2

    Write-down

    Sony / Bungie2017

    Budget
    Not disclosed
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Impairment on Bungie assets
    −¥31.5B (~$204M)Official Sony FY2025 results (via PC Gamer)

    Sony bought Bungie in 2022; the write-down is on Sony’s books, not the original 2017 release.

  23. Fortnite

    Hit

    Epic Games2017

    Budget
    Not disclosed
    Revenue
    ~$9.19BRevenue in 2018 ($5.477B) + 2019 ($3.709B)Official Epic v. Apple trial exhibit (via The Verge)
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  24. Call of Duty: Black Ops III

    Hit

    Activision2015

    Budget
    $450M+Development over the game’s lifecycle, incl. post-launchOfficial Activision court declaration, Dec 2024 (via VGC)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  25. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

    Hit

    CD Projekt2015

    Budget
    PLN 306M (~$81M)Development + marketingOfficial CD Projekt, 2015
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    65M+Official CD Projekt, Sep 2026
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  26. Destiny

    Hit

    Activision2014

    Budget
    $500M (planned)Planned spend incl. marketing, infrastructure and royalties for the franchise launchOfficial Activision CEO statement, May 2014 (via The Verge)
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

    The figure covers the franchise rollout, not development of one game.

  27. Grand Theft Auto V

    Hit

    Take-Two / Rockstar2013

    Budget
    £170M (~$265M)Development + marketingReported estimate The Scotsman
    Revenue
    $1B+ in 3 daysWorldwide retail sales, first three days onlyOfficial Take-Two press release, Sep 2013
    Units sold
    230M+Official Take-Two results, Aug 2026
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

  28. Star Citizen

    In development

    Cloud Imperium Games2012

    Budget
    $1.058B raisedCrowdfunding raised (not a budget, not profit)Official RSI funding tracker, Oct 27, 2026
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

    Crowdfunding campaign started in 2012. Playable alpha; Squadron 42 not yet released.

  29. Star Wars: The Old Republic

    Hit

    EA2011

    Budget
    ~$200MDevelopmentReported estimate Los Angeles Times
    Revenue
    Not disclosed
    Units sold
    Not disclosed
    Profit / loss
    Not disclosed

    EA did not confirm the figure.

We update this page whenever a company shares new numbers. Curious about release dates instead? Check out ourGame Delay Scoreboard.

Methodology

  • Official means the number comes from a company filing, earnings release or call, court record or a company statement.
  • Reported estimate means a reputable outlet reported it from a leak, an interview or an analyst estimate. The outlet is named next to the figure.
  • Where sources disagree we show a range. Where no reliable figure exists the field says “Not disclosed”.
  • Budgets are not like for like. Some include marketing or years of post-launch work; the scope is listed under each figure.
  • Revenue is gross. It is not profit: platform fees, retailer cuts, marketing and tax are not removed. Return multiples are revenue ÷ budget and are a rough guide only.
  • Foreign-currency figures are shown in the original currency with the US dollar value the source gave, or a conversion at the rate of the time.
  • Star Citizen’s total is crowdfunding raised, so it is kept out of the budget ranking.

Figures we left out

We looked for these and could not find a source we trust:

  • Anthem budget and sales (EA shut the servers on Jan 12, 2026, but never published either).
  • Redfall budget (only unsourced “over $150M” claims).
  • Concord “$400M” total cost (single podcast source; we show the $200M+ figure Kotaku reported).
  • Ubisoft’s €500M 2023 write-down (not broken out by game).
  • Baldur’s Gate 3 “$100M” budget (Larian never confirmed it).
  • Budgets for Red Dead Redemption 2, Elden Ring, Hogwarts Legacy and Helldivers 2.
  • Halo Infinite “$500M” budget (rumour only).
  • Lifetime GTA V revenue totals (estimates vary widely).

Disclaimer

Publishers rarely publish per-game budgets or profits. Leaked and estimated numbers can be wrong or incomplete, and companies may count costs differently. Check the linked source before you rely on any figure. Spotted a newer filing? Tell us through our contact page.

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