Fact check: The First Gears of War game released in 2006 and costs 12 million to develop. Dragon Age The Vielguard released in 2024, and reportedly cost over 150 million to develop. What in the absolute fuck?

1. Summary of the results

1. Summary of the results:

The development cost increase between games from 2006 to 2024 reflects a broader industry trend. While Gears of War's actual development cost was $10 million (not $12 million as stated), modern AAA games regularly cost hundreds of millions to develop. For context, recent games like Starfield ($300-400 million), Marvel's Spider-Man 2 ($300 million), and God of War Ragnarök ($200 million) demonstrate the current scale of game development budgets.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints:

• Game development teams have grown significantly - Gears of War was made by 20-30 people, while modern AAA games often employ hundreds
• Despite higher costs, base game prices remained relatively stable at $50-60 for decades until recent $70 price points
• Publishers have introduced new revenue streams to offset costs:

Downloadable content (DLC)

Microtransactions

Season passes

Digital distribution reducing physical production costs

• Gears of War generated approximately $100 million in revenue despite its modest budget, showing that high development costs don't necessarily correlate with profitability

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement:

• Incorrectly states Gears of War's budget as $12 million (actual: $10 million)
• The statement's tone suggests outrage at cost increases without acknowledging:

The vastly increased scope of modern games

Inflation's impact over 18 years

The evolution of gaming technology and consumer expectations

That modern games often generate significantly more revenue through multiple channels

• The comparison ignores that Gears of War used the pre-existing Unreal Engine 3, while many modern games require building custom technology