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Forums - Gaming - Former Playstation boss reveals the dev cost of AAA games is almost double on PS5 compared to PS4

xboxgreen on 09 July 2025
IcaroRibeiro said:
xboxgreen said:

Sorry, we are talking about AAA games which is the topic of this thread. Please see my edit above and let me know if I am forgetting something.

2024 has Concord and Helldivers

2020 has Miles Morales

For 2020 Demon Souls? I know it's a remake but it was technically a new game, since it was completely remade instead of just remastered

Do Returnal count as AAA for 2021 budget wise ?

What is the current definition for AAA at least 100 million in budget? 

HD2 and Returnal are not AAA games. Demon Souls was just an asset flip (similar Gears ultimate / Reloaded). Concord was cancelled shortly after release so I don't really count it since nobody can play it.

Only Miles Morales can be consider AAA going by rumors. 





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Leynos on 09 July 2025
xboxgreen said:
IcaroRibeiro said:

2024 has Concord and Helldivers

2020 has Miles Morales

For 2020 Demon Souls? I know it's a remake but it was technically a new game, since it was completely remade instead of just remastered

Do Returnal count as AAA for 2021 budget wise ?

What is the current definition for AAA at least 100 million in budget? 

HD2 and Returnal are not AAA games. Demon Souls was just an asset flip (similar Gears ultimate / Reloaded). Concord was cancelled shortly after release so I don't really count it since nobody can play it.

Only Miles Morales can be consider AAA going by rumors. 

You don't know what an asset flip is. That would mean they recycled the same assets for something else. Demon's Souls was a ground-up remake; they tried to be as faithful as possible, but did make some changes and additions. Yes, Gears was a reskin with some minor tweaks. HD2 being over 200 million is no doubt AAA. Concord does count. Zeldaring.

Last edited by Leynos - on 09 July 2025

Bite my shiny metal cockpit!

xboxgreen on 09 July 2025
Leynos said:
xboxgreen said:

HD2 and Returnal are not AAA games. Demon Souls was just an asset flip (similar Gears ultimate / Reloaded). Concord was cancelled shortly after release so I don't really count it since nobody can play it.

Only Miles Morales can be consider AAA going by rumors. 

You don't know what an asset flip is. That would mean they recycled the same assets for something else. Demon's Souls was a ground-up remake; they tried to be as faithful as possible, but did make some changes and additions. Yes, Gears was a reskin with some minor tweaks. HD2 being over 200 million is no doubt AAA. Concord does count. Zeldaring.

Demon Souls remake is basically the same as the first game with a shining coat. Didn't cost much to develop at all and therefore not AAA. Need source on HD2 costing 200 million dollars. Looks like the development cost is between 50 to 100 million. Since concord was alive only for a couple weeks before getting pulled it doesn't count as far as I am concern. 

https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2-is-undoubtedly-2024s-biggest-success-and-major-studios-should-be-taking-notes/



Leynos on 09 July 2025
xboxgreen said:
Leynos said:

You don't know what an asset flip is. That would mean they recycled the same assets for something else. Demon's Souls was a ground-up remake; they tried to be as faithful as possible, but did make some changes and additions. Yes, Gears was a reskin with some minor tweaks. HD2 being over 200 million is no doubt AAA. Concord does count. Zeldaring.

Demon Souls remake is basically the same as the first game with a shining coat.


Just conflicted yourself and lost. Zeldaring.



Bite my shiny metal cockpit!

Jumpin on 09 July 2025

For those who have given up faith in AAA style development ever being sustainable ways of leading the industry, how long ago did that happen?

When I say "AAA-style development" I mean the sort of games that have a trunk development and the releases are branches. So, EA sports is a good way, it's 1 trunk, but each year they branch out a 20XX version of that game which has some new features and content specific to that branch. Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed, and other similar franchises fall into this. Basically, selling the same game over and over again with a facelift and a new hat... but without the same level of scrutiny as games that sell DLC or are released as remasters... and Call of Duty version 37 will cost more than a remaster or DLC of a Final Fantasy, Xenoblade, Paradox, or GTA game.



I describe myself as a little dose of toxic masculinity.

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curl-6 on 10 July 2025
Jumpin said:

For those who have given up faith in AAA style development ever being sustainable ways of leading the industry, how long ago did that happen?

When I say "AAA-style development" I mean the sort of games that have a trunk development and the releases are branches. So, EA sports is a good way, it's 1 trunk, but each year they branch out a 20XX version of that game which has some new features and content specific to that branch. Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed, and other similar franchises fall into this. Basically, selling the same game over and over again with a facelift and a new hat... but without the same level of scrutiny as games that sell DLC or are released as remasters... and Call of Duty version 37 will cost more than a remaster or DLC of a Final Fantasy, Xenoblade, Paradox, or GTA game.

I mean, if we're talking AAA as in "high end blockbuster", even back in the 7th gen I recall games like Tomb Raider and Dead Space 3 "underperforming" despite selling multiple millions due to their massive budgets.