Video games are every bit as (and more) expensive to make as movies nowadays. Long production times and massive marketing budgets have led triple-A games to set developers and publishers back astonishing amounts of money. The games themselves cost a lot of money to make but the marketing expenses are often what really drive up the total sum. And in the past 10 years video games have become more expensive to make than ever before.
To better convey how expensive video games are becoming fans need only look at the movies. The most expensive movie ever made is Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which cost $378 million, and somewhat incredibly, the number 1 pick on this list beats that. On Stranger Tides made over a billion dollars, more than making its money back, but certain video games, like GTA V, can even become significantly more profitable.
The exact numbers for how much each game costs to make isn't always official but they are credible (taking into account inflation). These may not be the 20 best games of all time, they may not even be good games, but they all cost an exorbitant amount of money to make regardless. But which of them cost the most? And do they warrant the price tag? Read on and find out...
20. Destiny
Rating: $500 Million
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Destiny is, by far, the most expensive video game ever made. The actual cost of Destiny is debatable but it was at least $300 million, excluding marketing (a mammoth cost in itself)
Destiny is described as a first-or-third person MMORPG set on multiple planets. Bungie claim Destiny is a 10 year investment but the game already made its entire budget back on launch day.