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Tripon · Oct 10, 2013

Graphs.net has a nifty graphic illustrating which games cost the most to make and which are the highest grossing. Some of numbers might surprise you. For instance, Final Fantasy VII is still one of the most expensive games ever made, sitting at $45 million. Square got itself back on the list over a decade later with Final Fantasy XIII, which cost over $65 million. Adding Gran Turismo 5 ($60 million) rounds out Japanese games.

Meanwhile, Grand Theft Auto V's $266 million cost towers over everyone, including number two on the list, Grand Theft Auto IV ($100 million).

Rockstar recouped those budgets and then some, but a lot of the more expensive games missed the list of top grossing games. Mario Kart Wii grossed $1.4 billion, right under Call of Duty: Black Ops' $1.5 billion. I think Black Ops II should be somewhere up there as well. But Mario Kart Wii -- wow!

http://www.destructoid.com/final-fantasy-xiii-cost-65m-mario-kart-wii-made-bank-263305.phtml

Cheddahz · Oct 10, 2013

It took $65 million dollars to make hallways?

Some Nobody · Oct 10, 2013

LOL. Nintendo stay winning, I guess.

Valkerionseven · Oct 10, 2013

Cool info... sucks to be Crysis 3 though...

And not surprised at all at those FF numbers. Even with 10+ years difference between them.

To Far Away Times · Oct 10, 2013

Cool stuff.

I've never played GTA V, is the massive budget pretty obvious in game? Or is this mostly marketing expense?

Sage00 · Oct 10, 2013

Source is Wikipedia, lol.

Frumix · Oct 10, 2013

Cheddahz said:
It took $65 million dollars to make hallways?

These were really pretty hallways!

UnluckyKate · Oct 10, 2013

Crysis 3 65m ? including marketing I guess because they had twice less dev time as for C2

Mihael Mello Keehl · Oct 10, 2013

All of that money on games that had like no budget..that shit cray

cyborg009 · Oct 10, 2013

Cheddahz said:
It took $65 million dollars to make hallways?

and cutscenes

CrackPebbles · Oct 10, 2013

Frumix said:
These were really pretty hallways!

.

Trago · Oct 10, 2013

Mario Kart Wii's budget must have been chump change compared to those other games and it still made a ton of money. That's crazy.

Wario64 · Oct 10, 2013

What's the source for the numbers?

Is digitalbattle reliable? They cite no source

manipulate · Oct 10, 2013

Bless you, FF7.

Skyrim was 85m? I don't get it, it re-uses assets like crazy.

Christhor · Oct 10, 2013

Wait what, these conflict with some sources from years ag-
>wikipedia
Oh

BigBadShamoo · Oct 10, 2013

all that money and some people only play it for a day :O

Surprising how low Halo is

Ostinatto · Oct 10, 2013

FFVII cost 45 millions in 1997 HOLY SHIT !!!!

bloodyroarxx · Oct 10, 2013

I assume Versus 13/15 will be high up on that list when all is said and done

jsnepo · Oct 10, 2013

Sage Shinigami said:
LOL. Nintendo stay winning, I guess.

Yup. Software sales are incredible.

Fandangox · Oct 10, 2013

How much did that relatively recent Star Wars game cost to make? I forgot the name, it was a MMO or similar I think.

It cost a lot to make if I recall correctly.

NinjamicWZ · Oct 10, 2013

I wonder how much the $ amount for Mario Kart was bumped by the racing wheel bundles, like CE's do for other games. Can't be much of a difference but it would be nice to know.

gundamkyoukai · Oct 10, 2013

That list make no sense because marketing has been added for some titles while not for others .

Hsieh · Oct 10, 2013

I'm pretty sure by now Puzzle and Dragons should be in the top grossing games of all time list.

SenshiManny · Oct 10, 2013

I know it probably doesn't mean much but something is up with that Mario Kart image. I believe the only Mario Kart game Pacman was in was the arcade Mario Kart game..

Cheddahz · Oct 10, 2013

cyborg009 said:
and cutscenes

Those existed in that game?

Gamerloid · Oct 10, 2013

Wii Play did really well.

Cheddahz said:
It took $65 million dollars to make hallways?

Gosh darn, Cheddahz! You got me laughing hard. lol

Auto_aim1 · Oct 10, 2013

Budgets have risen sharply in the last few years. A $50 million production budget for most AAA games should be manageable, I just hope it doesn't go over $100 million next-gen. The GTA brand is a special case and should be treated as a one off thing. Also, WTF at Crysis 3?

entremet · Oct 10, 2013

SE is really run by turds.

yankee666 · Oct 10, 2013

No Shenmue, shame....,..

also dat MK wii profit

Cutebrute · Oct 10, 2013

I don't recall ever hearing Nintendo brag about how much individual software sales have made them. I would be parading that 1.4 billion number if I were Iwata/Reggie.

Tripon · Oct 10, 2013

Wario64 said:
What's the source for the numbers?

Is digitalbattle reliable? They cite no source

dragonflys545 · Oct 10, 2013

Nintendo is gonna need a lot of luck to get those numbers again.

Mechazawa · Oct 10, 2013

That Tangled budget...

...was worth every penny.

Unknown One · Oct 10, 2013

dragonflys545 said:
Nintendo is gonna need a lot of luck to get those numbers again.

They only have a slim chance on 3DS. Wii-U is impossible.

terrisus · Oct 10, 2013

Sage00 said:
Source is Wikipedia, lol.

That's "research" these days for you.

And now an "article" like this could be listed as a "source" for something on Wikipedia.
And 'round and 'round we go.

Christhor said:
Wait what, these conflict with some sources from years ag-
>wikipedia
Oh

Don't worry, if Wikipedia needs another "source" for those numbers, they have one now!

HeelPower · Oct 10, 2013

Cheddahz said:
It took $65 million dollars to make hallways?

the game has close to an hour of CG cutscenes.

Mihael Mello Keehl · Oct 10, 2013

dragonflys545 said:
Nintendo is gonna need a lot of luck to get those numbers again.

Hell anybody would need alot of luck lol..

Sub_Level · Oct 10, 2013

Believe me I dislike a lot of things about FFXIII too but I think we can all agree that John Carter is the worst in terms of money spent vs sales and critical reception.

Some Nobody · Oct 10, 2013

Cutebrute said:
I don't recall ever hearing Nintendo brag about how much individual software sales have made them. I would be parading that 1.4 billion number if I were Iwata/Reggie.

Does that sound like Nintendo to you, though?

inner-G · Oct 10, 2013

Nintendo stacking dem billions

Kemal86 · Oct 10, 2013

The only one on this list that really shocks me is Crysis 3 at $65million. Kind of wonder if the total cost of developing the CryEngine that was used for Crysis 2 as well is folded into that number.

TheMink · Oct 10, 2013

"Why do the keep making the "new" super mario series?" asks nobody ever again...

ethomaz · Oct 10, 2013

DAT GT3 $850m.

antonz · Oct 10, 2013

Mario Kart Wii actually passed 32 million sales which based on how they are doing the math is 1.6 billion dollars.

LiquidSolid · Oct 10, 2013

If they filled that list out with all the games missing, Rockstar would take up half of it. LA Noire, Red Dead and Max Payne 3 were all ~$100M.

Exentryk · Oct 10, 2013

Would Final Fantasy XV have crossed the $100 million mark yet? I wonder.

kayos90 · Oct 10, 2013

And people think racing games are irrelevant. Though I guess this is also because of how strong the Mario Kart franchise is as well. Great to see those numbers though.

Some Nobody · Oct 10, 2013

TheMink said:
"Why do the keep making the "new" super mario series?" asks nobody ever again...

Yeah I kinda hope these numbers are fake because Nintendo's profits are fucking terrifying if they're not. All these Wii U cracks are worthless.

Sulik2 · Oct 10, 2013

Looking at the number, could someone please explain to me why Nintendo isn't releasing a Mario Kart game against the new consoles? Terrible planning on their part to not have it ready for this year.

Wario64 · Oct 10, 2013

Tripon said:

That didn't answer where the numbers came from

As I said, Digitalbattle doesn't mention any sources

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