History teaches interesting lessons

Comments

• Erillion Member EpicPosts: 10,297

  January 2018

  It looks to me like there is a massive jump in cost after 2002. While most games before that cost in the low single digits in M$, suddenly you are in the double, sometimes even triple digits in M$.
  
  Possible reasons:
  
  Consoles started to be a big market (XBox, Playstation 2, later Wii) and games were being developed for multiple platforms, with a corresponding increase in cost. But also a big increase in number of games sold - therefore profit.
  
  
  Have fun
  
• SEANMCAD Member EpicPosts: 16,775

  January 2018

  Kyleran said:

  Happened across an interesting article regarding the cost to product video games across the years, and noticed a couple of fun facts.
  
  Wing Commander III - $5 million: The third entry in the Origin space franchise had a budget of almost $5 million, according to the Los Angeles Times.
  
  Wing Commander IV - $10 million - A 1996 Texas Monthly profile claimed the space combat sequel had a $10 million budget. Of that $10 million, $8.5 million was spent on live-action video sequences, according to Jamie Russell's Generation Xbox.
  
  https://kotaku.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-make-a-big-video-game-1501413649
  
  So Chris has always clearly been at the top end of the pack when it came to developing games using cutting edge Tech, so his current passion to push SC to the limits is not unexpected.
  
  
  
  

  in order to be 'top end of the pack' we would have to know the average cost of a video game when Wing Commander 3 and 4 came out. 

  Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.

  Please do not respond to me
• MaxBacon Member LegendaryPosts: 7,766

  January 2018

  The peak on the cost of videogames tends with competition as well, things became bigger, more complex, with the higher requirement on quality from voice-acting, motion-capture for animations, and so on.
  
  It brought gaming to the same tier of movie production, I think movie production itself faced the same jump on how much it tends to cost.
  

  
• Kyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,508

  January 2018

  SEANMCAD said:

  Kyleran said:

  Happened across an interesting article regarding the cost to product video games across the years, and noticed a couple of fun facts.
  
  Wing Commander III - $5 million: The third entry in the Origin space franchise had a budget of almost $5 million, according to the Los Angeles Times.
  
  Wing Commander IV - $10 million - A 1996 Texas Monthly profile claimed the space combat sequel had a $10 million budget. Of that $10 million, $8.5 million was spent on live-action video sequences, according to Jamie Russell's Generation Xbox.
  
  https://kotaku.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-make-a-big-video-game-1501413649
  
  So Chris has always clearly been at the top end of the pack when it came to developing games using cutting edge Tech, so his current passion to push SC to the limits is not unexpected.
  
  
  
  

  in order to be 'top end of the pack' we would have to know the average cost of a video game when Wing Commander 3 and 4 came out. 

  Well, in terms of when compared to other games mentioned in the article.
  
  The author even states its not really definitive, no one really knows the actual average, well except maybe SuperData who will sell it you for $4K.
  
  It was just for fun, and it definitely showed a trend towards everly more expensive costs to not only produce games, but market them as well.
  
  

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• SEANMCAD Member EpicPosts: 16,775

  January 2018

  Kyleran said:

  SEANMCAD said:

  Kyleran said:

  Happened across an interesting article regarding the cost to product video games across the years, and noticed a couple of fun facts.
  
  Wing Commander III - $5 million: The third entry in the Origin space franchise had a budget of almost $5 million, according to the Los Angeles Times.
  
  Wing Commander IV - $10 million - A 1996 Texas Monthly profile claimed the space combat sequel had a $10 million budget. Of that $10 million, $8.5 million was spent on live-action video sequences, according to Jamie Russell's Generation Xbox.
  
  https://kotaku.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-make-a-big-video-game-1501413649
  
  So Chris has always clearly been at the top end of the pack when it came to developing games using cutting edge Tech, so his current passion to push SC to the limits is not unexpected.
  
  
  
  

  in order to be 'top end of the pack' we would have to know the average cost of a video game when Wing Commander 3 and 4 came out. 

  Well, in terms of when compared to other games mentioned in the article.
  
  The author even states its not really definitive, no one really knows the actual average, well except maybe SuperData who will sell it you for $4K.
  
  It was just for fun, and it definitely showed a trend towards everly more expensive costs to not only produce games, but market them as well.
  
  

  it would not be out of line to add that information in your post.
  
  if I go around saying that Coke is reasonable now becasue it in 1889 it was a nickel some point of reference is helpful.
  
  or....not do whatever

  

  Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.

  Please do not respond to me