Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social)
bsky.app
Exact budgets of video-game productions can be tough to corroborate (more transparency from publishers would be nice!) but the numbers I've heard floating around AAA game dev these days are $300 million or more — sometimes much more! — which I think helps explain the current state of the industry

Full post: Exact budgets of video-game productions can be tough to corroborate (more transparency from publishers would be nice!) but the numbers I’ve heard floating around AAA game dev these days are $300 million or more — sometimes much more! — which I think helps explain the current state of the industry

To address some frequently asked questions:

  • These are US and Canada productions. If you’re wondering why game X cost so much less, it was probably made elsewhere
  • These budgets are almost entirely dev salaries + overheard and have nothing to do with executive compensation (which is mostly stock)
    • ampersandrew@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      2 hours ago

      I’m not a tax expert, but I think the taxes are applied after gross. Taxes on money coming in, not going out. So that ~$120k is what the company spends, but it’s not what the employee sees.

      • iamthetot@piefed.caEnglish
        3·
        2 hours ago

        Sorry that I was not more clear. The company is paying the employee 120k gross, yes, but then also paying other things behind the scenes like other taxes and unemployment insurance, etc.