Support NeoGAF

[Majukun]

AAA have less good gameplay,but better graphics,audio and advertisements than the others

 

[Oersted]

The difference is the marketing. And the term AAA is part of that marketing, so it goes somekind of full circle.

 

[Drkirby]

AAA in gaming was supposed to mean "This game is a safe investment and defiantly will at least break even"

Now it just means the game has a large budget.

 

[OldAsUrSock]

More money is pumped into the games. It is not more cinematic, HUGE events, and the sort. It is the fact that the publisher is putting loads of cash behind the game.

 

[That1BlackGuy]

I only use the terms AAA and B (Budget). They're buzzwords within themselves but the difference is simply the amount of money pumped into development of the games. Most AAA games are franchises while B games are usually one-offs or two games at most and they typically fly under the radar.

Problem is the media and consumers as been brutal this gen on B games as far as home consoles, which sucks because I primarily buy B games. They've mostly moved to portables since the beginning of this past gen (not that I'm" complaining).

 

[SquiddyCracker]

Well, do you guys think it might change in the future?

It kinda looks like the move towards anti-used games is just an attempt to ensure that prices don't go down, so that they can continue making inflated-budget games that ends in either a catastrophe or moderate success.

 

[Effect]

AAA used to refer to the amount of quality and polish in the game. That it was a cut above the rest and a sure fire buy for everyone. Now it's about how much money and advertising that is spent on a game. How cinematic it can be regardless of the amount of time you actively spend playing it. Quality of the game be damned. The term has been taken and twisted in order to make customers buy certain games over others regardless if they are deserving of the title or should be bought.

I think the term is largely meaningless now because of how it was twisted. So many 9s and 10s being given out to games that simply didn't deserve them. People simply and rightfully aren't falling for the label anymore.

 

[LuchaShaq]

Budget in both development and marketing.

HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH QUALITY.

Probably the most over used term in gaming and it drives me nuts since it's so simple.

 

[HeelPower]

AAA: COD, GTA, Assassin's Creed series, Mass Effect, etc. around 5 million sales to break even.
AA: Dark Souls, Metal Gear, Uncharted, 2/3 the development budget of AAA with one tenth of the marketing budget around 1.5 million sales to break even.
A: Anything by Platinum or Grasshopper, niche titles. around 150,000 sales to break even.
B: shovelware???
anything lower is probably indie??

There is no way Mass Effect has higher budgets than Metal Gear. MGS4 cost around 60 million $ and frequently makes to "most expensive games ever" lists.Even If that information is inaccurate, Mass affect is more of an AA game than a true AAA.

 

[oVerde]

I hardly can tell among many games, but Kane & Lych is a B game, mid budget niche title.

 

[iMax]

And then of course there's AAAA, which is now a thing too, apparently.

 

[gutter_trash]

AAA = big budget

 

[Warm Machine]

Far Cry 3 is certainly AAA and it isn't a cinematic rail shooter.

The distinction is generated by the volume of cash pushed into the development by virtue of collosal team size, and then into the marketing.

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

budget =

-size of team (lot of paychecks)
-length of development
-amount of marketing, advertisement, and media buys the publisher is willing to spend for

it can also mean the difference between horrible voice actors and grabbing big name talent, or getting big famous orchestras/composers/studios to do the soundtrack instead of in-house.

 

[thesuperfunk]

What's the difference between "AAA" and AA/A/B games?

Several million dollars I would imagine ...

 

[Ledsen]

marketing budget

 

[AzraelKans]

Is a grade

B means less than standard (Sci Fi Movies per example, and Movie Tie In Games)
A means good quality (like getting an A in school)
AA (A+) is great
AAA (A++) is Superlative. Super production state of the art Games and Movies.

However more recently is more indicative of the budget used for development and marketting.

AFAIK Is not set in stone so It could be something like this:

Less than a million: B
More than a 1 milll but Less than 5 million: A
Less than 20 million: AA
More than 20 million (50 million and more) AAA

Remember: development costs also apply to man hours (salary) over years and SDK expenses and licenses. (consoles have a release license fee)

There is a LOT of shovelware that is B quality (made over a weekend) that expend a lot in marketting and ascend to A or AA grade.