BioShock Infinite: $100m to develop, $100m to market
"It's getting harder to ask someone to spend $60 on something" - Levine
A report by the NY Times is suggesting that 2K Games' BioShock Infinite has cost $100 million to make with another $100 million on top for marketing expenses.
Citing an unnamed analyst, the report details the project's four-year development by a team of 200 staff ahead of its release next week.
The high costs in both development and marketing are to ensure success in the third title in the series. Because according to Irrational Games creative director Ken Levine, "it's getting harder to ask someone to spend $60 on something that's merely a good effort."
According to Sterne Agee, BioShock Infinite could ship as many as three million units this month.
At best, the budget is closer to $60 million.
Hang on, that $200 million ($100 development + $100 marketing) comes from an unnamed analysts. Never mind.
Looking at the original Bioshock, and many other large projects, the figures here just don't make much sense. Bioshock itself had a team of 100 and a 4 year development schedule. But a budget of only $15 million. Double the staff, account for inflation and wage increases, add in the extras and that should put it around $50-60 million.
I think this is a case of another analysts throwing numbers out.
You also have to take all of the overhead, admin staff, oop costs, CapEx, etc, etc ETC and come up with an overhead multiplier if you wanted to actually figure it out, and it's really not worth it if not your headache to begin with.
The reason I don't believe that much was actually spent on development is because I don't believe 200 people were devoted to the project for the entire 4 years. My vote goes with the other people here guessing closer to $50m in dev costs.