Writing for LA Times, Ben Fritz looks at the entertainment standard-setting launch of Activision s Modern Warfare 2. Amidst a recap of the game’s campaign and recent figures released by the publisher showcasing its success, Fritz drops a hammer in estimating the cost to Activision in making and launching the game at $250 million. Citing sources close to the project, he says the game cost an estimated $40 million to $50 million to make, and that an astronomical additional $200 million was budgeted by Activision to bring it to market. One analyst projects that Activision will ultimately make more than $1 billion in revenue from the game on 15-20 million units sold.
Fritz also cites an Activision source as confirming that the publisher is pursuing an extension of the franchise as a massively multiplayer online game.
