A look at game budgets (and MMO budgets)

Let's not delude ourselves: Companies are making games to make money. That's the whole point. But it's not about how much a game sells; it's about how much it sells compared to how much it costs to make. And that's a bit harder to be sure about, since most companies aren't in the habit of disclosing exactly how much this game or that costs to make in the first place.

Kotaku contributing columnist "Superannuation" looks at the rising budgets of games over the years, including some MMOs in the mix. Some of the figures are certain, some of them are more ambiguous, and all of them provide an interesting look at the price tag. EverQuest's initial budget, for instance, is pegged at $3 million, while World of Warcraft apparently cost $200 million for upkeep and development over the first four years of operation. Take a look at the full listing for a look at some known points and plenty of speculation fodder.