Recent disclosures surfaced some of Sony’s long-running development figures, revealed during a legal review connected to a Microsoft FTC case. The Verge highlighted these findings, noting how the data shed light on the scale of work behind several high-profile PlayStation projects.
From the documents, The Last of Us Part II shows an estimated development spend of about 220 million dollars, with a team that at its peak included nearly 300 game creators and engineers. In comparison, Horizon Forbidden West is described as costing roughly 212 million dollars in development, supported by a workforce of around 200 people over a span of about five years. Sony clearly states that these numbers cover development activity alone and do not include marketing, distribution, or other promotional investments. The materials further emphasize that the budget for major AAA games typically surpasses 100 million dollars just for the build stage, with the broader commercial push following after a release. These notes anchor the understanding that development budgeting is only one piece of the overall financial picture for a blockbuster title.
Contextual comparisons from third-party sources align with these figures by listing budgets for other major AAA releases. Public data indicate that Cyberpunk 2077 carried development costs close to 174 million dollars for CD Projekt Red, Battlefield 4 around 100 million dollars for EA, and the Russian title Trouble pegged at approximately 5.9 million dollars based on late June 2023 exchange rates. These examples illustrate the wide variability in production scope, staffing, and regional considerations even among widely anticipated launches, underscoring how much the final cost can diverge across studios and markets.
Beyond pure budgets, recent media discussion has touched on Sony’s broader platform strategy, including moves around free PlayStation Plus offerings. There were mentions that titles such as Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War and a few others could be included in future promotional waves. This context helps readers understand how development budgets interact with subscription services and prospective promotional campaigns that may accompany a major title release. The conversations also hint at how publisher decisions regarding bundled offerings can influence the perceived value of a title, the cadence of post-launch support, and the timing of promotional events that drive player engagement over the product lifecycle.