Most expensive open-world games ever made
Horizon Forbidden West tops this ranking with $212 million, ahead of Assassin's Creed Shadows (over $116 million) and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ($80 million). Development budgets from court filings, publisher reports and serious press. 5 games ranked.
⚔ Higher or lower?
Which one cost more to make?
| # | Game | Number | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Horizon Forbidden WestDevelopment cost only (excluding marketing), Sony document from FTC v. Microsoft | $212 million | June 2023 | Game Developer |
| 2 | Assassin's Creed ShadowsAnnounced budget "over €100M" (unclear scope) | over $116 million | July 2025 | GamingBolt |
| 3 | Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom PainReported development cost (unclear scope) | $80 million | September 2015 | The Independent |
| 4 | Kingdom Come: Deliverance IIDevelopment cost of "about one billion koruna" (CZK), scope not specified | $41.2 million | February 2025 | Seznam Zprávy (Stream.cz) |
| 5 | The ForestInitial development budget | $125,000 | November 2018 | Gamasutra |
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