Record-Breaking Call of Duty Budgets Exceed $700 Million

Recent disclosures reveal that Activision's Call of Duty franchise has reached unprecedented heights in development costs, with budgets for three titles soaring to remarkable levels. Black Ops Cold War leads the pack, exceeding $700 million – a figure surpassing even the famously expensive Star Citizen. Modern Warfare (2019) follows closely behind with a budget exceeding $640 million, while Black Ops 3 still commands a substantial $450 million. These figures represent the highest ever recorded for the Call of Duty franchise.

The sheer scale of these budgets underscores the escalating costs within the AAA video game industry. While indie games often thrive on smaller budgets secured through crowdfunding, the creation of blockbuster titles demands immense resources and years of dedicated development. Games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Last of Us Part 2, previously considered exceptionally expensive, pale in comparison to these new Call of Duty figures.

Activision's head of creative for Call of Duty, Patrick Kelly, revealed these staggering figures in a December 23rd California court filing. Black Ops Cold War, despite its single-company funding, outpaces Star Citizen's $644 million development cost amassed over 11 years of crowdfunding. Modern Warfare (2019) and Black Ops 3 also demonstrate the exponential growth in AAA game development costs. The $450 million budget for Black Ops 3, for example, more than doubles the $220 million spent on The Last of Us Part 2.

The continued upward trend in development costs raises intriguing questions about the future. Comparing the $40 million budget of the groundbreaking 1997 title Final Fantasy VII to today's AAA budgets highlights the dramatic shift in the industry's financial landscape. Activision's recent disclosures serve as a stark reminder of the ever-increasing investment required to produce today's leading video games. The implications for future Call of Duty titles, such as Black Ops 6, are significant.